Borellii mating?

[yukondog]

The first batch of eggs I did not see the Borellii mating but watching them now I see the female going up to him then turn around and back up to him and a lot of showing off to each other, is this there mating dance? The only cichlids I have breed are kribs with them its easy to tell.

 

[Mike Wise]

Courtship in apistos rarely takes more than 5 - 15 minutes so most hobbyists rarely see it. What you describe seems to me more like she is trying to dissuade the male from getting any closer to her spawning cave. Yes, she probably is already brooding eggs.

 

[yukondog]

She has not been going into the cave, she stays out and follows the male around gently swimming up to him and displays to him. Thanks

 

[yukondog]

Pretty sure there are eggs now, she drives him away and for the most part stays in the cave, the first batch the male ate them after about 10 days or so. I have a 10 gal. cycled I was going to use as a fry tank, I'm thinking about moving him to tell the fry are old enough to swap to, will the female raise the fry on her own without the male?

 

[Mike Wise]

All apistos are maternal brooder. They would prefer not to be bothered by a male. A. borellii females are famous for being great mothers. Decades ago hobbyists would give A. borellii females fry form rarer apistos (and other cichlids!) to brood.

 

[yukondog]

Great, I've done that with krib fry, slowly introducing just a few at a time [same age] to another female. I was surprised at how fast she accepted the new fry.

 

[yukondog]

She brought the fry out today, got some brine shrimp hatching should be ready tomorrow.

 

[yukondog]

Counted about 15 or so, its hard to get a good count with al the plants and cover, they sure do grow slow.

 

[yukondog]

 

[yukondog]

Here are the Borellii fry at 9 weeks. Sorry for the bad pict. I am not very good with cameras.