Thats me

[fischkopp]

Hi,

I am Robert an became an OVAS member last September meeting, but wasnt very active in the community yet. Its time to change that as I am realizing how great it is:

I had my first fishtank with 10 or so, started with 70l and made experiences with all kind of fish. It was pretty much the typical mix of everything: guppys, plecos, gouaramis ... and I fall in love with the blue rams. I had to give up my hobby guring my time at university, but right after entering the workers life I got a new tank, but couldnt get any blue rams. Instead I got a pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides, which i fall in love with even more. Well, work was busy and I couldnt dive to deep into this and eventually I moved to Canada and had to give up my tank again.

This was last year in September  I wasnt to busy and gave the local stores a visit: And I found Apistogramma species for sale that I didnt even know about Ok, I wasnt really well informed, but I got this urge to keep some of them. So I started a setup, read a lot, started another ... spend lots of time understanding, how the aquarium biology reacts to the chemistry, and run probably in almost every little problem that can occur and I must say: it is as exciting as never!

At this time - thanx to the giant auction -  I have five tanks running, keeping 4 different Apistos, and managed it even to raise a bunch of Inkas to a descent size, so that I maybe able to offer some of them at the mini auctions. I am still planning for further tanks and want to go even deeper in this fantastic hobby. I hope to get contact to other Apistogramma keepers to exchange experience, fish and excitement!

Another urge is to underwater gardening. If anybody remembers the crazy bidding for the algae ball at the giant auction - I (we) got it 


btw: fishkopp means fish-head; everybody who comes from my place of birth (at the coast) gets this nick name from the landlubbers

[babblefish1960]

Fascinating, welcome, and of course you ruined my imagination, here I was trying to imagine if you were a policeman for the protection of fish, or a policeman keeping fish in line, or a fish that was a policeman. So many possibilities, but now I have your version. It will have to do, it isn't the same as chowder head though is it?

Have a blast with the multiple tank syndrome.

[BigDaddy]

babble failed to mention he is an apisto keeper.  I am too, having kept or keeping panduros, cacs, borellii, aggies and norberti

There are quite a few apisto keepers on the forums.  One of our sponsors, Aquanourissplus, is a good source of dwarf cichlids if you can't find what you are looking for in town.

Enjoy!

[fischkopp]

Thanx for your welcome! - and sorry for ruining any imaginations. the name means nothing
really, just found it kind of neat - will keep the chowder head in mind for next time 

It is great to hear that there others keeping apistos too. I was affraid the majority here sticks to africans.

BigDaddy, I see you have some interesting ones that are not so popular (at least i havent seen them in the local stores yet). Did you receive them from other people or through Aquanourissplus? Is there anybody in the OVAS breeding any apistos?

[babblefish1960]

Fear not, the African owners are merely a noisy minority who haven't yet realized that cichlid doesn't mean rift lakes only.

There are a few apistogramma breeders and fanciers here, quite a few actually, I'm sure you'll see some coming out of the woodwork soon enough.

[BigDaddy]

babblefish1960 and PaleoFishGirl breed A. agassizi "Rio Tefe"

mseguin usualy breeds A. cacatuoides

I have breed A. panduro and have some G1's from WC parents I am hoping will spawn again soon.

And that is just the ones I can think of on the current Executive   

[fischkopp]

i got a pair of cacatuoides at the giant auction, they might be from mseguin. They have been spawning 3x already 

maybe there is a chance to get some agassizi in the furture, i miss to have them ...

I havent heard of the G1 so far, but i will do my research and hope you will have luck getting them to spawn soon.

Its great to see that there are many apistonatics! 

[succinctfish]

G1 simply means offspring of wild caught fish, see this OVAS article for more info.
http://ovas.ca/index.php?page=46
Welcome to the site.  As BigDaddy mentioned there are at least a few apisto folks on OVAS, probably more than we are aware, after all, they are a tiny fish and could be hiding out in many a tank.    Babblefish and I breed a. agassizi rio tefe reds, and also borelli.  Of course, borelli take forever to mature, but they are so pretty.  It's good to have another apistogramma fan here.    Hooray for South American cichlids!

[fischkopp]

G1 simply means offspring of wild caught fish, see this OVAS article for more info.

learned something new! thanx!

i am trying to stick to smaller apistos for now - its this limitation in tank size and number  - but borellis are definitly great!

Hooray for South American cichlids!

[sniggir]

welcome I to have been a member for some time now but have yet to go to any meetings.... and I guess i am one of those noisy ones mentioned as I keep Tangaynikian... and I guess I am even worse since I am in SW so that classifies my as a snob too... but oh well.. we all love our fish some just like to talk more about them eh babble lol... glad to here you are enjoyong this wonderful hobby!!!

Pat

[Adam]

What's wrong with Africans?  Huh? Huh?  *NOISE*      If my WC agassizi's breed, you can have some of the fry...

Adam

[fischkopp]

Those dudes all rough diggers and i sort of like some greens in the tank ... but I have this idea of setting up a muddy South American tank, which will not be that green ...

Also dwarf chichlids are a bit more smaller, just cute little buggers that can be so colourful    Just must agree to that as you have some agassizis too. Hope you have luck with breeding them. Did they mate yet? Usually it doesnt take too much to get them to breed.

Its crazy, my cacatuoides spawn every 2-3 weeks, very active little ones The incas have about a 4-6 weeks rhythm, depending on whether the female guards fry ...