Apistogramma Fry Raising - Growth Differential

[TrapstaR]

So my apistogramma baenschii eggs hatched 15 days ago. As a test of my first spawn and the parents first spawn, I moved 8 fry to fry tray at free swimming stage. I left 5 fry with the parents in a 10G (moved these to tray today).

Both sets were fed identical meals. 1/4 sera micron, 3/4 live bbs. Fry with parents get a lot more exercise as mom shepherds them around. Similar water parameters with difference being pH of fry tray slightly higher at 7.2 vs 6.9.

Does anyone have theories on why the fry left with parents are on average 2X the size of those in the fry tray? (Note the 3 small fry near top of picture were tray raised)

 

[Apistoguy52]

Mama knows. Fry fending for themselves don’t know as well.

 

[MacZ]

Does anyone have theories on why the fry left with parents are on average 2X the size of those in the fry tray?

The mother indeed leads them to best spots for feeding like moss patches, mulm and leaf litter. And of course where the food you add accumulates mostly.

Another factor is the mother caring for the eggs, removing mouldy ones and fanning the clutch providing fresh water. You can't really emulate this.

slightly higher at 7.2 vs 6.9.

Ignore that. The precision of typical test kits and meters is +/- 0.5 pH points. So this is not a difference at all.

 

[Mike Wise]

Apisto fry naturally drop to the bottom, hide and don't actively feed when not in the care of their mother. This is why most experienced apisto breeders recommend keeping fry with their mother.