Apistogramma cacatuoides - Angry male killing old mate

[HiJaC]

Hi,

I've been sucessfully breeding Apistogramma cacatuoides for a year or so now.

The last brood i had with the old male (died of old age) and female have just matured and ive sold them off to the LFS.

The new male who has been around now for about 6 months mated several times with the old female so they go alone as a pair fine with all the old brood growing up around them.

Since I sold the old brood I kept one of the females as I figured it would be nice for him to have a couple of mates to chase about.

But interestingly in the last couple of weeks in the newer empty tank he has been mating with the young female and ignoring the older mate.

This week the older females has several wounds on her body and the male seems to be chasing her about in an attacking way. She spends most of her time trying to hide.

I don't think she will last much longer. But she may also be on her way out from old age as she is hitting about 2 years old now.

From all i've read on this species i've never heard of a male getting aggressive to females or mates to the point of almost killing them.

Can anyone back up this idea of "single pairings" only for Cactuoides?

I know Blue Rams tend to do this.

Thanks,

Jac

 

[Zagz]

Never heard of it myself, it may be an issue of the male just wanting the younger spouse? I honestly haven't got a good answer for you. I'd remove the older female to ease her stress.

 

[pitt420dude]

Hi JaC, I've had somewhat similar experiences with Kribs.

I had a male and female couple that really were inseperable. Though they never mated, they hardly ever left each other's side. Recently the female died and I bought another female. She did fine for the first day or two, but I noticed the male harassing her in exactly the way you describe.

SHe wasn't eating and was laying on her side today (for the first time). I removed her today and took her back to the lfs. They gave me full credit and I bought a redtail shark, an SAE, and two ottos, with the difference only being $1.01. I don't know if I should get another female krib or not.

So I have a similar question but with kribs. Are they "monogamous" in that when they have/had a mate, but don't like another femal,e they harass her until death/neardeath?

 

[HiJaC]

im stumped,

this species are documented everywhere as best with a couple of females and one male.

i wonder if it is a trait of only some of the tank grown dwarf cichlids to change their behaviours over time, to a single pairing only....

or could it be environmental. the male killing the older female in to make sure the optimal food/space etc are available to the younger breeding female.


Jac

 

[Gillie]

It is probably due to her age. Like people fish have periods where they enter then fall out of their "prime". The male is most likely attacking her because he is more than willing to spawn with both females, but the older one no longer has the urge, further frustrating the male to the point of violence. An unresponsive female in his mind has no place in his territory and he will do anything to get rid of her. It has happened to me a few times with various Apistos, so your male is just doing what comes naturally.

 

[blindskate]

But interestingly in the last couple of weeks in the newer empty tank he has been mating with the young female and ignoring the older mate.

...sounds like 75% of human men nature lol (intended to be a joke)

 

[HiJaC]

update -

male has spawned with young female and she is now guarding 50+ free swimming fry at one end of the tank.

the older female is camped out at the breeding cave at the other end of the tank, in breeding colours and has potentially also got a brood.

older female and male getting along fine again.

i think he's managed to do the double.

jac

 

[Gillie]

Congratulations on the spawn(s). Maybe now he'll have to start watching his back.

 

[bs6749]

Gillie is exactly right. Males are almost always wanting to spawn once they reach a mature age. They will harass females to the point of killing them in order to mate with them. They can become pretty aggressive and usually they don't pair as they are harem spawners, that's why what you read was correct about the male to female ratio. It's not uncommon for the male to breed with 2 or more females within a matter of days.

He is also right about the male having to watch HIS back now as the females may become aggressive towards him as they are usually to sole rearers of the fry.

 

[Zagz]

Congratulations on the latest spawn.

 

[HiJaC]

update -

the young female was being a great mum, except she started moving her brood right under the internal filter (its tough surviving as a fry in my tank).

the older female by that time had her brood and started trying to move it to the young females cave spot (the older females traditional birthing spot).

this caused conflict where the older female kicked 7 shades out of the younger female and evicted her.

the younger females brood have been either eaten on merged into the older females and they have now swapped places in the tank.

50+ fry kicking about.

Jac

 

[CatatonicBug]

Let's see some pics of the babies! I think it would be so cool to be able to breed fish at home!