Apistogramma velifera (sp. 'four stripes/vierstreifen')

[Ari Ruotsalainen]

Hi!

I've tried and tried to search information about this species on-line, but I can't find much. I'd like to recieve any kind of information about Ap. velifera. I bought 3 of these fish a couple of weeks ago, and I suppose I'm doing just fine with them. I keep them in soft and dark peatwater with pH ~6,8 and they seem happy. Except I think they are all females... :frown: The fish are still very young, around an inch (3cm). Should the sexes be recognized already, or am I sad in vain? No one knows anything about this species in Finland, at least it feels like that, so if I get any kinda information, I'm more than grateful.

Thanks a lot!

-Ari

 

[cageman]

I don't know much about this fish, rather let mike do the talking
but I do have some pics of the male fish a friend of mine has.

here
and here

 

[Ari Ruotsalainen]

Thank a lot cageman! Those pictures were great, I hope one of my fish is a male...

 

[Mike Wise]

I think that 3 cm is still too small for your fish to show sex differences. The males' dorsal fin will grow much higher at 5 - 6 cm size. This fish comes black & clearwater streams that enter the Rio Orinoco & Rio Negro between Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela & São Gabriel, Brazil. The fish have been found in waters with pH 4.5-5.8 & extremely soft. They require a pH below 6.0 & very soft water for breeding. Good luck with your fish. I hope you get a pair.

 

[esteban]

Almost 2 years ago I had a pair. They breeding several times, but always the eggs disappeared in the third day.......

the aquarium was of 60 liters, pH 6,50, GH 2

The male
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/estebanapistos/velifera/macho-velifera.jpg

the female
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/estebanapistos/velifera/hembra-velifera.jpg

the female breeding....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/estebanapistos/velifera/Dscn0189.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/estebanapistos/velifera/Dscn0179.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/estebanapistos/velifera/Dscn0178.jpg

 

[Ari Ruotsalainen]

Thank you very much everybody! You don't know how hard I've tried to look for information about Ap. velifera. Now I know I still have hope to have a pair, and I have work to do with my pH. Thanks!

 

[candidi]

Hi Ari,

My experience with those fishes :

pH : 4.5 KH:0-1 a lot of oak leaves on the floor (good to hide :wink: and to have that pH) and only one plant.

I had with those parameters 50 youngs for each spawn. I've at that time 100 youngs growing

I hope it can help you

Sébastien

 

[KenL]

We have soft water here in Scotland but when I had them they only spawned when I changed them over to de-ionised water.

They seemed to pair up as the spare female was hounded by both male and female.

 

[Rolo]

Hello Esteban,

I tried to send you a mail, but you have no adress stored here... could you please contact me? ([email protected])

thanks & regards
Rolo

 

[candidi]

Hi,

I forgot one or two things...

The temperature is high by me, 29°C and the pair I have fight a lot before spawning... around 5 days.

And the female guard the youngfishes during 3 weeks, and when she leaves them, a new spawn comes.

I don't know how to say that exactly in english, but the male and female choose them. So it's a bit difficult to have a "good" pair.

Can anybody say that better than me?

Sébastien

 

[esteban]

Hello rolo,

my mail: [email protected]

 

[Ari Ruotsalainen]

Thanks for the valuable information everyone! I succeeded to decrease the pH and GH only with peat and CO2-fertilizer. pH is 6,2 and GH 2 now. It lowered quite quickly, so I need to take a little break now.. The tap water has KH around 1-2, so the pH is quite easy to decrease only by CO2. Now I just have to wait till the fish grow and see witch sexes they turn out to be. I've got a bit problems to feed them, they are quite picky and SLOW. It actually takes 5 minutes from them to realize there's food served. By that, the other fish have eaten everything.

 

[Rolo]

Hello rolo,

my mail: [email protected]

Hi Esteban,

I sent you a mail.
Did you get it or is it lost in Spam?
(so tell me please, if I should send it again)

thanks,
Rolo

 

[esteban]

Hello Rolo,

I received your email and I have sent you the answer

Regards, Esteban