Male apisto stressed after adding female

[Svenvdp]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here but i'm keeping apisto's for a year now. Recently i had a male apisto in a 50L tank that i set up for it. He was on his own so i got him a female so they could breed. After 4 days the male looked stressed.

Just got home from work and the fish seems sick due to stress. He isn't moving and laying on its side so i moved him away from the female. But i think i made a mistake by doing that. Whats the best aproach?

EDIT:
There is no ammonia or nitrite in the thank. PH is still stable around 7. Species is Apistogramma cacatuoides.

 

[MacZ]

Was the female newly purchased? Or did you have her in another tank?

Whats the best aproach?

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[Svenvdp]

Unfortunately the fish already died.

The female was newly purchased at a store i trust. Had some bad luck with other stores with these fish. The female started being aggressive at the start but she calmed down after a while. The male seemed fine at first but yesterday he was acting strange by staying in a corner. The male was about the same size as the female so maybe that could have been the cause of stress.

 

[MacZ]

A. cacatuoides usually come as overbred domestiv fish. They have bad genetics and bad immune systems. They also have a high susceptibility to bacteria. Stress-induced immune problems only amplify this susceptibility and the likelihood of the female introducing bacteria strains your fish was not prepared for is high. QT the female in that tank now and don't add any other fish until you're sure she's clean.

(And I have to admit, I find 50 liters too small, even for breeding.)

 

[Mike Wise]

I see 3 problems:
1. The tank is typically much too small for breeding a polygamous apisto species. A. borellii and some of the resticulosa-complex, which are much less polygamous, yes but not larger species.
2. The fish were not added at the same time or without re-arranging the aquascape to provide new territories. Adding another apisto to your male's territory (the entire tank) can stress out both fish.
3. You introduced a fish without a quarantine period. The weaker of the 2 fish being stressed may have come down with an introduced pathogen.

 

[Svenvdp]

Thanks for your replies and advice! I will get a bigger tank soon. 100+ liters will be big enough right?

 

[hb101.19]

Thanks for your replies and advice! I will get a bigger tank soon. 100+ liters will be big enough right?

I think so! Depending on the aqua scape (Live plants and caves) and any other fish you may have, but I think that's an okay size. Sorry to hear your Apisto passed though.