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  1. gerald

    Question about Apisto feeding behaviour

    +1 for mosquito larvae ... the all-around best food for recovering starved or stressed fish. Set up a plastic tub or bucket outside with a handfull of leaves and few pieces of dog food (or any decaying organic matter), and you'll have mosquito larvae in a few days. You might get some...
  2. gerald

    Wood

    There was a big old Osage Orange at the school campus down the street from me. The fruits were fabulous for juggling! The school cut it down a few years ago because it kept denting cars and injuring pedestrians. The school was formerly a liberal arts college, and the tree was presumably...
  3. gerald

    Wood

    Yes, that's what I do. Although if you're using it in a breeding tank it might be good to give it a mild bleach soak to kill off Hydra, which can kill baby Apistos. You can also let it dry completely to kill Hydra, but then you have to resoak again, which always takes longer than drying.
  4. gerald

    New Bolivian Rams not eating and thin, parasites?

    If all your other fish have been spawning, then there's another reason why the rams might not be hungry.
  5. gerald

    Two Questions??

    Aggression wasn't the problem in this case. Norman said the male was lethargic the past few days before it died, and "body wise it looked fine". Most likely died from some internal organ failure, possibly from disease, diet, age, ... ???
  6. gerald

    New Bolivian Rams not eating and thin, parasites?

    Have you tried live foods? Mosquito larve, blackworms, grindal worms, fresh-hatched brine shrimp? Newly imported wild fish are often weak from starvation and stress, and need high-quality and tempting foods to make a recovery. Live foods are often best for this.
  7. gerald

    Two Questions??

    Mothers will often retrieve fry that are straying too far by catching them in their mouth and spitting them back in a place that the mother perceives as safe. Seeing you (or any other huge head) close to the tank may prompt this. She might not be trying to eat them. Did the dead male look...
  8. gerald

    CO2 Poisoning

    My guess is something else caused the Apisto deaths, but whether elevated CO2, nitrate, or other plant fert additives might have some role in making them more susceptible to disease? I suppose it's possible.
  9. gerald

    Wood

    Bald cypress (Taxodium) wood is usually safe, even though it is a conifer. I soak any new wood in my rain barrels until it sinks. Some pieces may take 6 to 12 months before they sink.
  10. gerald

    Leaves

    Post oak (stellata), Blackjack oak (marilandica), and southern red oak (falcata) are some of my locally available favorites: more rigid structure and long-lasting than others.
  11. gerald

    Badis

    Hi Bob -- I'm keeping Badis ruber (aka "burmanicus" in older books). I think some other Raleigh area folks may have other Badis species. The latest info i've seen shows the Badidae (Badis and Dario), Nandus, and Pristolepis as a "sister group" to the Anabantoids and Channidae on the...
  12. gerald

    Apisto Hongsloi turning dark.gray

    Do you see any abdominal bloating and/or rapid breathing? If so it might be some type of bacterial infection in the kidneys, liver, other organs. Just a guess - not much info here to go on. Also is that white spot below the eye a sore/lump on the fish or just something in the water?
  13. gerald

    Filtration for Apisto Aquariums

    air-powered sponge filters are probably the safest for breeding tanks.
  14. gerald

    Feeding German Blue Ram Fry

    OK, accepted, but how do the yeast and bacteria in a vinegar eel culture create proteins and lipids out of nothing but vinegar and a tiny piece of apple? Granted, bacteria have more biochemical "tricks" than do worms and higher organisms. I guess there must be some N-fixers in the mix, using...
  15. gerald

    Apisto Identification help please?

    Bart: OK - that's what I thought too regarding sexes. Guess I misunderstood FF's original post -- I though he was saying the photo showing two fish was the new female and the old female fighting. FF: Chasing probably does not indicate a water quality problem. You might need to separate them...
  16. gerald

    Apisto Identification help please?

    Didn't realize females could have that much red and blue.
  17. gerald

    Impact of diet on fertility and embryo mortality

    Well, it's a good thing they've got YOU in their club now to encourage interest in breeding. I sense a new level of activity coming soon ...
  18. gerald

    Apisto Identification help please?

    Fish on left is female; fish on right is a male (with red-orange crescent on tail)
  19. gerald

    New article! Apistogramma sp. "D10"

    Is there any other Apisto species in which females get long dorsal and anal extensions like these?
  20. gerald

    Impact of diet on fertility and embryo mortality

    +1 for local aquarium clubs. You may find someone who bought a large can of Artemia eggs (more than they need) and will split it with you for cheap. Since large cans of eggs are MUCH cheaper per gram, It's better for me to buy a large can once every year and re-sell or give away the amount I...
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