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Ivanacara Bimaculata

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,429
Location
Germany
Anything else you suggest?
Best nutritional value in frozen and live form for dwarf cichlids are crustaceans, Artemia, Mysis, Cyclops, Gammarus and worms like blackworms, potworms and the like. Tubifex are a source of parasites, so only to be feed frozen or freeze dried. Daphnia are also good, should be fed sparsely though, as well as white mosquito larvae, as both are rich in fiber but have little energetic value. And then there is the superfood: Black mosquito larvae. But those are not always easy to get, as they are from biting mosquitos. What I loved to feed for a while was Neocaridina shrimplets from my neighbour. He always had surplus and so I had lots of live food.
In dried food insects are a good thing, especially things based on soldier fly and the like, so bug bites are a good choice, there are better ones, but those are quite high up in the premium segment. I rather just won't feed dry foods. Most importantly make sure the fish meal and grain/starch components are minimal. Gluten is fine, wheat flower is a no-go.
For frozen i've been feeding a lot of blood worms, a little brine shrimp
I'd be very cautious with the bloodworms, they have often contamination problems as they are so cheaply produced. Many people including me have lost dwarf cichlids just by feeding them bloodworms. Nobody knows what came first, the wrong labeling of bloodworms as nutritionally sound food or overproduction, marketing has placed them firmly as the most widely available and well known food. But ultimately that stuff is most often just junk.
and a little Emerald Entree (which they aren't crazy for)
Had to look that up (we have completely different brands and I only care for ingredient lists), well, of course not their thing.

I have begun to transition to mostly RODI, right now my watercahnges are 75% RODI. Just step one as i continue to familiarize myself with the content you messaged me earlier (thanks again by the way!) I really want to do it right without any mistakes.
Again, you're welcome! :) You're on a good way and you have time. Take it.
 

hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Attached are some images of my Bimaculata. Similar to adoketa, extremely variable in color based off their mood
 

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FeetPixel

New Member
Messages
13
Attached are some images of my Bimaculata. Similar to adoketa, extremely variable in color based off their mood
Thanks for making a profile to contribute, I am so thankful.
how long have you had them? Do you know how old? Do you use RODI? Do you mind sharing your feeding regimen? what is their PH and how do you maintain it? have they bred for you? any tank mates?
does the anus of your female appear swollen with the pinkish tube thing?
anything that stands out for this species, that you’d like to share?
as you can tell, I’ve been dying to find someone else with these. I’ve gotten a ton of helpful information on this forum but I’m just curious about how you specifically handle yours.

i love the color on yours. Mine have been changing as time goes on. This first pic is from a couple weeks ago, theyre both rocking this dark color now.
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hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Thanks for making a profile to contribute, I am so thankful.
how long have you had them? Do you know how old? Do you use RODI? Do you mind sharing your feeding regimen? what is their PH and how do you maintain it? have they bred for you? any tank mates?
does the anus of your female appear swollen with the pinkish tube thing?
anything that stands out for this species, that you’d like to share?
as you can tell, I’ve been dying to find someone else with these. I’ve gotten a ton of helpful information on this forum but I’m just curious about how you specifically handle yours.

i love the color on yours. Mine have been changing as time goes on. This first pic is from a couple weeks ago, theyre both rocking this dark color now.
View attachment 11708
View attachment 11709
I assume I recieved mine from the same source as you. So they should be similar in age. The male has packed on quite a bit of size since arriving around the end of june. You could try adding a small makeup mirror to coax them into better colors for photography. The female has her white vent down quite often and they have shown pre-spawning behavior (dancing and cleaning pieces of slate). If they have bred, I have not seen any results from it yet.

I don't have RODI setup, so I am using distilled water. Their tank setup includes, java moss and bolbitis, sand substrate and botanicals covering the bottom of the tank. They tend to dig pits in the sand. Very inquisitive and interactive species but quick to dart into the leaf litter or caves if I startle them. I maintain the ph at about 4.5 and feed live blackworms and daphnia as their staple food and supplementing with frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

I am by no means an expert on this species, but they seem to be doing well so far
 

hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
I assume I recieved mine from the same source as you. So they should be similar in age. The male has packed on quite a bit of size since arriving around the end of june. You could try adding a small makeup mirror to coax them into better colors for photography. The female has her white vent down quite often and they have shown pre-spawning behavior (dancing and cleaning pieces of slate). If they have bred, I have not seen any results from it yet.

