Breeding Cacatuoides questions

[The Cacatoider]

I am new to this board but have been on Age of Aquariums for a while. I have a question. I have been collecting apistos for about a year now and I have 1 cac double red, 1 cac orange flash, 2 agasizzi's, and 1 nijseni. I am about to pick up 2 female cacs and I want to breed them. What do I have to know? are they easy to breed? conditions for them? I know they are herim breeders and cave spawners but do they take care of their young? if someone could give me some tips I would appreciate it! Thanks!

 

[farm41]

Please describe your setup, include water parameters. Ph, Kh, TDS, tank size, population?

Welcome aboard

 

[The Cacatoider]

I am going to breed them in a 20 Gallon Long. The Ph is 7.5, Temp is currently at 80 degrees. the Cacs I have are tank raised at a Ph of 7.5-8. There is nothing else in the tank with them. I have lots of caves for them as well.

 

[farm41]

The fish will do best in clean water, change it 50% weekly and they will appreciate it. Conditioning with live foods helps, blackworms, brine shrimp, grindal worms, daphnia, frozen is good too. What is your Kh(carbonate hardness)?

 

[The Cacatoider]

I am not sure what my Kh is. Will the parents take care of the young? and if so, how long will they do so before getting aggressive?

Thanks!

 

[farm41]

The female usually protects the young until she is ready to spawn again. Could be 3-4 weeks.

 

[Neil]

The Cacatoider,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Most apisto species are exceptionally good parents. The brood-care skills are an impressive thing to witness. They also start their parental role well before the fry are swimming or even laid. That is when the aggression will begin. Tankmates can be in danger from Apistogramma that are preraring to spawn, gaurding eggs or wigglers or leading their fry around the tank. It is also worth noting that the parents sometimes present a danger to each other during all of these phases. It is, therefore, wise to allow for aggression in the way you set the tank up (other structure, as well as caves). Other fish should not present too much of a direct threat to the spawning pair. Another cichlid will probably harassed badly during spawning, but tetras may be OK , because they are fast and stay higher in the tank. Pencilfish usually work for me because they keep the pair from fighting with each other and don't threaten the fry too much.
Neil

 

[Kevi]

Breeding A. caucatoides

Hi, I just joined the group. I recently got some A. caucatoides from Neil, which i am interested in breeding. They are beautiful little fish, my first Apistogrammas.

They are in a 37 gallon tank with some hatchetfish and a few immature guppies. I've started feeding them live food, mainly daphnia, which they relish. They seem to ba hungry all the time. It is so entertaining to me to watch them hunt down the Daphnia, I keep wanting to feed them that particular food. How much is too much? If I feed them the Daphnia, will they reject the flake food?

One of the females (A. coucatoides Double Red) seems to be getting ready to start breeding. She looks like she's taking on a yellow coloration. She makes advances towards the male ( A. caucatoides Yellow-Gold) and goes into her cave often. She also chases the other female (A. caucatoides Yellow-Gold) who appears to be a bit younger.

The male chases the smaller female who doesn't seem to be interested. He ignores the Doulbe Red female and goes for the female of his own variety. Is this because she looks like him? Will he respond to the other female? I think, as yet, they are all a bit young for spawning but this behavior look promising.

So my questions are as follows. How much Daphnia can I safely feed them? Will the male likely try to spawn with both females?

Thanks,
Kevi

 

[Neil]

Kevi,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Hi Kevi! I would feed more often than alot at once. That is really all you have to worry about most apistos are not going to overeat, so you should know when you have uneaten food in the tank that it is time to back off a touch.
What you have is a female genotype YG/Triple red cross female. This is the female that you will ideally want the male YG to breed with. The occurance of deformities from a direct YG to YG breeding will make that a better bet. Your female is turning yellow and chasing the other female?! I would say that you are in for some spawning soon.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Neil

 

[The Cacatoider]

2 more questions!

I have my 20 Gallon long tank set up. I have the trio in there. What is the size of a fully grown/sexually mature female? If I turn the light out at night when they are breeding will they eat the eggs like angelfish? or will they be ok when the light goes out? There is only the trio in the tank.

Thanks~!

 

[vancat]

night light

A night-light works good for me. Then she can see the other fish as well as the fry. Although my mom herds all the fry back into the cave at night anyway....but sometimes she doesn't get it done before the lights go out.
vancat

 

[farm41]

I just use one of the 4 watt plug lights with a photocell for a night light, just enough, but not to bright.

 

[The Cacatoider]

thats cool about the night light. Could someone tell me what is the size if a fully grown and sexually mature female? I don't want to introduce the male unless the girls are ready.

Thanks!

 

[farm41]

2.5" +- .25 or so

 

[vancat]

size

2.5"? really? my breeding female is only about 1.25".
vancat

 

[Neil]

Although cacatuoides females can get to 2.5 inches, they are often not nearly that big. That is a "lunker"! Most adult females are closer to 1.5". Your 1.25" female probably has been sexually mature for quite sometime and should have no problem with the introduction of a male.
Neil

 

[farm41]

My cacs have been gone for quite some time now, but I remember them to be much larger than any of the current fish that I have.

I am a fisherman too, and you know, all fisherman think the fish they catch or get away are much bigger every time they tell the story. :lol: :lol:

 

[Molino]

My female cac started laying eggs the second day in the aquarium, and she is only about 1" long. I've yet to see any baby fry though