my apistogramma tank, please tell me if there is something wrong

[smaug]

Hi folks, here is my apisto tank.

I have a male and a couple of females, they are very beautiful and sure they look healthy. Each female has established her own territory, like spliting the tank at half for each, they use to hang around the male in what i think is a breeding ritual of some king. But they never spawn, why?

here is my tank setup:

Tank: 100litres 100x40x50cm
Phº7
temp. 26ºC
Internal filter
light: 60w of daylight lamps

Plants: Annubias
Fishes: 3 Apistogrammas Cacatoides (1 male and 2 females)

 

[Mike Wise]

There can be many possible problems: kinds of food, quantity & frequency of water changes, age of fish, strain of A. cacatuoides (some have a history of being less fertile/provide poor parental care). Could the internal power filter suck in new fry?

 

[smaug]

I'm feeding regular flakes and frozen food twice a week...

I don't think it's because of the filter, he's not very powerfull and I supose the female should be keeping the eggs for 3 to 4 days and in that case i should notice it...

In fact I intend to change to an external filter to help on maintnance.

Has the tank is very big and has only 3 fishes I make water changes once every three weeks more or less.

The male in one year old more or less, I don't know the age of the females.

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm feeding regular flakes and frozen food twice a week...

Flake foods are not ideal for breeding fish. Most apistos eat it only when very hungry. I suggest using frozen or freeze-dried, or live foods at least twice each day.

I don't think it's because of the filter, he's not very powerfull and I supose the female should be keeping the eggs for 3 to 4 days and in that case i should notice it...

In fact I intend to change to an external filter to help on maintnance.

Most apistos prefer little or no current in their aquarium. This is the reason most breeders prefer to use sponge filters in their breeding tanks. Sponges do not suck in small fry & have the added advantage that they produce micro-organisms that can help to feed the fry.

Has the tank is very big and has only 3 fishes I make water changes once every three weeks more or less.

For breeding, I suggest changing about 15-25% of the water each week. It does not matter how many fish are in the tank. If you are feeding flake (especially if it is not being eaten) it is more important.

 

[smaug]

well, thanks for the tips!

About the food: should I get them some cichlids food? like "Tetra Cichlid food" or some other brand?

About the current and the sponge filters... well u see it's a decorative tank before anything else so I really need to keep it clean!

 

[tjudy]

Frozen is the way to go for ease of use. I use frozen daphnia, mysis shrimp and mosquito larvae. I am not too fond of frozen blood worm or adult brine shrimp, though I will use them occasionally.

Live food is the way to go. Grindal worms white worms are not hard to culture. I keep my worms in small containers rather than large containers (like a lot of people do) and I find them to be easier to keep clean and harvest. We are fast approaching mosquito season too. I collect the egg rafts and hatch them in plastic shoe boxes. Apistos love them, though you have to be willing to accept the occasional mosquito that escapes being eaten.