A. Hongsloi Breeding in Community tank

[Nmontag]

I have a trio a A. Hongsloi in a pretty heavily planted 75g community tank. They're with 2 BN plecos, 4 zebra loaches, 4 GBRs and 7 rainbows. I've had them at least nine months, but my water is hard out of the tap, so I got an RO system in hopes of getting the parameters more favorable to them. I think that and a recent warm water change yesterday finally put them in the mood.
It looks like one of the females has been confined to her cave, bright yellow, with the male close by and relatively muted colors.
With all that said, I want to know what's the best way to ensure that at least some fry survive -- I know the parents will protect the fry, but the rainbows are just way bigger and faster than they are.
I saw a post on aquarium co-op where some pulled the cave with the female and put that in a breeder box and had a good yield. Is that something I should consider? Why or why not?

 

[Mazan]

I am not sure but personally I wouldn’t want to try that. I would wait until the fry are free swimming and carefully siphon out some of them ( or use a turkey baster) to rear in a separate tank, using water, leaf litter etc.from the main tank in the fry tank. And leave the rest of the fry with the female. I haven’t done this with Apistogrammas but I have with Laetacaras.

 

[MacZ]

With those tankmates you won't get any survivors. Removing the cave with the spawn is a gamble. Without brood care there will barely be any survivors either. Also a breeder boxes are just nit doing it. If you have big, strong and fast fish like rainbows that thing is toppled over easily or one is able to jump in.

I think it's most feasable to set up a smaller breeding tank. All the patchwork and improvising isn't worth the stress and trouble for animals and man alike.

Most importantly, would you have someone taking the fry off your hands? If not you will need a second tank for growout anyway.

 

[Mazan]

Without brood care there will barely be any survivors either.

Why is this the case - I have been successful raising Laetacara fry like this, I don't think I lost any of those that I separated from the big tank? They are very small, but perhaps Apistogramma are even smaller and more fragile?

 

[MacZ]

They are very small, but perhaps Apistogramma are even smaller and more fragile?

And smaller spawns on average.

 

[Mazan]

And smaller spawns on average.

Right, yes the Laetacara had a lot of fry, I only raised 20 the first time and over 40 the second. Most stayed with the parents in the big tank and not surprisingly none of those survived. I once tried keeping just a few in a breeding net in the main tank but that did not work. After raising two lots of fry I did not try any more as the market here was already saturated! Obviously the best way is to have a dedicated breeding tank, but taking out a few fry might be an option worth trying if it is not important to raise a large number.

 

[MacZ]

Obviously the best way is to have a dedicated breeding tank, but taking out a few fry might be an option worth trying if it is not important to raise a large number.

That's where we diverge. Either all in or why bother. I find breeding for high yield with dedicated breeding tanks and growout/holding tanks is much less work and stress than breeding for the sake of it with a display tank and a breeder box. I'm all with Mike on this one. Display or breeding, not both in one tank.

 

[Mazan]

That's where we diverge. Either all in or why bother. I find breeding for high yield with dedicated breeding tanks and growout/holding tanks is much less work and stress than breeding for the sake of it with a display tank and a breeder box. I'm all with Mike on this one. Display or breeding, not both in one tank.

Of course I agree with this in general, after all the most interesting part of breeding any cichlids is being able to observe their parental care behaviour. In fact the Laetacara case I mentioned is the only time I have ever raised cichlid fry away from the parents. But if someone happens to have a pair breed in a community tank and would like to rear a few fry, and has the possibility of setting up an additional tank (not breeding box) I don't see anything wrong in trying.

 

[MacZ]

and has the possibility of setting up an additional tank (not breeding box) I don't see anything wrong in trying.

I'd like to stress this.

 

[Nmontag]

Update:The female must have gotten spooked and ate the spawn. She's been out and about. The male must not have gotten the memo and has still been sticking around the cave a little bit. I just don't have the room to set up another tank. I was planning on rehoming the rainbows and the loaches to make room to give some discus a try in there -- I'm still going to do that, but since I'm getting the breeding activity I may wait to add the discus and see what happens. Thanks for all the input