Breeding advice

[Andreas]

I havent been on here for quite a while but I am coming back for some help. I have had a few apistos these last few year but mostly males. I decided I want to try breeding them. I have a pair of macmasterri in a 60 by 30 by 30 tank that is quite mature(probably a year/year and a half)
This pair has been in here for probably 3 months and I want to really attempt breeding them now. I am feeding them hikari pellets, frozen bbs and live mosquite larvae. What would be a proper procedure for me to follow now to get them to breed. I am also only breeding these as part of the hobby for me not to make money. I am using tap water (6,4 ph) and temp is set at 25 degrees very low nitrates as the stocking is only these 2 fish.
Pictures attached of tank and male and female.

 

[MacZ]

The female is already in breeding mode. Water sounds great. Offer 2-3 caves, feed more live food (artemia nauplii, black mosquito larvae) and make sure you'll be able to remove the male after spawning, because the tank is quite small and the female might become too agressive.

That's all you have to do, otherwise you seem to be very much on the right track.

 

[Andreas]

Ah

The female is already in breeding mode. Water sounds great. Offer 2-3 caves, feed more live food (artemia nauplii, black mosquito larvae) and make sure you'll be able to remove the male after spawning, because the tank is quite small and the female might become too agressive.

That's all you have to do, otherwise you seem to be very much on the right track.

Ah ok thanks that is great to hear. I am only able to get the mosquito larvae tho as I dony have any artemia. I see people using ceramic pots for caves, do I just break it in half and throw it in? Also would adding rooibos tea help as I see many people using it?

 

[Andreas]

And also they are chasing each other around a bit. One moment the male chasing the female and the other the female chasing the male. Is this ok? The male also sometimes does this weird wiggles thing infront of the female which I am guessing is breeding behaviour.

 

[MacZ]

Ah

Ah ok thanks that is great to hear. I am only able to get the mosquito larvae tho as I dony have any artemia. I see people using ceramic pots for caves, do I just break it in half and throw it in? Also would adding rooibos tea help as I see many people using it?

You are aware that Artemia = brine shrimp and nauplii = freshly hatched ones?

Caves have to have small openings so the male can't get in. You can use coconut shells, pots, there are even caves made from pottery you can buy.

Rooibos tea is just a source of humic substances. For A. macmasteri it's not necessary, but also not detrimental.

And also they are chasing each other around a bit. One moment the male chasing the female and the other the female chasing the male. Is this ok? The male also sometimes does this weird wiggles thing infront of the female which I am guessing is breeding behaviour.

The behaviour is what you want to see at this point.

 

[Andreas]

You are aware that Artemia = brine shrimp and nauplii = freshly hatched ones?

Caves have to have small openings so the male can't get in. You can use coconut shells, pots, there are even caves made from pottery you can buy.

Rooibos tea is just a source of humic substances. For A. macmasteri it's not necessary, but also not detrimental.

The behaviour is what you want to see at this point.

Yes I am aware I just dont have a hatchery(yet) Do you recommend adding more botanicals?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

This pair has been in here for probably 3 months and I want to really attempt breeding them now.

She looks like she may have fry somewhere already.

I keep a Micro worm (they maybe Banana worm) culture and if I think I might have fry I feed some every day. It is the movement that gets the fry feeding and in that way I may get some survive until they are obvious and will feed on larger items or Artemia nauplii etc.

Do you recommend adding more botanicals?

Yes, Fagus sylvatica or Quercus spp. leaves and Alnus "cones". I add some structural leaf litter to all the tanks now.

cheers Darrel

 

[Andreas]

Hi all,

She looks like she may have fry somewhere already.

I keep a Micro worm (they maybe Banana worm) culture and if I think I might have fry I feed some every day. It is the movement that gets the fry feeding and in that way I may get some survive until they are obvious and will feed on larger items or Artemia nauplii etc.

Yes, Fagus sylvatica or Quercus spp. leaves and Alnus "cones". I add some structural leaf litter to all the tanks now.

cheers Darrel

I dont think she has fry. She isn’t hiding much. I will also try to get a micro worm culture going again tho just for incase. But that would be very exciting if there is fry

 

[Andreas]

Is there anything more I can do to induce breeding?

 

[MacZ]

Nope.

 

[anewbie]

Is there anything more I can do to induce breeding?

You can ask them very nicely but it doesn't always work...

 

[Memeboi]

Your doing great tbh

 

[Mike Wise]

Is there anything more I can do to induce breeding?

Patience; and if this doesn't work, look hard at what might be wrong with your breeding setup.