I don't have RODI setup, so I am using distilled water. Their tank setup includes, java moss and bolbitis, sand substrate and botanicals covering the bottom of the tank. They tend to dig pits in the sand. Very inquisitive and interactive species but quick to dart into the leaf litter or caves if I startle them. I maintain the ph at about 4.5 and feed live blackworms and daphnia as their staple food and supplementing with frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

I am by no means an expert on this species, but they seem to be doing well so far
Just to provide a quick update. The bimaculata have spawned in a seed pod and have made excellent first time parents so far. The fry have just started to become free swimming and exploring the edges of the seed pod cave. No triggers were necessary to induce breeding and parameters were as such (Ph: 4.5, Temp: 77f). Live blackworms and frozen spirulina brine shrimp were the bulk of their diet the last few weeks. Also supplemented with other foods I mentioned previously. I try to post informal updates on instagram: hoonaquatics. Tried to share a video of one of the fry but wasn't able to upload a video to this forum
 

hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Just to provide a quick update. The bimaculata have spawned in a seed pod and have made excellent first time parents so far. The fry have just started to become free swimming and exploring the edges of the seed pod cave. No triggers were necessary to induce breeding and parameters were as such (Ph: 4.5, Temp: 77f). Live blackworms and frozen spirulina brine shrimp were the bulk of their diet the last few weeks. Also supplemented with other foods I mentioned previously. I try to post informal updates on instagram: hoonaquatics. Tried to share a video of one of the fry but wasn't able to upload a video to this forum
Here's a pic of the female tending to the fry. Both male and female have exhibited very good co-parental care but the female takes on a a larger role in the rearing of offspring
 

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FeetPixel

New Member
Messages
13
Here's a pic of the female tending to the fry. Both male and female have exhibited very good co-parental care but the female takes on a a larger role in the rearing of offspring
Congratulations! I followed Your IG page. My apistos bred and within two days of the fry hatching, my female Bimaculata began guarding a nest. no eggs for me yet!
it’s pretty interesting how different our fish look. They change colors frequently but this is how mine are looking more often than not

any changes to the diet you shared earlier? Are yours picky? Mine are ravenous.. I’ve been feeding a lot of mysis. they go crazy for bloodworms (frozen) but I always thaw them out and wash them several times.
my favorite fish, with tons of personality. Scared of nothing!!
 

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hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Congratulations! I followed Your IG page. My apistos bred and within two days of the fry hatching, my female Bimaculata began guarding a nest. no eggs for me yet!
it’s pretty interesting how different our fish look. They change colors frequently but this is how mine are looking more often than not

any changes to the diet you shared earlier? Are yours picky? Mine are ravenous.. I’ve been feeding a lot of mysis. they go crazy for bloodworms (frozen) but I always thaw them out and wash them several times.
my favorite fish, with tons of personality. Scared of nothing!!
Thank you! The pair exhibited signs of cleaning different locations and digging pits for a couple weeks before the female disappeared with her clutch of eggs. So hopefully you're close? Dietarily I didn't really change anything up. Though my pair like bloodworms, I am allergic and try to handle it sparingly.

I'm sure you've seen quite the range of colors on your pair? Pictures and videos can sometimes just be a snippet of the color. Mine sometimes look like yours in coloration too. I have also seen mine turn completely pale rusty orange with some greenish iridescence, sometimes black with peachy red colors to their bellies and the male will occasionally fire up a red face and bright blue iridescence. I propped up a mirror next to the male when they had eggs and both turned a shade of jet black zebra that I hadn't seen before. They fire up black quite often but this was at an intensity unlike before.

My pair's favorite foods are the live blackworms and daphnia, but take frozen foods readily. They eat like piggies for sure! Although mine can be a bit skittish at times. I have been in love with rainbowfish for the past few years, but I'd have to agree. The bimaculata have certainly become my favorite fish too
 

FeetPixel

New Member
Messages
13
Attached are some images of my Bimaculata. Similar to adoketa, extremely variable in color based off their mood
Any updates on your breeding efforts? Been thinking of you!
Yours are so yellow compared to mine. Mine will get dark every time I feed them as evidenced by the first pic. The two pictures following are what they look like normally after they wake up
The blue is starting to show nicely, there is more and more with each new week.
I continue to use RODI for their water changes.
I’m obsessed with these fish. They’re fearless but they don’t instigate and I love that. The Cacatuoides continue to breed and they can do nothing to dissuade these Bimac (who aren’t genuinely interested in the first place) it’s like watching a fly try to kill a horse
They Aren’t side by side all of the time, but any time the female starts working on a nest, the male guards closely.
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hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Any updates on your breeding efforts? Been thinking of you!
Yours are so yellow compared to mine. Mine will get dark every time I feed them as evidenced by the first pic. The two pictures following are what they look like normally after they wake up
The blue is starting to show nicely, there is more and more with each new week.
I continue to use RODI for their water changes.
I’m obsessed with these fish. They’re fearless but they don’t instigate and I love that. The Cacatuoides continue to breed and they can do nothing to dissuade these Bimac (who aren’t genuinely interested in the first place) it’s like watching a fly try to kill a horse
They Aren’t side by side all of the time, but any time the female starts working on a nest, the male guards closely.
View attachment 11866
View attachment 11867View attachment 11868
The fry are doing super. Twice daily feedings of baby brine shrimp is really all they're getting right now. They grow like weeds compared to rainbowfish, which is what I usually breed.

