Taxonomy

Pellegrin, J. 1936

Un poisson d'aquarium nouveau du genre Apistogramma. (Apistogramma pertense var. bitaeniata)

A.-trifasciata-Lineage
   A.-trifasciata-Sublineage
      A.-bitaeniata-Group
         A.-bitaeniata-Complex

Synonyms

Apistogramma sweglesi Meinken 1961
Apistogramma klausewitzi Meinken 1962
Apistogramma kleei Meinken 1964

Distribution and habitat

From the lower Río Ucayali basin in the west along the Solimões (Amazon) down to the Lago Januari at Manaus in the east; Peru, Colombia and Brazil.
In all the biotopes I have found A. (cf.) bitaeniata ( see pictures ), the ground has been covered with dead leaves. The pH was always below 5,5 and the water was shallow.

Water parameters

PH : 4 - 5.5
ppm : Low

My Experience

Fish from the wild often bring with them some parasites.

All the A. bitaeniata I've collected in the wild, were forund in quite shallow water with little or no water movement. There were allways dead leaves on the ground, in witch the fish were hiding and searching for food.
When I give them surroundings that resembles those of the nature, and give them small food like newly hatched BBS, they seem to have a good time.
No problem having several males in a 160 liters tank (if provided with lots of structure/territory dividers like plants and wood). I let the fry grow up in the same tank, with the oher fish.

Breeding

Clean, soft, acid water, fine sand with dead leaves of beek or oak on the ground, a lot of wood and some plants, and enough room in a big tank with no bigger or aggressive fish in the tank; they will breed and show wonderful colors.