A. sp. "Miuá"

[Rolo]

Hi,

Finally after a long time, we have A. sp. "Miuá" back in germany.
I'm so happy... really nice fishes!

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Tom C]

Beautiful fish!

I got some young ones 5 years ago; sadly they all turned out to be males.

Last week I got several small A. sp. "Miua". Still very small, but they all seem to have a more or less prominent pattern of spots in the caudal fin, so I'm worried that they all may be males, again!

Do you have a photo of a female in neutral mood, Rolo?

 

[Mike Wise]

This species is really easy to sex, even when young. Males show alternating dark and light stripes running parallel to the fin rays; the females show a more or less patternless anal. This is one of the few species on my wish list to get again and really try to breed.

 

[Tom C]

Then this is a.....?

.

 

[Mike Wise]

It looks like a young male, Tom. Females have no pattern in the anal or caudal fins.

 

[Tom C]

Thank you, Mike.
I feared this conclusion. I have never seen a live female of this species, but the photos available in books all show a caudal fin without any pattern.
Then I probably have eight young males..... but they are still very young, and some are even smaller than this one, so I still have not given up all hope.

I hope you've got loads of females, Rolo!

 

[Livebearer Lady]

Tom,
Do you ever ship fishes to the US? We keep getting fish raised in Singapore and the same olde stuff here in the states. I'm bored with the ole' usual.
I loved your collecting trip on A.pebas "Morado" I have managed to find some of these and have 9, f-1 juvinals which are very hard to sex. see for yourself. I know i'm just joking they way to young and blurred!
BTW nice pics of your fishes hope you find females...

 

[Rolo]

Do you have a photo of a female in neutral mood, Rolo?

I hope, it is a female... ;-)
But according to the male's behaviour and Mike's explanation, I guess it is.

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Tom C]

Thank you, Rolo! The faint pattern and a little bit of colour in the caudal and anal fins give me hope for a couple of my fishes...

Livebearer Lady: I'm sorry, I'm just a hobbyist, not an exporter, so I don't ship fishes... as far as I know, there are a couple of importers bringing in wild fish from South America to the US, now and then.
By the way: If you want to make your Apistos happy; give them fine sand as a substrat instead of gravel in your nice tank.
As you know they are "Geophagine", and they naturally sift sand most of their time...

 

[Livebearer Lady]

Thank you Tom,
Actually that is a coarse sand and since these babies are only 3/4" or 2cm long in that pic it makes the substrate look huge.
I have a grow-out tank ready for them soon with some nice fine whitish sand , lots of tangled branches, and oakleaf litter. They'll feel right at home. The sand you have there, is it playsand for a playground? He looks real happy!

 

[Tom C]

...I have a grow-out tank ready for them soon with some nice fine whitish sand , lots of tangled branches, and oakleaf litter. They'll feel right at home...

Sounds good!

... The sand you have there, is it playsand for a playground? ...

This is fine, rounded sand deposited by a major local river here in the neighborhood ...
.

 

[Rolo]

Hi,

little update, 2 weeks later... I have been away for 4 days and when I came back yesterday, I had a nice surprise:
I found both females guarding fry.

So, Tom, ...have a closer look at it and compare it with yours! ;-)

That was a bit surprising. I suspected one female to have eggs or to lay eggs soon.
But I didn't suspect the other female to have eggs.

Both females are not in the cave all the time during breeding. Most of the time they leave their caves and guard the environment and go back into the cave just for a quick check. One changed the cave several times with the larvae.

Here the proud father in his nicest colours...

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Mike Wise]

Congratulations Rolo! What were the water values?

 

[Rolo]

Congratulations Rolo! What were the water values?

The pH is about 5.5, the conductivity about 150µS. Temperature ist 26-27°C.
But in my eyes the more important thing is, that I cleaned the tank before, so there are less bacteria in it.

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Mike Wise]

Similar to conditions for Ivanacara adoketa, I guess. Good to know. Thanks.

 

[Amazoniensis]

i've seen 4 Apistogramma sp. miua in a store here in France, all the fishes are males ;-(
good job Rolo.

 

[Mike Wise]

FWI, this is what a fully mature pair looks like. Sorry, not the best photo. The tank was fully blackwater and this is a scan from an old slide.

 

[merlin]

Its a stunning fish.

 

[Rolo]

Hi Mike,

That seems to be another local-/colourform with red cheeks and blue fins. Very beautiful.
My males are already 6-7cm, so they are adult and I don't think they will change colour when they become older.
And due to the fact, that all males from the current import look the same, I think it's not a case of polychromatism but different local forms.

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Chromedome]

Was checking Tangled Up in Cichlids list yesterday, he has what he is calling sp. Miua Yellow. A bit pricey for me right now, but I thought I'd put the word here for anyone who isn't currently broke and out of work!