# Apisto Collection - Lots of Photos



## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

For anyone who doesn't know, my favourite type of fish has to be the Apistogramma cacatuoides. With that said I love all types of apistos and am making a concerted effort to collect whatever species I can. 

In compiling these photos it occurred to me that somewhere along the line with acquiring different species as juveniles I now can no longer determine what species some of these fish are. The best I can do is guess based on their size and how many of their type I can find in my 220 gallon. 

Feel free to correct any mistaken identifications (they are in the filenames), most likely the possible algodons.

So no more blather, onto the pictures


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Two more of my A. agassizii

I will post more on here of my new A. cacatu. females and a pair of locally raised Apisto hongsloi which have taken quite a liking to their quaratine tank and the male has colored up nicely. They will hopefully approve a future move to 10x the space and at least that many times the excitement of my big tank.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Wow, nice pics and nice collection!

Have you got any to spawn yet? I'd like to try my hands at Apistos next too. We'll see how that goes.

Where did you get most of your apistos from?


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Very nice fish and pics.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks guys  My Apistos are evenly divided between coming from Menagerie, other hobbyists, and Big Als. 

I have managed to breed the Cacatus and the ones you see in the photos are the F1 from my original parents which both died shortly after those fish were free swimming fry. It was quite a terrible murder/suicide. 

I plan to try breeding the F1 guys with some new female stock very soon. I will be cutting up some clay pots for caves today. Fingers crossed.


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## xxprudencexx (Sep 3, 2008)

Awesome collection i feel like starting one of my own


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

How big are those algodons I gave you now?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

those are some really handsome fish James.. wow.


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## _Green_ (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm in ah those are some very nice fish

how did you take the pictures? I've tried taking some pictures recently but none of them have turned out very well, perhaps you could give me a few pointers.

Again very nice fish...any chance you would be able to let us know what size tanks each species are in and the number of fish in each tank...

Ross


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

@Ciddian - Thanks for the kind words - I need to take some videos so you guys can see their interesting behaviour.

@Chris - some are larger than others but they average around 3/4 to an inch. How are the rest of your fish doing? Anything else exciting breeding at the moment?

@Green - all of the fish in these pictures are in my 210 gallon tank, sometimes i forget I couldn't find a 220 so I settled on a 210. Basically if it is >200 gallons I am referencing my main tank. I have a post for it under the "planted tank photos section"
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4190

For the photos I am just using a Cannon Powershot SD700 IS Point and shoot camera on Digital Macro Mode, with no flash and the ISO Rating set to high.

I'd say the main tank has 5 agassizi, 3 cacatu, 3 vijeta, 6 algodon (maybe I am wrong Chris? I forget how many you gave me!), 2 incas, others I cannot remember as I have not yet had breakfast today, 
They are a mix of males and females and share the tank with a bunch of ottos, 5 angles, some rasboras & tetras and a few SAEs I wish I could remove.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

nice looking groups.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Newp, nothing exciting =D

Good to hear they are doing well!


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## _Green_ (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for sharing, that is a very impressive collection. Your tank looks very nice, I'm sure you're quite proud, I know I would be. All of the fish look very nice. I really like this one though









I know what you mean about the SAEs, I had 2 in my tank which I couldn't get out no matter what I tried, until I get really angry and got in there with both hands and a net lol took 10 minutes to herd them into the net, but I finally for them out. In a tank the size of yours I don't think even that would work.



JamesG said:


> @Ciddian - Thanks for the kind words - I need to take some videos so you guys can see their interesting behaviour.
> 
> @Chris - some are larger than others but they average around 3/4 to an inch. How are the rest of your fish doing? Anything else exciting breeding at the moment?
> 
> ...


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

_Green_ said:


> I know what you mean about the SAEs, I had 2 in my tank which I couldn't get out no matter what I tried, until I get really angry and got in there with both hands and a net lol took 10 minutes to herd them into the net, but I finally for them out. In a tank the size of yours I don't think even that would work.


I was in there up past my elbows with a fairly hefty minnow net trying to catch them. No luck at all.


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## _Green_ (Dec 30, 2008)

they are a pain no doubt about it, I hate to say this and I'm sure some will take issue with it, but I actually spent the last 2-3 months just wishing they would die so I could be rid of them. That's bad I know, they aren't really a bad fish, they are what they are and that's not for me lol

I'm going to try trading them for some otto cats at the fish store in the morning.


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## apisto-nut (Jan 27, 2009)

Where did you get the A.viejita ?

I am only asking as most sold as A.viejita are really A.macmasteri .

Nice collection by the way 

As for the Algodon , they would be A, sp 'Papagei' or A.Pebas or A. sp. Putumayo

More detailed pics would help


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

apisto-nut said:


> Where did you get the A.viejita ?
> 
> I am only asking as most sold as A.viejita are really A.macmasteri .
> 
> ...


The viejita was purchased at Menagerie. I was doing some more research on the taxonomy for this genus and it is very uncertain. But as I have learned even gene sequencing cannot decisively settle species vs varietal or hybrid arguements. It seems the Algodon is no exception.

I will try and get more photos. They are weary of the camera and like to stay in the shadows so the pictures I have are not terribly detailed.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Just for apisto-nut and James:

Those Algodon are sp. 'Papagei'


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