Apisto Breeding Journal

[JDogg]

I'm going to echo rwhayley. A temp drop will definitely induce spawning. The caution here is that both male and female have formed a bond and are both breeding ready. Until that point just keep feeding high protein foods and provide the female adaquate hiding places.

so i drill a hole in the side of the pot...then i would have to cover up the big hole in the "top" of the pot... do i need a special drill bit to drill in terra cotta?

you think they have not bonded yet :? maybe i will pick up some neons or something small to dither with and look at the lfs for some ready made cave

she will have to fend for her self till late this afternoon when i get home from work

 

[bs6749]

Put the "top" side down into the gravel. Drill a hole in the rounded "side" of the pot.

 

[Zagz]

They sure are beautiful fish, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[JDogg]

ok i made a few changes...

i added 6 neon tetra as dither fish

i changed my method of DIY CO2 Diffusion (from the ladder thing to a limewood air stone)

i removed the driftwood and terra cotta pot, and replaced them with some store bought caves...

now normally i go for the "natural look" but i really like the Easter Island Head cave :? LOL

 

[WaterPond]

very tacki... sorry, cant say that i like the look.

I think that head would look better if it were made of driftwood, and not shaped like a head, and didnt resemble a head at all.

Anyways, JMHO

I'm sure the fish will like it though. the only thing, with the driftwood out, then the water may become less acidic... which those fish like i beleive.

 

[JDogg]

very tacki... sorry, cant say that i like the look.

I think that head would look better if it were made of driftwood, and not shaped like a head, and didnt resemble a head at all.

Anyways, JMHO

i like it 8)

I'm sure the fish will like it though. the only thing, with the driftwood out, then the water may become less acidic... which those fish like i beleive.

going to put peat the the filter , the wood was not effecting the ph in my opinion...

Update: the male is doing what can only be described as a courtship dance IMO. he is swimming up the the female raising all his fins and showing off his colors... he then turns to his side and waves his tail fin at her. she however is not ready for love yet as she swims away. she now has 3 caves to chose from plus some areas of thick plants if she choses to hid from him. i have not noticed any violence however. he is just a "horny boy" and she is not having it.

this weekend i will do the 25% pwc with RO with temp drop and maybe that will bring her into the mood. i have been feeing them frozen bloodworms, but i have yet to see the female eat :?

 

[Gillie]

Is the opening in the cave too small for the male to enter? A opening that only the female can enter will make her feel more secure, and most likely where she will lay the eggs. The male will just fertalize the eggs by fanning everything into the cave, and keep him from snacking on any eggs. Coconut shells make great caves too they look great with Java Moss growing on it.

 

[JDogg]

she is not even using the caves she would rather hid behind the intake i guess.

 

[Gillie]

It sounds like she's not quite ready yet. I've pesonally bred this fish, but a good book to check out S.A. cichlids II by Linke and Staeck. It gives detailed descriptions of water params needed for breeding.

 

[JDogg]

It sounds like she's not quite ready yet. I've pesonally bred this fish, but a good book to check out S.A. cichlids II by Linke and Staeck. It gives detailed descriptions of water params needed for breeding.

i actualy have the Aqualog Southamerican Cichlids II? that has lots of pics with some symbols :?
and i have South American Dwarf Cichlids by Mayland and Bork

are those better or just as good or is THIS BOOK better?

 

[Gillie]

Sorry that last post I made was supposed to say that I've not yet had achance to breed this Apisto yet. We don't see much more than Cacatuoides, Agasizzi, and Borelli around here for the most part. Anyway yes that is the book(I got titles mixed up). that is the only book I could think of with useable info of any kind dealing with breeding Apistos and the like, there aren't many unless you know German.

 

[JDogg]

well i think i am out of luck anyways....

my "female" does not look like the "normal" females i have found pictures of, so i posted on the Apistogramma.com forum (figure that is where the most apisto "experts" hang out)

they think i have in fact two males, one dominant and one submissive.... HERE

if anyone here can present evidence otherwise i would love some hope...right now i am very disappointed.

UPDATE:
the "female" is dead

 

[Gillie]

Sorry to hear. It probably wasn't a female, most Apistos from the Macmasteri complex are sometimes extremely aggressive towards conspecifics. I wouldn't get rid of the one you do have you could still run across a female or two. I was wrong I was going through some pictures of Apistos I kept before and I did at one time have a male Hongloi, but my LFS couldn't get anymore in so I never got female.

 

[JDogg]

Sorry to hear. It probably wasn't a female, most Apistos from the Macmasteri complex are sometimes extremely aggressive towards conspecifics. I wouldn't get rid of the one you do have you could still run across a female or two. I was wrong I was going through some pictures of Apistos I kept before and I did at one time have a male Hongloi, but my LFS couldn't get anymore in so I never got female.

i could keep the male, but i doubt i will find females around here... lfs around here do not even carry the "common" apistos ( agassizi, cacatuoides, borellii)