Apistogramma trifasciata fry and growth rate?

[Konigwolf]

Well after lucking into a pair of trifasciata and having them in my 4' community tank I was suprised tonight to find fry. I didnt even suspect eggs (not seeing the mother with any when I fed the tank last night I figure they have been free swimming up to a day). So my main question is growth rate. Considering I have Rams and a couple of types in there that would make a quick meal of them given a chance how long would it take them to reach a safe size. I dont have a suitable tank to transfer them to so I will be picking a breeding net on tomorrow to transfer them to.

Also any other tips on trifasciata fry would be great.

Thanks in advance

PS here's a few pics not great due to it only being taken from my phone.
Fry can be seen white dots hovering in front of mother

A few fry can be seen as darker dots against the white substrate

Lots of fry on the wood above the mother.

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, for me I would guess that they are going to be food for other fish until they reach 3/8"/1.5cm SL. It should take them about 2 weeks to a month, depending of feeding and water quality. I'd expect them all to be lost before then - even in a breeder net.

 

[Konigwolf]

Well mike you were right. I seperated about 1/3 into the fry net none survived 24 hours. The remaining brood lasted nearly 2 weeks before the last of them became community dinner. First time they spawned under a log in a cave mum dug in the gravel.

Now they have spawned again (pretty certain is was today). This time in a hole in some driftwood almost dead centre in the middle of the tank. Problem in that locality once they fry become free swimming I figure they won't last 1/3 of the time the first brood did. This time I do have a small tank I can set up for breeding. Is it viable to set up the tank using water from the original tank (and cycled filter media of course) and transfer momma and driftwood with eggs to new tank or best to leave this brood to perish and then transfer both male and female ?

 

[Mike Wise]

You appear to have learned my axiom of apisto breeding: "a community tank is not a breeding tank". Personally, I would leave the fry in the tank and take your chances. Then - if the breeding tank is of suitable size - move the adult breeders to it and use water from the community tank for start-up.

 

[Konigwolf]

Mike I agree with you on the community tank is not a breeding tank. Unfortunately its not always that easy to convince fish of that (with fish like convicts and blue acaras trying to prove that axiom wrong at evey turn). I was going to follow your suggestion of leaving them there to see how they went (not expecting any surviviors) since I had a pair pearl gourami trying tobreed as well I didnt want to disturb the tank. That was until my featherfin catfish convinced the male gourami otherwise and ate the eggs (guess being an upside down has its advantages in raiding bubblenests).

So with back to one breeding pair in the tank and the missus wanting me to set up her new paludarium (to be stocked from our primary breeding community tank). Yesturday I decided to take the driftwood (now with wigglers filling the cave not eggs) and transfer to my breeder. This is what I saw after breakfast this morning.

Over 4 dozen free swimming fry (thats just what I counted in the photo there where more behind the coconut shell).



But to further comment on the can't convince fish NOT to breed when they want too, community tank be damned. I transferred a pair of cacatuoide's to the missus paludarium with the female showing greys and no sign of breeding instrest. 24 hours later shes a lovely yellow, stamped out her 1/2 of the tank (non standard 3'er) from all other fish and trying to entice the male back to her cave.