Are there frys in the tank?

[Kenny Poh]

Hi all,

I had a pair of Ap. viejita in my 20 gal tank, that had spawned twice in a span of 10 days.

The first spawn was unsuccessful. The female gave up guarding the eggs after 3 days, returning back to her drab self.

However, a week after that, she spawned again. I couldn't see the eggs as it was right underneath a very big piece of driftwood.

But it has been 5-6 days after this spawn, and still I don't see any frys. The female is still in her breeding colour, and is very aggressive towards the male. She doesn't hover around any specific site, but seems to be patrolling the whole floor of my 2 ft tank. I've just removed the male, as he looked very spooked.

As I've read in some apisto websites, it usually take abt 5 days before the frys are free swimming, and that the mum would be seen leading them around. This has not happened.

Thus, I'm not sure if the frys are there. On one hand her colours and behaviour towards the male suggests so, but on the other hand, there's no visible frys seen.

What do you think guys?

Cheers,

Kenny

 

[Mike Wise]

Kenny,

For most apistos, & your fish, it usually takes about 3 days for the eggs to hatch & an additonal 4 days before the fry become free swimming. That is 7 days from laying eggs to free swimming fry. This is at normal aquarium temperatures (~26ºC/79ºF), of course. If your female is still in brood colors, then it is most likely that she has fry somewhere.

Mike Wise

 

[Kenny Poh]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your reply and advise!

Well, today has been the 6th day from the time that the eggs were supposedly laid. Yes, the female is in fact turning more orangy yellow right now. My tank temp. is abt 27-28 degrees celcius.

I'm just getting insecured, as the female's behaviour is quite unlike a brooding mum, from my limited experience with my cacatuoides female, which has so far produced 2 broods within 3 wks (the frys were unfortunately preyed upon by by annostomus and SAEs).

The caca female guards her eggs and frys quite ferociously, always by their side, except when she ventures out for food, and then hurried back to her wards. The frys have so far emerged after 5 days from the time the eggs were laid.

On the other hand, this viejita female would just wander about the whole tank (except for the 1st 3 days that she was holed up), with no particular routine. However, she'd attack the male if she spots him. Poor guy, I took him out when he looked visibly exhausted and was just hanging near the surface almost vertical. Haha, he looked somewhat relieved when I put him back into my 100 gal tank, and gladly ate the frozen bloodworms I gave him.

Well, i guess I'd just have to wait out for the next couple of days. In the meantime, my caca had just spawned again in my 100 gal tank!

Cheers,

Kenny