A. borelli opal - free swimming

[Boupette]

Allo! I have this pair breeding in 78-80°F, pH around 6.4. Anybody knows about the sex ratio? Merci!

 

[Mike Wise]

At this temperature (for at least 6 weeks) around 50/50. Pretty male!

 

[Boupette]

Super! Thanks Mike! Someone who bred borelli before told me it's a very slow growing apisto, is that right?

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, in my experience.

 

[JG]

Very nice specimen. Did you pick him up locally? J

 

[Boupette]

They were imported from Thailand. Here's somme pics!

over 80 for their fisrt time! Quite good!

 

[JG]

Very nice photos Helene. Thailand? Special order via LFS? I'm trying to source a few borelli myself.

 

[Boupette]

I wrote you in private JG

They are 10 days free swimming today!

 

[danbb]

Very nice fish!

At this temperature (for at least 6 weeks) around 50/50.

Mike, is this available to most of apisto?

 

[MickeM]

Super! Thanks Mike! Someone who bred borelli before told me it's a very slow growing apisto, is that right?

Hi Helene + everyone !

Found this, your second link/chatt concerning Ap borelli, for the first time today.

When I kept Borelli, sometime in the middle of the 1980`s (result of my first Apisto spawning ever), the juveniles grew in different stages/phases..
The dominant male became father at approx. 6 months. At the size of 1,5-2cm. His brothers were only 1cm.
He spawned with 3 females in a few days. They were 1-1,5cm.. (The largest girls from the same batch)
8-10 days later they had 3-4 fry each and guarding in the same way your video shows... but..also stealing fry from eachother..

So, they seem to get sexually mature early..no matter what size..
This has also been my experience with other Apistos later on. (Ap. trifasciata, Ap. baenschi ...)

I think ( ?!!?).. I recall reading some info by an expert in the asian Betta species. He was talking about a substance(hormone?) beeing released in the water by the dominant fish/male(?) , prohibiting/ stopping the other fishes (of their own species?) from growing as fast as itself/himself(?).

If that is correct.. ,it may also be true for other species as well ?? Apistos ??

I think of that theory as one possible option, since I have experienced sudden growth of the smaller brothers/sisters when having the dominating individuals moved out of the tank.
It may also just be an effect to the larger amount of food now availible to the smaller ones..+ a moment of strengthening themselves ?

One fact though, is that fishes grow faster in cleaner.. less polluted water.
If you feed them a lot.. change water more often. Result = faster growing fishes.. (If OK food quality+OK water temp/quality)

I will check/control that theory in the Betta book as soon as I will get it back from a friend of mine.. Soon..!!

/M

 

[Boupette]

My babies opal are now 2 months old, some are much bigger than others and the males, which I can id because they began to turn blue, are very agressives or they chase both sexes. I even saw a female shaking in front of a male like adults. They're about 1.5 - 1.75cm for the biggest. Is that a "normal" behaviour for borelli and if so what shall I do. It's the first time I see that kinf of behaviour on very young Apistos. The parents are in another tank with their new ones since 1 month. Thanks!

 

[MickeM]

Hi Helene + all..

Yes, Apistos often get sexually active at an early age.. I guess this is an adaptation to their natural situations..
Since the shifting seasons in nature leave many fishes in "not so very deep pools", I believe a lot of apistos are left to die in
these areas when the rain season ends.. and water evaporates...
In order for the species to survive , they start reproduce as quick as possible... many fry will have to be "produced". (And most of them dies before full grown size)

Some extreme examples are the fry from the group of "Killi" fishes.. many species get active after only 2-3 weeks according to info I gotten in the Scandinavian Killi associaton (SKS).. these fishes live for a very short period, so they must be able to grow, and then to spawn and lay their eggs ASAP !!! Before the next drought starts... The eggs are then left to dry/ being "stored" in various substrates (mud, layer of dead plants ..) When next rain starts ..they hatch..!!

The Apistos who are getting stuck in the pools are just unlucky not to have reached the "main river" in time I guess..??

In these pictures you can see both Ap.borelli and Austrolebias nigripinnis ("annual" Killi fish) from Argentina.
I have got some collected eggs from such species waiting to hatch when I put them in water again ..after 6weeks<several months in "dry/less humid" "coco nut peat" or Sphagnum-moss !!

http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/t...iotope-argentine-corrientes.14700/#post-77154


In your excellent video/pics it looks like you now have got a lot of Ap.borelli..??
What you want to do with them is up to you... You might need to find a Pet Shop with knowledge in keeping aquariums or
find some good quality people you can share them with..??

(Maybe give some to a childrens school ??)

I find it very entertaining to watch a tank with more than 1-4 Apistos.. One can really learn a lot about fish behaviouring manners from it... and often without the regular problems..(terror balance!!) 6- 12 pcs are perfect I think..

Good luck !!


BTW..if anyone is interested in the "Betta"-theory..search the web..Betta + hormones .
Very interesting !!

 

[Captain Jim]

Allo! I have this pair breeding in 78-80°F, pH around 6.4. Anybody knows about the sex ratio? Merci!

Absolutely awesome..I want a few like that..I''ll send you two angelfish for one opal!

 

[Boupette]

Some 4 months after!

Some specialists on Facebook are telling me they look like Badis Badis or A. steel blue!!

 

[Mike Wise]

Some specialists on Facebook are telling me they look like Badis Badis or A. steel blue!!

It seems that 'some specialists on Facebook' are not really specialists.

 

[Boupette]

It's plain to see!

 

[Captain Jim]

Top grade stuff!

 

[Josh]

Excellent photos! Thank you for sharing!

 

[JG]

How many juveniles do you have now? I may have to get some from you.

 

[Captain Jim]

Shipping to US impossible/ ridiculous expensive?