Wild caught apistogramma macmasteri spawn

[kgazos]

Hello everyone! My wild apistogramma macmasteri have spawned. Female is guarding her cave and the male is not bothering her. I have a divided 55 gallon and they spawned in the one section and in the other I have another one female who is very yellow and probably ready to spawn. I don’t know when the eggs were laid, probably 2 days ago. I have a mature aquarium with active substrate, many decaying leaves and I also have all my culled shrimp there which reproduce. What would be your advice, should I move the male? Are the eggs healthy? Would it be possible to raise the little apistogrammas without live food and only with conventional fry food and frozen Copepods? Also are ramshorn snails a problem? I checked the eggs yesterday and today and none seems to be missing but some sources say that they can pose a danger to eggs. Thank you in advance.

 

[Mike Wise]

should I move the male?

I do not move males unless they start harassing the female. Only then would I move him.

Are the eggs healthy?

Although white, they look clean and viable. Color of eggs is mostly due to the female's diet. My guess is that her diet is largely processed food.

Would it be possible to raise the little apistogrammas without live food and only with conventional fry food and frozen Copepods?

Yes, but don't expect a high survival rate. Apisto fry orient toward moving (= live) food. Anything that fall to the bottom is mostly ignored. You should have a better chance since you have a mature tank with its own live culture.

Also are ramshorn snails a problem?

No, not in my experience. Females will remove any that get too close to her spawn.

 

[kgazos]

I do not move males unless they start harassing the female. Only then would I move him.

Although white, they look clean and viable. Color of eggs is mostly due to the female's diet. My guess is that her diet is largely processed food.

Yes, but don't expect a high survival rate. Apisto fry orient toward moving (= live) food. Anything that fall to the bottom is mostly ignored. You should have a better chance since you have a mature tank with its own live culture.

No, not in my experience. Females will remove any that get too close to her spawn.

Thank you very much, your help is priceless! So I will keep the pair as it is. The problem is that where i live its impossible to find live food cultures so my only option is baby shrimp if the fish can catch it. I feed 7 different frozen foods every 2 days and occasionally soak pellets, tablets or granules in garlic guard. Perhaps I could catch some small copepods from other aquariums and pour them near the cave although I am 100% sure that there are already many of them there. I will keep you updated on the fry status every week. The eggs right now are more than 100 and its their first spawn! Also are they for sure macmasteri?

 

[Aquaticloch]

they are 100% apistogramma macmasteri male and female

 

[Mike Wise]

The problem is that where i live its impossible to find live food cultures so my only option is baby shrimp if the fish can catch it.

You don't have to buy live food. Buy a 1 lb / 500 g can of brine shrimp eggs and hatch your own live food. Such a can can provide live food for fry for a year or more. Just take a little out at a time and keep the rest dry and cold. I keep mine in a freezer at -18°C/0°F. Others keep their eggs in a refrigerator. Brine shrimp eggs are shipped worldwide.

 

[yukondog]

I think I paid around 25.00 for one pound about two years ago and still have quite a bit left.