The parents aren't always showing the colors in my pics, but they do but on their dark markings when I've hung around the fry too long and I should probably go lol.. but they're not always this colorful. Sometimes a lot more, sometimes a lot less. The male is a lot more variable in color, while the female is usually more intense
 

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hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Feeding a lot of live baby brine and frozen copepods seems to have brought out a lot more oranges? Not sure if it's maturity or diet influenced, but just thought I'd note that just in case.

Just updating with some new pictures. I imagine this is about peak coloration for them, but they always surprise me with a new color. The male can turn his face from almost any shade of red, brown or jet black.

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rasmusW

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
522
Hi feetpixel and hoonaqua!

How big are your fish now and when did you start to see the “White vent” tube?
i recieved 3 little beauties last thursday.
I guess they come from the generation after both of yours.
They acclimates well to their new surroundings. Swimming and eating well.

They are all between 5-7 cm -ish in length. The dorsal and anal fins looks to have pointy tips of a male, so i guess that’s what they are.
Therefore i have ordered 2 more and crossing fingers for atleast one female, though ofcause preferebly both.

I have read that TL could be anything from what mine are now till 13cm. (-but i think, that number is confused with adoketa).

I’d love to see some more pictures of your fish. Male/female comparison.

It’s a bit hard these days to get good pictures of my tank, so i haven’t been able to take any yet.

-r
 

hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Hi feetpixel and hoonaqua!

How big are your fish now and when did you start to see the “White vent” tube?
i recieved 3 little beauties last thursday.
I guess they come from the generation after both of yours.
They acclimates well to their new surroundings. Swimming and eating well.

They are all between 5-7 cm -ish in length. The dorsal and anal fins looks to have pointy tips of a male, so i guess that’s what they are.
Therefore i have ordered 2 more and crossing fingers for atleast one female, though ofcause preferebly both.

I have read that TL could be anything from what mine are now till 13cm. (-but i think, that number is confused with adoketa).

I’d love to see some more pictures of your fish. Male/female comparison.

It’s a bit hard these days to get good pictures of my tank, so i haven’t been able to take any yet.

-r
Females are sexable by their white vent at under an inch long. I've had multiple F2 pairs produce fry around 8 months of age. Co-parental care is exceptional even in densely stocked communities and from the first batch.

Both males and females can shift their face color form brown, red or jet black. After some testing this does not seem to be food influenced. Several pairs are being fed differing diets and they can all shift their color at will

I regularly posts images of bimaculata on instagram.com/hoonaquatics
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,774
Interesting you keep in a community aquarium; has there been problems with the ivanka killing tank mates? Also what sort of community? Just dither pencil/tetra or other ground fishes ?
 

hoonaqua

Member
Messages
9
Interesting you keep in a community aquarium; has there been problems with the ivanka killing tank mates? Also what sort of community? Just dither pencil/tetra or other ground fishes ?
With a species this prolific and precocious I need to put extra fish in different places. This also allowed me to test them in a variety of parameters from distilled to regular tap (my water is naturally very soft as well). Incredibly hardy fish in softer water, and no extra care is needed.

They are territorial and spunky but rarely damage any other fish. They can cohabitate with other cichlids of like size and temperament with enough structure. I have kept them with fish as small and peaceful as Ladigesia rollofi (Jellybean Tetra) and also: hypancistrus, corydoras, rainbowfish, congo tetra types. For breeding its optimal to do so in a separate tank, but I've had little to no losses from the free swimming fry in multiple community tanks.

I'm also excited that Hans Evers recently bought a pair from me on his visit to the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society. Hoping they made it to Germany fine. I know they've been in Europe, but happy to see them continue to spread.
 

FeetPixel

New Member
Messages
13
Mine are housed with 9 2-inch angelfish, bristle pleco and a couple dozen cardinal tetras. They're in a 150-gallon tank and there is zero aggression for the most part. There are a few apistos still living in there that i could never catch but they hide. There is a LOT of plant life and drift wood in my aquarium and everyone has their own space. Will try to get pics later. Congrats on your acquisition!

Mine still haven't bred although they constantly display signs and guard their nest.
 

Bigtuna88

Apisto Club
Messages
64
Absolutely agree.
I got the first breeding pair on aquabid ($425 shipped) after 3 years of searching and am on my second batch of fry. Trying my best to get these around. Total opposites behaviorally than the adoketa I’ve had for years. Never seen any aggression to dithers or even a lonely oto.
 

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