A. Macmasteri Egg colour?

[Curiosity101]

Couple of really quick simple ones...

What colour do they go when fertile?

What colour if in-fertile?

My female has laid again, and I'm not sure if they are fertilised or not... most seem to still be intact after around 12-18hours and she has been tending to them but the male and female seem to squabble quite a bit. I think he might still be a bit immature so although she's laying he isn't understanding to go and fertilise them? Or is chasing him off after laying normal? I vaugely remember that she does the parental care but that he's meant to defend the territory (there is only them and some harlequin rasbora so not much defending neccesary). But also he's not reacting to her how I'd expect when she displays and flips onto her side.

All info appreciated. I'm mainly just interested in whether they're fertile or not. I've got live foods ready for if/when they hatch cause I currently have a (yes singular lol) harlequin rasbora fry I captured from a spawn the other day.

 

[Mike Wise]

Egg color is influenced more by diet than fertility. Fertile eggs can be white, gray, green, orange, pink, and red. Infertile eggs will fungus (become fuzzy) and the female will remove them. Most female apistos are the sole parent for the eggs/fry. The male is no longer needed and, if he remains close to the breeding cave, is more of a danger (attracts predators, bothers female) than a help. The females commonly drive the males out if the immediate area around the breeding cave. Your fish seem to be behaving in a normal manner.

 

[Curiosity101]

Thanks very much for the reply. So I should just presume whilever the eggs are there that they're fertile. She certainly seems to be treating them as fertile (spends most of her time pointed towards the roof of the cave 'tending'). She's also rarely out of the cave, never for more than 10-15seconds, and I've also seen her remove a few MTS from there. Quite funny to watch her grab hold of and remove a fully grown mts considering how small she is.

Would you recommend removing the male or not? He's got plenty of cover so the female would be able to do too much damage to him and he seems perfectly healthy, no frayed fins or anything...

All I'm thinking is... if he's in the tank will he predate the fry if/when they hatch? I always thought leaving them together was fine, but then that's just based on what I've read and they are only in a 35l.

 

[Mike Wise]

A 35 liter tank is a bit small. I would do nothing right now. Females usually are excellent mothers. She will keep the male and other fish away from the fry. If the male (or the female) becomes overly aggressive, I would remove the male.

 

[Curiosity101]

The 35l wasn't neccesarily going to be their permenant home. They're still juvis at the mo (I didn't expect eggs at all until she spawned a couple of weeks back). I was just wanting to grow them out a bit before they went into the 60l to finish growing. I didn't fancy putting them straight into my largest tank cause some of the cichlids in there are a bit pushy for such little fish.

Atm the female is around 3cm and the male is about 4cm

I was hoping to eventually use it as a fry tank as and when neccesary (I have a 60l and 150l that the harlequins and apistos would go into when I needed the 35l).