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Sexing apistogramma borellii

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
blue green algae
Cyanobacteria are a whole different situation. I don't count them as algae as they aren't algae and you wrote those are dealt with. I was referring to the other stuff. Sorry.
I just thought since borellii’s are clear water fish i should try to not get too many tannins, i added purigen in my filter too.
Clearwater also has some humic substances, not a problem. It is chemically still closer to blackwater than to european tapwater. And even with pure RO it would take a while and a lot to take any effect on waterchemistry. They are beneficial nonetheless.
 

Sturl

New Member
Messages
12
Cyanobacteria are a whole different situation. I don't count them as algae as they aren't algae and you wrote those are dealt with. I was referring to the other stuff. Sorry.

Clearwater also has some humic substances, not a problem. It is chemically still closer to blackwater than to european tapwater. And even with pure RO it would take a while and a lot to take any effect on waterchemistry. They are beneficial nonetheless.

Yes, let’s just not mention cyanobacteria anymore haha, it looks like i finally won on that matter, or at least i hope it won’t return.

Ok, in that case i’ll just drop the leaves in tomorrow and let them soak and sink in the tank.

Thanks for all the info

Greets
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Ok, in that case i’ll just drop the leaves in tomorrow and let them soak and sink in the tank.
It's ok to brew them over with some boiling water to get off some of some dust and make them sink immediately, just don't boil them or pre-soak them too long.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
so i’ll be soaking them to avoid most of the tannins and then i’ll add them in
You will actually want the humic substances in the tank. Helps against algae btw.
Just chuck them in, tannins and all. Tannins are a good thing. Have a look at <"All the leaves are brown">.
I had blue green algae but that’s taken care of now, now just brown algae (just did a maintenance on the filter + cleaned filterhose for more flow) and some hair algae on some of the leaves.
OK. The hair algae is a good thing <"in some ways">, if you don't mind Ramshorn snails they will <"graze most algae">.
I’ll look for the plants too, will they do well in sand with root tabs?
They will, but I'm not a fan of root tabs (<"controlled release"> doesn't really work in aquariums).
You have actually already done one important thing: Floating plants.
I use dilute fertiliser addition to the water column and feed via the <"Duckweed Index">, which uses a floating plant as its nutrient "canary".
I just thought since borellii’s are clear water fish i should try to not get too many tannins, i added purigen in my filter too.
I'm a fan of tannins (and so are you Apistogramma).
I’m from Belgium.
You can collect your own Oak (Quercus robur), Beech (Fagus sylvatica) & Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) leaves. I also like <"Alder (Alnus spp.) "cones">.

cheers Darrel
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
You can collect your own Oak (Quercus robur), Beech (Fagus sylvatica) & Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) leaves. I also like <"Alder (Alnus spp.) "cones">.
Basically all deciduous leaves here in west-central europe are ok to use as long as they are brown and not collected in the city or next to a road. Exception: Birch and different maples, because these leaves rot away too quickly.
Besides diverse kinds of oak I have had very good experiences with wild cherry and chestnut leaves.
 

Samala

Active Member
Messages
99
Location
Oviedo, FL
Lovely tank and congrats on the fry!

I'm too late to be helpful but your photos instantly read "female" to me and one that recently spawned before you got them.

The slightly pinched in look before the vent is a good giveaway of a recent spawn. You can usually observe a visible difference in the coloration of the area, from very opaque, even creamy white, to the darker and almost hollow look after spawning. The white or lighter vent area is also a good "tell" and how I sex young fish that aren't in breeding dress. You can usually see it once they're 1" or so in size.

That works better for me as a sexable feature, along with points on dorsal/anal fins, over the amount of blue on the face/cheeks. Many of my females that have successfully spawned have a lot of blue on the face, just as much or more than your female shows. May be specific to the strain(s) that are available right now and over the last 2-3 years.

You might have a great many borellii in no time. I started with one pair about 3 years ago, roughly same size tank as yours, and now have a full colony.
 

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