"Retiring" an apisto

[ErtyJr]

Hi guys, so I was kind of curious about this topic. I usually breed my apisto pairs 1-2 times a year and I always said when my boys get old I will retire them and let them live the rest of their lives happy. But that got me to thinking, would my male be happy if he isn't breeding?

I know this is a question that really is based off opinions, but most of you guys have been keeping apisto longer than me so I'd like to see what you think. My first ever male is getting fairly old now, and he isn't quite so old that I'm considering this any time soon, but I do want to make sure that he lives out a long happy life with me.

So what do you guys think? Should he go off to his own tank somewhere, never to see a female again? Should I put him and his girlfriend together in a big sisplay tank and let them do as they please? Or maybe I should continue to allow him to breed but perhaps lessen the frequency?

 

[Mike Wise]

I think you are anthropomorphizing your fish. They don't need to breed. Me? I have a 30 gallon long 'geriatric tank' that contains a mix of unpaired older dwarf cichlids, tetras and cory catfish. Since there are no pairs there is no breeding, almost no aggression and everyone is happy just swimming around, finding something to eat.

 

[ErtyJr]

I think you are anthropomorphizing your fish. They don't need to breed. Me? I have a 30 gallon long 'geriatric tank' that contains a mix of unpaired older dwarf cichlids, tetras and cory catfish. Since there are no pairs there is no breeding, almost no aggression and everyone is happy just swimming around, finding something to eat.

Yes Mike, you're 100% correct I am. I know it's odd to do, but I do love my fish, and I do tend to humanize them at times. Every pair of apistos I own all have names lol =P. Unconventional I know, but I'm an unconventional kinda guy.

Thanks for the reply, when do your fish generally move over to the geritol tank mike? Is it determined by age, or is it the change in behavior? Also what size tank and how many fish are there?

 

[john krol]

My orangescwants male just passed 4yrs1 month to the day,alone in a 10gl. & had I female left she would be at his side,probably saying in fish language (Get up you old fart I aint lrtting you go!!!!!) Anthrophormizing or not they are more like us & we more like them than most of us realize!!! We are beings of energy stuck in our respective realities!!!!Id like to say more but would not be appropriate on this website!!!!

 

[Mike Wise]

Size and age have less to do with retirement than if I have a younger group of the same species that needs a breeding tank. If I have only 1 specimen left (can't breed that way!) then it goes into a community/retirement tank, too.

 

[EuJin]

He would be fine in a tank with a few dither fish like Boraras Maculata.

 

[Larry Rogers]

Hi guys, so I was kind of curious about this topic. I usually breed my apisto pairs 1-2 times a year and I always said when my boys get old I will retire them and let them live the rest of their lives happy. But that got me to thinking, would my male be happy if he isn't breeding?

I know this is a question that really is based off opinions, but most of you guys have been keeping apisto longer than me so I'd like to see what you think. My first ever male is getting fairly old now, and he isn't quite so old that I'm considering this any time soon, but I do want to make sure that he lives out a long happy life with me.

So what do you guys think? Should he go off to his own tank somewhere, never to see a female again? Should I put him and his girlfriend together in a big sisplay tank and let them do as they please? Or maybe I should continue to allow him to breed but perhaps lessen the frequency?

actually they prime directive hardwired into most all species is procreate