Reintroducing Apistos

[Laurie]

Hello. I have three Apisto Panduros. (Pandorinis) I’m definite that one is a female, one is a male, and I think the third is a male. I had hoped to have a pair for breeding, but none of them got along when I introduced them about 4-5 months ago (lots of lip locking and chasing, fin nipping) so each one is presently in its own tank (two in community tanks and one by itself). I tried reintroducing them once more a month later (just one male and female at a time), but I got the same result.

I’ve been thinking of reintroducing the female to each male again to see if they might do better now that they’ve matured a bit. Does that ever work, giving them time to mature and then reintroducing, or is it unlikely to work if they don’t get along from the start? I guess I can try it again under supervision and separate them again if they still don’t get along. Also, I wonder if I didn’t give them enough time together before separating them. I just didn’t want them to get too stressed, or worse.

Also, is there a preferred way to introduce these fish to each other? I’ve tried putting one in a floating breeder tank so they could observe one another for a while. and I tried just putting the other right in the tank. I didn’t have this issue with my Bolivian Rams….

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MacZ]

I didn’t have this issue with my Bolivian Rams….

Of course not, Mikrogeophagus are completely different in territorial behaviour to Apistogramma.

Apistogramma of the Nijsseni-Group (to which A. panduro belongs) are unusual in that the females chose a partner for some kind of monogamy and are the more territorial ones in contrast to the males. Most other Apistogramma lineages are the opposite, with males being territorial and aggressive and having lots of different females that do the brooding alone.
Additionally the femals are picky. It can take several rejected males until one is accepted.

So instead of moving the female, move the males. Or move the female and one of the males to a tank together.

 

[Mike Wise]

I'd try moving both the female and a male to a new, neutral, tank at the same time. In this way neither has an established territory. If the tank is of the proper size and decorated properly it will give both a chance to find territories and re-acquaint each other. If this doesn't work, then it's time to think of replacing 1 (the male) or preferably both and trying again with new stock. With nijsseni-group species I personally prefer getting juveniles, at least 6, putting them together in a grow-out tank and as they mature let them pick their partner. I know that this is difficult when one only has access to commercial sources.

 

[Laurie]

Of course not, Mikrogeophagus are completely different in territorial behaviour to Apistogramma.

Apistogramma of the Nijsseni-Group (to which A. panduro belongs) are unusual in that the females chose a partner for some kind of monogamy and are the more territorial ones in contrast to the males. Most other Apistogramma lineages are the opposite, with males being territorial and aggressive and having lots of different females that do the brooding alone.
Additionally the femals are picky. It can take several rejected males until one is accepted.

So instead of moving the female, move the males. Or move the female and one of the males to a tank together.

Of course not, Mikrogeophagus are completely different in territorial behaviour to Apistogramma.

Apistogramma of the Nijsseni-Group (to which A. panduro belongs) are unusual in that the females chose a partner for some kind of monogamy and are the more territorial ones in contrast to the males. Most other Apistogramma lineages are the opposite, with males being territorial and aggressive and having lots of different females that do the brooding alone.
Additionally the femals are picky. It can take several rejected males until one is accepted.

So instead of moving the female, move the males. Or move the female and one of the males to a tank together.

Thank you for the insight and advice. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

 

[Laurie]

I'd try moving both the female and a male to a new, neutral, tank at the same time. In this way neither has an established territory. If the tank is of the proper size and decorated properly it will give both a chance to find territories and re-acquaint each other. If this doesn't work, then it's time to think of replacing 1 (the male) or preferably both and trying again with new stock. With nijsseni-group species I personally prefer getting juveniles, at least 6, putting them together in a grow-out tank and as they mature let them pick their partner. I know that this is difficult when one only has access to commercial sources.

Thanks for responding to my inquiry, Mike. I agree that having at least 6 in a tank and letting them choose a partner would have been a better approach. I don’t have a neutral tank at the moment, but I like that idea and am in the process of rescaping the 40G tank that holds the female, so maybe that will help when I put one of the males in there. Thanks again for your advice!