A. borelli cave spawner?

[Jason]

All available materials about A. borelli describe it a species that needs a cave to lay eggs in. I have a trio of borellis in a tank full of plants. I provided them with lots of hiding places: flowerpots, coconut shells. Well, the borellis totally ignored those and decided to spawn under a java fern leaf, first one of the females, two days later the other.
What a difference from A. cacaduoides, which occupied coconut shells all the time, even when they were not in a romantic mood!
Just wanted to share this observation with you.
Jason

 

[Neil]

Jason,
Although your 2 female borellii have chosen a similar breeding location, I think this is a personality issue more than a species preference. The second female might have seen the first and thought it looked like a good idea! All apistos will choose a cave more often than other areas, but some will choose the underside of leaves, on the side of a piece of driftwood, under a rock that they dig out themselves or even on the side of the tank, even when they are provided a nice cave to use. The best thing to do is give them different types of structures in the tank and let them decide. Sometimes it even helps to make them work on their breeding spot a little themselves to get them "in the mood". I often make their cave a tight fit and let them dig it out a little.
But they will spawn where they want and when they want.
Neil