Hello. I need some assistance. I believe my female elizabethae is on eggs. She turned lighter in color and is spending most of her time in the cave, only leaving for food. I caught the male dancing in front of the cave earlier today. Picture of mom is attached. I was reading I could cup the front of the cave and move her and the babies to their own separate tank, such as a ten gallon. She is in a 29 gallon right now with the male and another female. Would this be a smart idea? Would I do it once I see wrigglers? Or just leave her in the tank. Thanks.
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Apistogramma Elizabethae on eggs - Need help
- Thread starter Solasis
- Start date
Apistoguy52
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Assuming a reasonable pH/conductivity, I’d simply remove the extra female and let the pair raise the fry.
PH around 6.5 TDS 50. These are captive bred not wilds
Apistoguy52
Active Member
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- 287
At 6.5…I’d give the eggs about a 1% chance of being viable…pH too high. Probably no need to move the odd woman out.
Other female won’t eat the fry, but she will get her brains beat out unless this is an exceptionally structured 500L tank
Other female won’t eat the fry, but she will get her brains beat out unless this is an exceptionally structured 500L tank
Makes sense. Not to say you are wrong, but I had a friend with a captive bred pair get wrigglers at 6.6. Possible these captive bred strains hatch at higher PH? Again, not trying to argue just wondering
Apistoguy52
Active Member
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Sounds about right. When I kept this species, 5.5pH was kind of the break over point where I started to get some fry to swim. TDS is pretty close to on point IMO, but being low pH/bacteria free is still critical.
Ah, I see. So you'll get wrigglers but no free swimming fry? Damn. Also, would there be any harm in the future (when my PH is low enough) moving mom and her cave over to her separate tank? Or is that asking for trouble.
Apistoguy52
Active Member
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Idk…I’ve disturbed some wigglers, I’ve dumped out some wigglers and had it work out…never moved a mom/cave
No worries. I read that from someone on here about that being their strategy. I'll try and find the user.
Ok, it was @allentwnguy. Though they dont seem to be active, this is what they said:
"Ditto on the breeder boxes. While I'm not a breeder... I've raised 100's of fry and almost all of my apisto's I have were born in my home. What I have done in the past was monitor the females that are in breeding dress. I use some apisto huts. When I find a female with eggs or wrigglers I make an instant tank. My apisto's are in 40 breeder tanks... I take a 10 gallon tank and take all the water from the 40 to set it up. And all of decor needed (driftwood, rocks, plants, moss...including one of the sponge filters) as it will have the initial food fry need to survive. When the female is in the hut I put my finger over the hole and move the whole "family" (minus dad) to the new set up. She relaxes not having to defend her brood and I've found less likely to eat the eggs. As others have said when the fry start showing independence from mama I move her and the hut back to the 40. I hatch bbs every night which I found is the best food for the fry as soon as they can eat it. Nothing like seeing their little golden bellies!"
"Ditto on the breeder boxes. While I'm not a breeder... I've raised 100's of fry and almost all of my apisto's I have were born in my home. What I have done in the past was monitor the females that are in breeding dress. I use some apisto huts. When I find a female with eggs or wrigglers I make an instant tank. My apisto's are in 40 breeder tanks... I take a 10 gallon tank and take all the water from the 40 to set it up. And all of decor needed (driftwood, rocks, plants, moss...including one of the sponge filters) as it will have the initial food fry need to survive. When the female is in the hut I put my finger over the hole and move the whole "family" (minus dad) to the new set up. She relaxes not having to defend her brood and I've found less likely to eat the eggs. As others have said when the fry start showing independence from mama I move her and the hut back to the 40. I hatch bbs every night which I found is the best food for the fry as soon as they can eat it. Nothing like seeing their little golden bellies!"
Apistoguy52
Active Member
- Messages
- 287
Doesn’t sound unreasonable. There are a few competent breeders here who I know hatch/rear artificially. Personally, I’ve found most apisto mama’s to be competent parents as long as the fry were healthy, but to each their own I suppose
These are great parent apistos, just leave them as it is... if it is first especially just let it be.. let them learn as parents.
See now question is: do you want to make profit or enjoy the parental process? if profit just remove the eggs and hatch and you become mama and take full time care, if later, leave it with the female, she will learn to defend and raise them. Might be she will eat fry if you take many photos and go near tank, as it is first time, but if you go near tank and immediately feed, you are a friend. They are smart little things, but slowly you will make bond.
you can remove fry after maybe 4 weeks with parents, then they are ready to spawn again.
Enjoy
See now question is: do you want to make profit or enjoy the parental process? if profit just remove the eggs and hatch and you become mama and take full time care, if later, leave it with the female, she will learn to defend and raise them. Might be she will eat fry if you take many photos and go near tank, as it is first time, but if you go near tank and immediately feed, you are a friend. They are smart little things, but slowly you will make bond.
you can remove fry after maybe 4 weeks with parents, then they are ready to spawn again.
Enjoy
