F0 Apistogramma Cacatuoides Egg Status

[OneLastDecree]

As title states, I need some expert guidance on the health of my new eggs.

Background story [Skip this to avoid a long read];
I originally had a harem of a Male and two Females.
Last week (04.21.2014), I woke up to see one of the females dead in the middle of the aquarium.
I conducted an in-depth autopsy; however, found no signs - cause of death.
Water levels were pristine and no odd behaviour. (0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate, 6.5 pH, 80 degrees)

I wanted to get them to breed. This brings me to today. I conducted a 50% water change of cold water set at 20 Celcius.
Bringing my water temperature from 28 Celcius to 25 Celcius.
Fed tonnes of Live Fruit Flies.
Noticed my female acting funny and suddenly turning a bright yellow with distinct black markings. Basically she changed into her breeding skirt.
She went in and out of her cave every 45 seconds.

I was curius so I took pictures, blind.
The cave entrance is facing the wall.
Hard to glance with a flash light.
I took some pictures, horrible but best I could, and found eggs.
Roughly, 50 eggs on one side of the wall.
There may be more because I can't see the top and to the sides.
I just counted 50 on the back wall.
The cave is two very small flowerpot saucers silicones together.
Planted in my substrate at about 15 degree angle [The saucers are not level with the substrate because of my preference to hide it from plain site]
The cave entrance was sanded out with a sanding disk and power drill.
Basically a half circle is created, just enough for the females to swim through sideways.

Spent hours researching what 'color' or 'shade' the eggs need to be.
However, it is hard to see if they have been laid by the current female or the passed female.
Are they fertilized?
I see one egg that has a black dot, does that mean they will be wigglers soon?

My apisto's are still young and growing.
Less than a year old.
I know they will probably fail this time around.
But, I need to know if this will be a successful batch as I need to start getting microworm cultures and fry tanks ready and cycled.

Long post, but it's better to give more information needed than to give none.
Hopefully.

Thanks for chipping in and investing in the long read.
All of my posts are usually long.
Don't blame me.

 

[Mike Wise]

Give them a week. Then you'll know.

 

[OneLastDecree]

Thanks.
I'll keep you posted.
However, it seems the male isn't a male Cacatuoides.

 

[Mike Wise]

I know. From you post in another section, it looks like A. allpahuayo to me. Still these 2 closely related fish could produce hybrid offspring. I don't know what they would look like, but hope - if any survive - that you don't distribute them.

 

[OneLastDecree]

Okay, would they have genetical defects?
I should do some research on hybrid offspring.

If I do get a batch of fry, I shouldn't distribute them?
What if I classify them as a Cacatioudes and Alpahuayo strain?

 

[Mike Wise]

Hybrid apistos typically show deformed rows of scale, deformed dorsal fin shape, are physically weak, sterile - and very ugly. No, don't distribute them under any name other than "Hybrid Apistogramma cacatuoides x atahualpa". They are not a 'strain', a man-made morph of a single species. I doubt that anyone will buy them.

 

[Dano1311]

how did the fry come on?