# Apistogramma cacatuoides/RO water



## nayr88 (20 Mar 2010)

Hi   

Im buying a new tank soon and i really want to keep a pair of Apisto.caca's in there
itll be planted quite heavily in the corners and along the back with roots shooting out into the foreground.

anyway we have really hard water around here and after seeing a pair in my lfs and talking to the guy in there he
recommended using RO water for the benefit of fish and plants as i could use the RO water to create the 
perfect parameters for the Apistos and also this would help the plants, so how does it work   

the apistos are happy at a ph of 6 maximum 6.5 and a water hardness of 1.0-16.0Âº sooo where do i go from here?
does anyone have experience with RO water apistos and plants?? common problems and help would be really appreciated

oh and if anyone knows were i can get a good pair or a.caca's then let on haha    

Regards Ryan.


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## viktorlantos (20 Mar 2010)

I have a pair in my large tank with tap water. No prob at all. Already have babies and they love the enviroment. Most of the breeders usually prefer RO, but i have other planted tank friends who breed and kept this fish in tap water without any problem.

its mine: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/438 ... c107e6.jpg


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## ceg4048 (21 Mar 2010)

As Viktor states, RO water is not really necessary for Apistos. it's more important that the water be very clean. And you certainly don't need RO for plants, most of which do better in tap. Only a very few species prefer low KH/GH water, such as Tonina, otherwise tap is fine.

Cheers,


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## BAE (21 Mar 2010)

yeah the plants would more than likely suffer from it id just acclimatise  them very well


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## Ed Seeley (21 Mar 2010)

If they are tank bred apistogrammas from Europe then they do not need RO.

If they were tank bred in the Far East they may need careful acclimatisation to harder water but should be ok.

If they are wild then you may need to use softer water to keep them as they are often tricky to acclimatise depending on the species concerned.  

If you want to breed them successfully then most species will need softer water - but cacs are one of the exception to this - they will spawn and raise fry in harder water.


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## nayr88 (22 Mar 2010)

Thank you all for the quick response 

@ Ed seely; I went for a hunt for some and found some half hour drive from me  they was selling some really nice examples, so I enquired where they were breed and the guy told me in c.republic, so they should be okai.

 shame I bought a big bag of jbl  manado recently as A.Caca's  like a ph of 6-6.5(ideally) and the manado seems to like making it  a bit more than that,  .

Once again thank you very much. 

Regards Ryan.


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## fish fodder (8 Apr 2010)

Unless they are wild caught Cacs i wouldnt worry about RO at all. As long as the water parameters are not extreme they will do fine. 

Sounds like the lfs are after some extra business trying to flog you something that is not needed, or they are not very clued up


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## dw1305 (9 Apr 2010)

Hi all,
I keep _Apistogramma cacatuoides _ "Double Red", and they spawn and the fry develop happily at well over pH7. 



 
You'll have to excuse the algae, this is the late lamented "Troy" & "Miss Palmer" (the kids named them) and some of their offspring, (my male is now "son of Troy"). 

I would regard lots of live food, regular water changes and a complex environment as the more important factors for most non-blackwater _Apistogramma_ spp., rather than trying to keep a low pH.

If you are keen on Apistogrammas they are great fish to keep,  have a look at Bob Wiltshire's web site, it's full of good advice: <http://www.dwarfcichlid.com/index.php>. 

In Linke and Staeck "American Cichlids 1: Dwarf Cichlids" it has actual water parameters for their collecting site of wild _A. cacatuoides. _

"...Location: Lagoon Aquajal, E. side of the Rio Ucayali, 10 km S of Chicosa, Peru.
pH: 7.6
Total hardness: 12 dH
Carbonate Hardness: 14 dH
Conductivity: 387 microS at 27oC
Temp.: 27oC..."

cheers Darrel


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## Ajm200 (9 Apr 2010)

The first batch of german rams I had were kept in RO based on LFS advice. They were quite sickly and I lost 2.  Later found out that the LFS were keeping them in local tap water.  Gradually reduced the amount of RO and have the remaining 2 plus 3 babies in 100% local tap water and they are thriving.
Most captive bred fish adapt to harder water over time.


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## nayr88 (14 Apr 2010)

Hey darrel great post ill check out that website, I have looked through so many and have been doing a lot of research so I may of seen it already  

Ajm, I've been hearing that kinda thing quite abit as I've read into it more.

Thanks for the interest in the thread 

Regards Ryan.


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