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A. Agassizii sexing

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Hello dear community,

I attach some photos so the more experienced than me can see my 2 A. Agassizii. Are they male and female? My lfs sold me as such, I have a great relationship w him. Although the bigger (m) looks more brightly colored, their fins etc look pretty much the same to me. Plus, the smaller sometimes chases the bigger. Can someone help me? If you guys need more info I d be happy to supply.

Thanks in advance.

IMG_20200722_120147.jpg
IMG_20200722_120142.jpg
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
You have both sexes. If you hope to get offspring in your aquarium with all of those cardinal tetras, I don't hold out much hope of many fry surviving. Cardinals are especially good at eating apisto fry.
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Thanks for the reply sir!

My initial concern is the well being of the whole community. Right now I don't really care about getting fry, especially because i read that a lower ph is needed and I can't lower it without fluctuating. Anyway I ll get em a cave (now they are chilling under some driftwood with some corys) for the off chance of mating.

Thanks again for the response!
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
especially because i read that a lower ph is needed and I can't lower it without fluctuating.
You don't need to worry, soft water never has a stable pH, it isn't a problem.

As you approach pure H2O (what we call water is actually a dilute solution with H2O as the solvent) pH becomes less and less meaningful or useful. Have a look at <"UKAPs: What's the deal with KH"> and <"Pool filter...">.

cheers Darrel
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Thanks again for the reply sir,

My tap water ph is around 8, I used the tetra ph kh minus trying to lower it for some weeks but never got solid readings and I dropped it because I read that chasing the correct ph is more dangerous than not having it. I got a taste from the threads you mentioned, I think the point is that there are other parameters more significant than the ph that affect the water chemistry, but I m not sure how to balance them either, let alone that i haven't checked them still.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,.
Point taken, I'm not a great fan of pH buffers etc. myself
My tap water ph is around 8,
Do you have a conductivity (TDS) meter? It might give us a bit of idea about whether your high pH is due to <"carbonate buffering"> or an <"added base">.

Where do you live? It might give us a bit more idea. If you live in S.E England, or the American mid-west, you are likely to have hard water for geological reasons.

cheers Darrel
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Hello again sir,

I live in northern Greece, I think there are chemicals added so the water is drinkable. I don't have a conductivity meter. I dont use RO water or sth, straight tap water w API stress coat. I run 2 tanks currently(i use peat moss on the other one, still not significant drop on the ph!) and everything seems to be going ok. I know I shouldnt mess while things are ok, I just try to get close to that perfect natural setup.

Thanks for your time
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
If your agassizii do decide to spawn - even if the eggs do not survive - they can cause aggression problems with other community members. A community tank is not a breeding tank.
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Thanks for the insight sir!

How would I know that they intend to spawn? Will I see some sudden change of color or the aggression will let me know? Because sometimes the apistos chase my pepper corys away eg when they are eating, but w/o any damage or stress, since they are staying under the same piece of driftwood.

And if they decide to spawn, what would you suggest that I should do?

Thanks for your feedback!
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Females will appear bright yellow with a large black spot instead of a horizontal band. When serious the apistos will become more aggressive toward other bottom dwellers. My only suggestion is to put the aggies in their own breeding tank with no bottom dwellers.
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Thanks for the reply sir.

My apistos change between having a large black spot and having a horizontal line (as seen in the attached picture) during the day, back and forth. They are somewhat aggressive towards corys, especially during feeding time. The female keeps chasing the larger male for the past few days. These are (sufficient?) signs that they re getting serious into mating?
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
These might be signs that she has eggs if she is protecting a location from all of the other fish. Like most cichlids they can change their markings depending on their mood. Once she brings out fry she will be in her brood dress, a yellow body with a black spot on the flanks and a dark cheek stripe.
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
No she's not protecting a location since she's going everywhere in the aquarium and isn't aggressive towards other fish apart from the male apisto(sometimes) . I got em a cave so I can monitor better their behavior and possible tendency to mate. Their former "cave" under some driftwood was full of corys as well without any chasing. I can tell she got more yellowish but not like totally, as seen in the photo.

On another issue, is ancistrus compatible with my current fish(apisto, pepper cory and cardinals)? I have 1 ancistrus in my other tank and he's kinda aggressive towards corys, especially during feeding time. Since apistos are bottom dwellers as well would you recommend that addition?

Thanks for all the useful info sir, and sorry for all the follow-up questions.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I wouldn't recommend it. You know the ancistrus is aggressive toward corys, so there will be no change in this tank. Being active at night the will bother apistos in their caves at night, too.
 

Theo1994

New Member
Messages
27
Yeah I didn't think so as well. So the standard recommendation for algae issues would be otos or snails? My lfs has some sewellia lineollata and I found this fish beautiful, but I may have some problems regarding temperature cuz it's getting above 30 celsius during summer (although I use a fan for keeping the temperature around 27-28, which my lfs confirmed as a tested temperature for sewellia thriving). Am I missing some other fish compatible and algae eating efficient?

Thanks for the precious feedback sir, I deeply appreciate it.
 

Jaeyeon

New Member
Messages
2
Hello dear community,

I attach some photos so the more experienced than me can see my 2 A. Agassizii. Are they male and female? My lfs sold me as such, I have a great relationship w him. Although the bigger (m) looks more brightly colored, their fins etc look pretty much the same to me. Plus, the smaller sometimes chases the bigger. Can someone help me? If you guys need more info I d be happy to supply.

Thanks in advance.

View attachment 9210View attachment 9211
Girl kk
 

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