• Hello guest! Are you an Apistogramma enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Apisto enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your fish and tanks and have a great time with other Apisto enthusiasts. Sign up today!

Need help with Apistogramma Fry

Pseudotropheus

New Member
Messages
10
Hello,
I have a 20 gallon long tank with a pair of Orange Flash Apistogramma Cacatuoides.
1st batch of fry - Removed dad, mom ate the fry
2nd batch of fry - Removed dad, mom ate the fry
3rd batch of fry - Removed dad, waited a couple of days and removed mom. Fry did not make it.
4th batch of fry - Noticed them today, moved dad. Any suggestions on how long to leave the mom with the fry based upon her past behavior and your experience?
Thanks
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
Any suggestions on how long to leave the mom with the fry based upon her past behavior and your experience? Thanks
Was there a reason for removing the male?

I have raised (well really left the parents to raise) hundreds of fry with both male and female(s) left in the tank.

cheers Darrel
 

Drayden Farci

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
207
Don't remove the male. Just let them raise the fry together. If you don't have dither fish, get some.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Good advice above. Unless the male bothers the female just leave him where he is. Dither fish will keep the female with something to think about. Also feed the fry live food. They don't do well on prepared foods and you will start to lose them, which may encourage the female to eat the brood. Keep the female with the fry as long as she is still guarding them. Once she starts to drive them away it is time to remove the fry (or the parents) to another tank.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
........ Also feed the fry live food. They don't do well on prepared foods and you will start to lose them, which may encourage the female to eat the brood. Keep the female with the fry as long as she is still guarding them..... .
It is the wriggle response that gets the fry to feed, if you have live food (BBS are best, but you can be successful without them) you can feed powered dry food at the same time and they fry should eventually start eating the dried food as well as the live food.

Have a look at <"Apistogramma borelli fry food"> and <"cacatuoides fry food...">. I'm assuming that you are in the USA? but if you are in England I can send you some moss, live food cultures, tank janitors etc.

cheers Darrel
 

JoseF

New Member
Messages
28
You didn’t mention filtration but assume this isn’t the issue sucking up fry. I have a set up with two small inverted clay pot caves either side of aquarium and sponge filter resting on top, well planted aquarium with driftwood etc. Mom raised fry herself just because dad died. Have Siamese algae eater, Cory cats, some endlers and another species Apistogramma—last not recommended. Mom cacatoides was excellent in my case herding and defending fry.
 

vpik001

Member
Messages
31
Good advice above. Unless the male bothers the female just leave him where he is. Dither fish will keep the female with something to think about. Also feed the fry live food. They don't do well on prepared foods and you will start to lose them, which may encourage the female to eat the brood. Keep the female with the fry as long as she is still guarding them. Once she starts to drive them away it is time to remove the fry (or the parents) to another tank.

Not sure about your females, but my Alenquer and Red Agassizii asa well as Triple Red Cacatuoides start chase the Male straight after she laid eggs and male ffertilised them. Female knows that the Make is around and even she can't see him directly, she come from her space to find him and bite him.
When I read comments that Female and Male raise fry together, I am quite surprised if you talk about Apistogramma or not :)
Only first time ever I have seen such situation when females allows male to be near fry is Panduro. I got fry 2 weeks ago and really like them both looking after fry.
 

Pseudotropheus

New Member
Messages
10
Quick Update. Had another batch of fry about a month ago. Left dad in the tank and feed them egg yolk for the first 3 weeks. Have about a dozen fry that have grown like weeds! :)
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
17,915
Messages
116,201
Members
13,027
Latest member
tonc61

Latest profile posts

Josh wrote on anewbie's profile.
Testing
EDO
Longtime fish enthusiast for over 70years......keen on Apistos now. How do I post videos?
Looking for some help with fighting electric blue rams :(
Partial updated Peruvian list have more than this. Please PM FOR ANY QUESTIONS so hard to post with all the ads poping up every 2 seconds….
Top