Hello, I am new here.

[Jeffery Doty]

Hello,

My name is Jeff Doty. I was given this forum link from Rick/Aspen and I am happy to have found it.

I have my first ever spawning pair of Apistogramma (Trifasciata), that currently have fry. I am very excited as I have been trying over the last year or so to have Apistos spawn for me, but have done nothing but kill them off!

Anyway, just want to say hi and share my good news of the A. Trifasciata spawn.

Take care.

Jeff

 

[farm41]

Hi Jeff

Good news on the trifasciata. How are the discus doing?

 

[Jeffery Doty]

Hello!

Thanks for asking. I am thinking that you are Yvan's friend? The guy who tried to out-bid me on the A. Panduro! How is the trio doing?

I am having a blast watching the A. Trifasciata Mom and fry do their thing. Dad pretty much just stays out of the way, usually on the other side of the sponge filter. The fry are getting to munch on BBS and seem to be doing well.

The Discus are doing great. Getting a few spawns here and there, growing out some future breeders. Just having lots of fun. Don't want to go off topic too far as I know this is the Apisto forum.

Talk to you soon.

Jeff
Oregon

 

[aspen]

hey jeff, welcome to the forum. it is nice to see you posting here- and also that your fish are spawning for you. are they in a species tank, or a community tank? i hope they grow out nicely.

rick

 

[farm41]

Yep, I have the panduros. Bad news though, 1 of the females jumped, I guess I need to completely cover the tank.


What size tank are the trifas in? When I had some, it was fighting all day long, I think they were all males though. A rough bunch, they were.

Have you heard from Yvan lately? He should be back soon.

 

[Jeffery Doty]

Hey, thanks for the warm welcome!

I have the A. Trifas. in a 20 long with sand, a few flower pots, java fern and java moss. I have a huge sponge filter, a number 5, and that is it. I basically did what Yvan told me, since he is the master, and I the student!

I had 5 A. Trifas males and managed to kill 4 of them. The last one happened, miracle or miracles, to be the best looking, and I got a female from Yvan. I did not expect much, so I put them with some A. Bitaeniata that I am babysitting for him. A week later I go to do a water change and she is lemon yellow and fry are hopping in the sand!! I guess the moto is; don't ever give up.

I pulled the A. Bitaeniata and just left the Trifas. I was going to pull the male Trifas, but decided to leave him. He just hangs out, minding his own business, and she ignores him. Is this typical?

Babies are about 20 or so, and growing. When should I introduce something other than BBS? And, what should that be?

Yvan, should be back by the end of the week. He sent a email last week and said he was having fun, but the weather sucked. He is not going to bring any fish back.

Thanks guys for the help. If I had a camera that took good closeups, I would get you a picture, but the fry will have to get bigger for any kind of focus on them. Can you post pictures on this board?

Take care.

Jeff
Oregon

 

[farm41]

I have been feeding my hognei fry bbs for about 4 weeks and will keep feeding them bbs for a long time, but I saw one of the babies eating a very small blackworm last night and I was so happy. I also use grindal worms, they are much smaller than blackworms, and the apistos really go for them.

Do you have any grindal worms?

 

[Neil]

Jeff,
Congratulations on the first apisto spawn. Great feeling, isn't it?

I pulled the A. Bitaeniata and just left the Trifas. I was going to pull the male Trifas, but decided to leave him. He just hangs out, minding his own business, and she ignores him. Is this typical?

There is a wide range of things that can happen when you leave the male in with the family. Trifasciata can be kind of uppity, so it is not uncommon for the male to bother the female to breed again before long. But it is more likely for the female will be a little more aggressive with the male because she usually doesn't like him too close to the fry.
If you fish are doing fine at this point, I suggest leaving them alone. I consider it a benefit to be able to keep both parents with the fry. There is a probable developmental advantage for the fry, it saves on tank space and tankmate problems not having to move fish around too much, and the range of behaviors associated with a 2 parent family are far more fascinating to observe.

Babies are about 20 or so, and growing. When should I introduce something other than BBS? And, what should that be?

You can easily stay with the BBS for a month or so and then start supplimenting other foods. The previously mentioned foods or any number of others. Prawn eggs are great if you can find them. Frozen daphnia is good too for fry that are a little older. But you can go ahead and start crushing up flake food into a fine powder right now if you like. Make sure you don't overfeed and cause yourself water quality problems though. Some other food ideas are listed in this artical:

http://www.apistogramma.com/dwarfcichlidnutrition.htm

Is Yvan in Germany? Shame he won't be bringing back any fish, if so. If you need help with pics, I think that there is an explanation of how to do it in the FAQ.
Neil

 

[Jeffery Doty]

Neil, once again, thank you for the help. There is nothing more enjoyable than posting a question that concerns your fish, and getting a quick and complete answer.

And yes, this first Apisto spawn has been quite a thrill for me, I have been waiting a long time.

Yvan is back in France visiting family and friends. He should be back at the end of the week. I am sure I will kick myself for not giving him some cash to go fish shopping. Next time though.........

Jeff
Oregon

 

[Neil]

Jeff,
Sure, no problem. I have seen way too many forum and lists that don't respond back to some people or questions at all. That is disheartening :? . It is just not that hard to jot a few sentences down. In turn for an answer to their question or even just a comment, that person may well be inclined to contribute also. Aspen is a good example. He came on months back tenetively. And now is offering up regular, intelligent, and useful info to many of the posts. Hope the same holds for you. Sounds like this success with trifasciata has lighted the Dwarf fire. That first one is all that it takes for most of us. Then we're hooked.
Neil

 

[aspen]

neil, you are too kind. i'm no expert at dwarfs, but help when i can. this forum is really great, YOU deserve to be commended.

rick

 

[Jeffery Doty]

Hello All,

The adventure continues. My male A. Trifas is dead! Yesterday I was out to the fishroom and there he is lying on his side, breathing heavy, not a mark on his body. He only lasted a few hours like this then he was gone.

I do not think the female did him in, there were 6 good hiding places in the tank, and she was totally ingnoring him. I have lost 3 fry also, so I am cutting back my feeding incase I am overfeeding. But they are getting small 10-20% water changes every 2nd day, and it is a 20 gallon tank. So, I thought my husbandry was sufficient, then again.........

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Jeff
Oregon

 

[farm41]

How are the trifas doing Jeff? I hope you still have some.

 

[Jeffery Doty]

Hey, thanks for asking!

Well, I am not sure what is going on. The female has also died, in the same way as the male. No marks on the body, nothing to indicate disease or parasite, just up and died!

The 15-20? babies are doing well and growing fast. So, I guess it is not contageous to them, whatever the problem was. Any ideas?

I was kind of depressed about the sudden deaths, but I have a spawn from M. Altispinosa and A. Cacatuoides, and that has cheered me up!

How are your apistos doing? Yvan says you have an awesome pair of A. Hoignei.

Thanks again for asking.

Jeff
Oregon

 

[farm41]

My apistos are doing well, I started taking in my first spawn of A. cacatuoides to the lfs yesterday. I could only catch 2 of them though, planted tanks are a pain for catching fish.

I'm pretty happy with the hognei, the male has especially nice fins, they both are exellent parents too.