My first potential spawn

[anewbie]

Would it be ok in a 40 gallon breeder or will it still become problematic without something like a 55 or 60 breeder before they hit sexable/saleable age

I don't know - apisto take a long time to grow up - much slower than angels for example so i always get rid of them before they reach that age - usually i just stick in a pail after a few months and take them to the petstore.

 

[xSparkleZ]

Very interesting. Just the tail slapping as far as I’ve seen. Making the rounds and protecting the area. Just not inside the cave as much as first 3 or so days where it was constant in and out. But I guess that would have been when she was fanning the eggs before they hatched into wigglers.

Now that I have the BBS going I feel good just in case I see some free swimmers next day or two. If I see fry safe to start feeding BBS? How many times a day. I have the banana and microworm starters but don’t think they will be ready to harvest yet they came in bad shape.

In terms of feeding, it depends on your availability, but it's definetly better to provide small feedings more frequently rather than less frequent and larger portions.

I typically provide BBS as soon as they become free swimming.
Others wait a day before offering, but I have had no problems with them eating BBS right after they come out for their first family walk.
I have cameras setup on tanks that I am expecting free swimming fry, so I can document the time they become free swimming for my tracker and know when they need to be added to my feeding schedule.
First feed is always a bit messy though, but they usually get better at eating everything over a couple of days.

Currently, I feed all my tanks once every 8-hours, so 3-times a day.

 

[Mike Wise]

When it is too cold i just use a small (40 watt) incandesent light bulb in a lamp directly above it. Also the light helps attrack the babies into the tingy that strains them.

This works with incandescent bulbs, but compact fluorescent and LED bulb don't put out much heat at all.

 

[ue222]

No free swimmers visible yet but will keep checking. She looks the same.

 

[ue222]

I guess love is in the water. The Macmasteri I posted in another thread the other day I got back on Dec 8 just spawned I think. Most likely my food variety is better across all my tanks recently. This is a 29 gallon tank community tank. If I do nothing will it be ok? Could I put them in their own setup to breed later on? I want to focus on one spawn to start right now obviously.

 

[MacZ]

If I do nothing will it be ok? Could I put them in their own setup to breed later on?

Yes. Something many people forget: Even if you want to breed some of your fish you are not required to safe each and every clutch. Population control is key. Oh and not keeping females in display tanks.

 

[xSparkleZ]

Any updates?

 

[ue222]

Nothing has changed for the Hongsloi still. I am keeping a close eye. My clownfish and gobies were very grateful that they got the BBS I was going to fed to the fry today. I am hoping by tomorrow night I see free swimmers or a sign that the fry didn’t make it. It’s been about 7 full days and 6 hours as of this post since I believe they spawned.

 

[ue222]

Can long photoperiod affect breeding significantly?

 

[MacZ]

Not directly but maybe indirectly by stressing the female. What is your light set to?

 

[ue222]

Not directly but maybe indirectly by stressing the female. What is your light set to?

7.5 full hours of peak (low brightness) with additional 75 minute hour sunrise and sunset so 10 hours of low light including that.

 

[MacZ]

7.5 full hours of peak (low brightness) with additional 75 minute hour sunrise and sunset so 10 hours of low light including that.

That's less than they get in the wild. They come from the Meta river system which is more or less equatorial and the river flows through open savannah landscape. About 12 hours are normal for them, I would consider 14 hours plus too much.

 

[ue222]

That's less than they get in the wild. They come from the Meta river system which is more or less equatorial and the river flows through open savannah landscape. About 12 hours are normal for them, I would consider 14 hours plus too much.

Ok I actually looked up the daylight cycle of places in South America to get an idea and had it at 8 hours with 2 hour sunrise and 2 hour sunset. I lowered it to what I said above when I exchanged the old smaller male for this new female about 3 weeks ago. I thought it may be a little too high. Guess I was right though first time.

 

[MacZ]

The closer you get to the Equator the shorter are sunrise and sunset. So 10hours with an hour each for dawn and dusk is still ok. (Not saying you should do that! You could, but there's no necessity.)
Also... South America is a vast continent. You have everything from equatorial regions, almost to the antarctic circle. Of course the further south the shorter the days. E.g. for A. borellii from Argentina you should already consider shorter light periods.

 

[ue222]

The closer you get to the Equator the shorter are sunrise and sunset. So 10hours with an hour each for dawn and dusk is still ok.
Also... South America is a vast continent. You have everything from equatorial regions, almost to the antarctic circle. Of course the further south the shorter the days. E.g. for A. borellii from Argentina you should already consider shorter light periods.

Got it, I believe I first looked up something in Venezuela but regardless great information thank you. Lights just went out for the all fish so will hopefully see some new developments in the hongsloi tank tomorrow. Based on the timeline from everyone I should see free swimmers tomorrow or assume the fry didn’t make it.

 

[ue222]

No luck still, assuming the fry didn’t make it? She is still same breeding color but I don’t see any free swimmers. Defending the area around her cave still but going in the actual cave less and seems to be out in the open more often when I come to check. Will they try again soon?

 

[xSparkleZ]

Pending parameters, temperature, and conditioning regime, my pairs typically Spawn once every three weeks.

Did you inspect the cave?
Can you see inside?

 

[ue222]

Pending parameters, temperature, and conditioning regime, my pairs typically Spawn once every three weeks.

Did you inspect the cave?
Can you see inside?

I did not move the cave I can see partially it’s on an angle to the front of the tank and haven’t shined a light inside in a few days. But I don’t see anything at the opening. Do females lose their bright coloration after a spawn if the fry aren’t viable/removed? Or if the male is still present it is normal for her to display these colors still.

 

[ue222]

Just looked with a light don’t see anything. Not sure what she’s guarding still but I guess just the territory or maybe getting ready to spawn again.

 

[xSparkleZ]

When I used to remove wigglers away from the female to raise them artificially, the females on average still had her colors for a couple of weeks even when there were no eggs in the tank.

Every female is different though.