Apistogramma sp. "Putzer" - young male displaying
Taxonomy
Apistogramma-pertensis-group
Apistogramma-velifera-complex
Synonyms
Apistogramma sp. "San Gabriel" (in Japan)
Distribution and habitat
Rio Negro basin near the city of São Gabriel in Brazil
Bohnet et al. collected a single A. sp. "Cleaner" in 1997 in the Igarapé Buiaquare, a right side tributary to the middle Rio Negro near São Gabriel.
At the time of their visit, this jungle stream contained quite warm 32ºC/90ºF, stagnant, muddy, acid water with a conductivity of only 6 µS/cm. The dwarf cichlids lived mostly among leaf litter.
Römer et al. collected this species in 1992 and 1994 about 20 km westerly of Santa Isabell do Rio Negro, Dept. Amazonas, Brazil. The fish were found in a small blackwater-creek (Igarapé), with warm (29 °C) dark brown and clear water. Conductivity less than 10 microSiemens/cm, and a pH of 4,2.
Water parameters
PH : 4 - 5,5
ppm : as low as possible
My Experience
I received a group of young fish in July 2008.
According to Römer, this is a very sensitive (stenoecious) species with narrow environmental tolerances, so I try to copy the conditions found in the wild.
They live so far in a tank together with A. sp. "Miuá", and I have already after some weeks a couple of times seen attempts of "Putzer"-behavior on the much larger A. sp. "Miuá"-male.
Breeding
According to Römer, the species needs very roomy aquariums with fine sand substrate and many hiding places, in addition to leaf litter and dead wood.
Breeding was most successful in conditions identical to those found in the wild (included very high temperature!).