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Appistogramma breeding project

Hooky

Hooky

Member
Joined
29 Aug 2014
Messages
108
After recently successfully breeding my Borelli pair I want to try one of the more challenging apistos. My water supplier states my tap water hardness is the following:

upload_2018-8-8_13-49-21.png


I have been looking at Apistogramma Bitaeniata / Mendezi and Abacaxis, would any of these be a suitable candidate for a breeding project with my water hardness?
 
All of those species above are long removed for their native origins. I have had the Bitaeniate and Elizabethan spawn in terrible London water so you should be ok. The potential issue is raising the fry as the female tends to eat them on her 1st/2nd spawn. I combat that by placing a small vase as a breeding cave and removing it 7 days after the fry have hatched. Earlier if you see them swimming inside the vase.

During feeding is the best time to do this.
 
SolarPear said:
All of those species above are long removed for their native origins. I have had the Bitaeniate and Elizabethan spawn in terrible London water so you should be ok. The potential issue is raising the fry as the female tends to eat them on her 1st/2nd spawn. I combat that by placing a small vase as a breeding cave and removing it 7 days after the fry have hatched. Earlier if you see them swimming inside the vase.

During feeding is the best time to do this.
Click to expand...
Were your fish WC? I was always under the impression that it was never a good idea to remove apisto fry. Of the above species which are the easiest to raise the fry?
 
Hooky said:
Were your fish WC? I was always under the impression that it was never a good idea to remove apisto fry. Of the above species which are the easiest to raise the fry?
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that impression too. But then I ran into a guy from apistogramma forum years back who gave me a how-to on this method. It has never failed. I should add that when moving them I use tank water from the tank they were spawned in to keep the parameters exact or as close as possible.

If by WC you mean water change then yes. I always use cold water for water changes but if there are apisto eggs, I tend to temperature match a little closer.
 
It's not unusual to lose the first batch or two, but they will normally get the hang of it after that, IF your breeders were raised by their own parents. It's often much harder if they were raised away from their parents. WC should be fine, CB will depend on the source.
I also find that dwarf and medium cichlids look after their eggs and fry better if they have something to protect them from, so (in a large enough tank) two or more pairs or harems are often more successful than when you give one a nice tank all to themselves. Same or different species will work. If you haven't got space for multiple territories, some suitable dither fish will help.
 
Hooky said:
Sorry meant Wild Caught.

Thanks for the vase trick. What apistos do you currently breed?
Click to expand...

Currently, none. Previously I've kept and raised fry from too many to mention but I've never considered myself a breeder. To be fair and like I mentioned earlier, once they start breeding it's hard for them to stop lol. I would raise fry them in my 180L juwel. And then sell (or get store credit) to my lfs. I just liked process.

And as for Wild Caught I don't believe it to be true. Unless "Wild" is a euphemism for Czech Republic / European fish farms.
 
Does anyone know of any lfs that regularly stock WC appistogramma
 
Hooky, as good as those parameters look make sure about chlorine and chloramine.
Set up a dim lighted tank with lots of wood and leaves, floaters and you can try it. Feed some live foods and it should work.
 
Edvet said:
Hooky, as good as those parameters look make sure about chlorine and chloramine.
Set up a dim lighted tank with lots of wood and leaves, floaters and you can try it. Feed some live foods and it should work.
Click to expand...

Thanks Edvet
 
Out of the three species Apistogramma Bitaeniata / Mendezi and Abacaxis, which have the easiest fry to raise?
 
I have a good supply of Microworms and regularly feed all my fish freshly hatched BBS so I should be okay.

What PH should I aim for for breeding each species?
 
Hi all,
Hooky said:
I have been looking at Apistogramma Bitaeniata / Mendezi and Abacaxis, would any of these be a suitable candidate for a breeding project with my water hardness?
Click to expand...
Should be.
Hooky said:
Does anyone know of any lfs that regularly stock WC appistogramma
Click to expand...
They aren't easy to get. The MA at Leekes at Melksham have some in sometimes, but they won't be cheap, if you phone ask for "Tom", he is the man with expertise.

Peter Clarke is another option (have a look for him on Facebook, he is based in Chesterfield).
SolarPear said:
I have had the Bitaeniate and Elizabethan spawn in terrible London water so you should be ok.
Click to expand...
I've never kept either, but that is an incredible success, A. elizabaethae is a <"really tricky black-water fish">.

cheers Darrel
 
Thanks Darrel & Edvet

Mendezi is my personal favourite and the one that if I can source a WC pair I will attempt at an breeding project. I think with my tap water and some minor adjusting to the PH I shouldn't realistically have too many issues I hope lol.

thanks for the advice all
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all, Should be.They aren't easy to get. The MA at Leekes at Melksham have some in sometimes, but they won't be cheap, if you phone ask for "Tom", he is the man with expertise.

Peter Clarke is another option (have a look for him on Facebook, he is based in Chesterfield). I've never kept either, but that is an incredible success, A. elizabaethae is a <"really tricky black-water fish">.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...

Aren't all Apistogramma blackwater fish? I've never seen a video of any South American fish in the wild in clear water. They're far removed from their SA cousins. I have added an almond leaf or two in the past to grow out tanks but I find snails to be more effective.

Hooky said:
Thanks Darrel & Edvet

Mendezi is my personal favourite and the one that if I can source a WC pair I will attempt at an breeding project. I think with my tap water and some minor adjusting to the PH I shouldn't realistically have too many issues I hope lol.

thanks for the advice all
Click to expand...

Don't tinker with your PH at all. It's not necessary for apistos in my humble opinion.
 
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