Apisto Ag. Red Tails

[LindaMC]

I purchased a pair of Apistogramma agassizi Red Tails approximately 10 months ago and lost the female this past summer. I just purchased another female who is suppose to be about 7-8 months old, although the size difference is pretty dramatic. He's a big boy, about 2 1/2 - 3 inches from head to tip of his tail. The female seems to be doing well but she's appears to be very scared, as the male has been chasing her a lot, he also did this with the female who passed away. He does not seem to chase her until she swims away from him. She has recently breed before being shipped, in fact, she still had her yellow breeding color when I added her to my tank. Could this be why she keeps hiding and running from the male? What are the chances of them spawning in the near future?

They are both alone in a 10 gallon moderate to heavily planted tank w/ADA Aqua Soil, as the ph and kh are very low. I just ordered new lights 2 x 40 watt dual satelitte but I only plan on running 40 watts and will also need to run CO2, hopefully this will not be a problem with the low ph and kh.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I would like to see them spawn. I also have a pair of juvenile caucs, orange flash in my 29 gallon community tank. I already notice a difference in the behavior between the male and female, the male seems to tolerate the female being around him, where I've never seen this action from the male red tail.

thank you!
Linda

 

[Mike Wise]

Once she fills with eggs & ready to breed, he will behave better. The male will drive any female out of his territory (the entire tank) if she is not ready to breed. He does not want a non-breeding female taking part of his territory & is waiting for a spawn-ready female to enter it.

I would suggest that you remove the male until the female is full of eggs. Then add the male to the tank. Once they breed remove the male. Even at her much smaller size, she might attack the male in such a small tank.