Dwarf Pikes with Apistos

[Greenboy]

Hi all. Planning to stock a 4' x 2' x 2' with (mostly) south american fish.

I would like to stock a trio of apistogramma with a dwarf pike (maybe a pair?). They would be in with some corys and some larger tetras, like bleeding hearts or black widows.
Online sources claim that dwarf pikes will be okay with most corydoras species and larger tetras, but they don't mention apsito compatibility

I have never kept any kind of pike cichlid before, but i'm aware of their somewhat savage reputation, so i thought it best to run this idea past some folks who are far more knowledgeable than i.

My local store often stocks C. compressiceps, so i would like to use these if possible

 

[darth pike]

Cr. compressiceps is the most territorial of the dwarf pikes usually available, so probably wouldn't be the best choice.

Some of the dwarf pikes hunt down apisto fry in the wild, apistos seem to recognize this as people have reported quite a bit of fighting in aquariums. Even if the dwarf pike can't eat the apisto, it usually does not end well for the apistos when they start the fight to push a predator out of their territory.

If I were to try it, I'd go with the largest apisto species I could find (A. steindachneri or A. cacatuoides) with one of the more mellow species like Cr. regani or Cr. notophthalmus. The noto's would be the better choice as they don't get as large as the regani.

 

[Greenboy]

That's fine, if things get dicey i can always move the apistos to another tank.

Sadly ive never seen any Cr. notophthalmus, but ill keep my eyes open for them, if they dont show up in a local store i will get Cr. regani (which are uncommon round here, but appear every now and then).

Thanks