Apisto breeding

[AquaAussie]

I have put my apistogramna cacatuoides pair in a 15g tank to breed. They have wood and caves to hide in, java moss and plants. The male seems to chase the female a bunch but they haven't appeared to lay eggs or anything. I used to have them in a big 100g tank and they looked like they used to flirt a lot but I don't see it so much now. I have fed them flake food, blood worms and hatched baby brine shrimp. Any other ideas or you think patience will win out?

 

[Borderlesscott]

I usually notice a huge colour change when my Panduro are ready to get with it, the female goes bright yellow and they start to defend a cave or spot in the tank. If they where both defending a spot they where probably getting ready to spawn, if it was just chasing I would have waited a while.

 

[Andy Sager]

I have put my apistogramna cacatuoides pair in a 15g tank to breed. They have wood and caves to hide in, java moss and plants. The male seems to chase the female a bunch but they haven't appeared to lay eggs or anything. I used to have them in a big 100g tank and they looked like they used to flirt a lot but I don't see it so much now. I have fed them flake food, blood worms and hatched baby brine shrimp. Any other ideas or you think patience will win out?

You may also want to check and confirm that the water parameters are either the same as the other tank or the required parameters for breeding. I have found that water parameters are one of the leading causes for fish to not breed. Fish can live in a variety of conditions but not breed in a variety of conditions. Everything else could be good but something as simple as the ph not being right or the hardness level is off could prevent a pair of fish from spawning.
Hope this helps

 

[AquaAussie]

Thanks I'll look into that to see what parameters they might need. The make had this weird thing hanging out of him yesterday and I thought it was a parasite but now I think it might have just been poop. Do fish have big breeding organs? Cause they remake has been flirting a lot more lately and she has a darker belly

 

[Andy Sager]

Thanks I'll look into that to see what parameters they might need. The make had this weird thing hanging out of him yesterday and I thought it was a parasite but now I think it might have just been poop. Do fish have big breeding organs? Cause they remake has been flirting a lot more lately and she has a darker belly

It sounds like they are trying to mate but, once again, they may be getting ready but waiting for the right conditions to happen to actually mate.
As for the breeding organs, it varies by fish. A female's tube will be just slightly larger than the diameter of her egg. The male's organ won't be as large , circumference wise, but will be long enough to fertilize the eggs by passing over them and releasing his milt without actually touching the eggs.

Keep us posted

 

[AquaAussie]

The female yesterday was a more vibrant yellow and darker blacks like I have read happens right before she lays eggs. Her fins appear to be nipped and she was hiding up behind the filter away from the male instead of under the logs.

 

[Andy Sager]

The female yesterday was a more vibrant yellow and darker blacks like I have read happens right before she lays eggs. Her fins appear to be nipped and she was hiding up behind the filter away from the male instead of under the logs.

Almost all cichlids get aggressive prior to spawning. Your fish may be doing a courtship "dance" that got too rough for the female so she's "teaching the male a lesson" and waiting for him to calm down some. If she stays up there for more than a day or 2, she should be removed for her own safety. (IMO)

Hope it all works out

 

[biss444]

i bred apistos , what i did was put a cave or small clay pot on its side, thats where mine layed there eggs, one other thing thats important is your ph, i had mine around 7.o, 7.2. and temp around 78 degrees

 

[AquaAussie]

My male died sadly

 

[Andy Sager]

Sorry for your loss. I know what you are going through. That's part of the frustrations in breeding fish.
The good news is that you should be able to replace the male and still get them to breed.