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Apisto caves - natural

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Looking for suggestions for making natural appearing caves for Apistos. I've come across bamboo sections or pill bottles. See below pics for maybe a pill bottle (1.25"/32mm) cave. This would be built into a stepped up level. Any other ideas?? Thanks
image_67212033.JPG

image_67194881.JPG
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,366
I usually use curved driftwood or driftwood put at a slant with a rock; i never bother with plastic items like pvc (which is quite popular) or cups. The apisto i've had will sometime dig a bit around the driftwood to make their own caves or well to be honest one can never tell where they will decide to lay eggs. I had one lay eggs in the indentation of a matten filter mid way up (around 9 inches above the substrate) and others lay eggs on top of the driftwood in notches and some have chosen under the driftwood.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
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11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Ideal spawning sites, made from whatever is available, should have a opening only large enough for the female to slide into on her side. Your pill bottle's opening is too large, and unless completely covered by substrate let in too much light.
 

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Ideal spawning sites, made from whatever is available, should have a opening only large enough for the female to slide into on her side. Your pill bottle's opening is too large, and unless completely covered by substrate let in too much light.
yes, it would be covered by substrate and perhaps plants in front. So, the male doesn't enter the cave to fertilize the eggs? Size is good to know though! Thanks
 

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Ideal spawning sites, made from whatever is available, should have a opening only large enough for the female to slide into on her side. Your pill bottle's opening is too large, and unless completely covered by substrate let in too much light.
Changed it up to bamboo. This is about 1/2" in diameter and about 2" deep. This look better?
IMG-6670.jpg
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Why not just make a selection of little caves and crevices with wood and rocks? And use plenty of leaf litter too. I am sure the caves don’t have to be perfectly cylindrical!
 

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Why not just make a selection of little caves and crevices with wood and rocks? And use plenty of leaf litter too. I am sure the caves don’t have to be perfectly cylindrical!
Yeah, you're probably right, I'm overthinking it. The tank is going to be a hybrid aquascape/fish tank, with fish first priority for water parameters, temp etc, but then aquascape and plants. So no leaf litter, although I may have leaves in sump, but there will be lot's of plants. That's the idea anyways, but subject to change.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Care to show an example of how you want the tank to look? Because there are several aquascape styles that are very much not going to work for dwarf cichlids. Be it for the wrong type of substrate or lack of structure.
 

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Care to show an example of how you want the tank to look? Because there are several aquascape styles that are very much not going to work for dwarf cichlids. Be it for the wrong type of substrate or lack of structure.
I should have prefaced my post by saying that I have plenty of experience breeding apistos and angels. I'm well aware of what apistos need. Been doing this aquarium stuff, probably before you were born. In the past I have just used small clay pots and such, but this time I'm trying something different, thus the post for "natural". Not looking for a critique of my aquascape, but thanks for the concern.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Males do not need to enter the breeding cave to fertilize eggs. They fan milt into the cave. Most females do not even want the male anywhere in the cave. I personally use a variety of different kinds of potential spawning sites in a breeding tank and allow the female to choose.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I should have prefaced my post by saying that I have plenty of experience breeding apistos and angels. I'm well aware of what apistos need. Been doing this aquarium stuff, probably before you were born. In the past I have just used small clay pots and such, but this time I'm trying something different, thus the post for "natural". Not looking for a critique of my aquascape, but thanks for the concern.
Allright and thank you for clarifying. Sometimes you see people your age (we're roughly 20 years apart, btw) that keep fish for 50 years and have no idea what they're actually doing, nor can they explain it. Also the word "aquascape" has become kind of a trigger word, especially the way it's used here in Germany. Carry on then!
 

raharlow

New Member
Messages
6
Allright and thank you for clarifying. Sometimes you see people your age (we're roughly 20 years apart, btw) that keep fish for 50 years and have no idea what they're actually doing, nor can they explain it. Also the word "aquascape" has become kind of a trigger word, especially the way it's used here in Germany. Carry on then!
No worries, yeah, I'm trying to dance a fine line between aquascape and fish. This tank will be fish first, aquascape second. Not a biotope tank, but trying to keep as south american as I can. We'll see how I do!! Not looking to breed per se, but want conditions right to breed. Again a fine line. Planning on a breeding pair of macmasteri and hongsloi, with Angels and school of pencilfish. Those are at least the focus fish. Most plants will be south american too, with both rock and wood as hardscapes.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
H all,
Changed it up to bamboo. This is about 1/2" in diameter and about 2" deep. This look better?View attachment 12152
Like the other have said you would need to bury the bamboo in the sand to give a much narrower entrance.

I use <"half coconuts">, with a small hole cut out of the rim. You can super glue (cyanoacrylate based) moss and ferns to the top, to make them blend into the background.

There are photos at <"https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads...or-apistos-in-to-hardscape.35645/#post-382547">.

cheers Darrel
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,366
I wanted to post this picture because no matter how much you plan the fish will decide where to lay eggs. In this case she likes laying them 'in the open' relative to more hidden locations:
c1.jpg
and this is the full tank (older picture where she is guarding her frys; above picture is from today)

xqq.jpg
 

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