Re: Apisto Piauensis

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

David,

Actually this is typical behavior for most apistos
in large tanks and apparently
in the wild, too. The male's primary role is to
patrol the perimeter of his
territory, driving away intruders. The female's
job is to guard the fry within
her own breeding territory. In this way the male
is used a a first line of
defense for the fry by reducing the number of fish
that enter the female's brood
territory.

Female social interaction is a very interesting
part of apisto behavior. It seems
that most hobbyists don't realize that it is not
just the males that stake out
territories. Females are just as territorial - if
not more so. Females set up an
order of dominance just like males, only their
territories are usually smaller.
If there isn't enough space for all of the females
to have a territory, the "low
man on the totem pole" usually is killed by the
other females. Often the claim of
a female being killed by a male is wrong; it's the
other females trying to drive
her out of their breeding territories that causes
their deaths! Female
territories vary with their duties. When not
breeding they usually guard an area
around their preferred breeding site. Once they
spawn and are guarding eggs &
larvae, the territory expands to about 4" (10 cm)
around the breeding cave (for
the typical apisto). Once the female has mobile
fry this territory expands
considerably, to about 12" (30 cm) around the
breeding site. If it interacts with
another female's territory at this time she will
try to drive out the other
female. As often as not the fry are dispersed &
lost in these fights. This is
also why males get trashed by brooding females in
small tanks while they are
ignored while she is not guarding fry. The male
can't get out of her expanded
brood territory.

A male of a true polygamous species will attempt
to expand his territory to
encompass as many females' territories as
possible. Such males are usually much
larger than their females. It's assumed that this
increased size helps him guard
a larger territory. It certainly doesn't help him
avoid predators. I consider
most regani-group species, like A. piauiensis,
casually polygamous. It mean that
if a male can hold a territory with more than one
female's territory in it he
will, and will breed with each female. If,
however, space is limited and
competition is high these males will restrict
their territory to encompass only
one female's breeding territory. Helen's 18x18"
(45x45cm) tank is large enough to adequately house
her piauiensis pair. It is sufficiently large for
a male to move out of the female's brood
territory. Even 2 females might work in such a
small tank, but if both had broods at the same
time, problems no doubt would occur. This, of
course, is also dependent on how the tank is
aquascaped.

Mike Wise

David Colin Gorton wrote:

> do you think that this behaviour from the male might indicate that they're
> hareem breeders then?
>
> >From: "Helen Burns" <helen.burns@bigwig.net>
> >Reply-To: apisto@majordomo.pobox.com
> >To: <apisto@majordomo.pobox.com>
> >Subject: Apisto Piauensis
> >Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 18:53:27 +0100
> >
> >John,
> >I got this species last year.  Easy species, breed like rabbits.  My pair,
> >in a species tank had 3 week old fry in the tank when they spawned again.
> >I
> >had to remove the fry to another tank as neither the off the pair tolerated
> >the fry.  I found it was the female who solely cared for the free swimming
> >fry while the male stayed out of the way.  He never caused any bother and
> >the female never bothered him.
> >Tank: 18"x18"x8" tall, sand substrate, small clay pots, floating plants,
> >sponge filtration and pH6. - 6.5.
> >Helen
> > > Now could someone give me more info or experiences on Apisto Piauensis?
> > > My trio is strarting to really grow now and one of the females is
> > > starting to become a bit yellow, hopefully this is a good sign.   Anyone
> > > who has worked with these guys and could give me some insights would be
> > > appreciated.
> > >
> > > John Wubbolt
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
> >For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
> >email apisto-request@listbox.com.
> >Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List
> >Archives"!
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
> For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
> email apisto-request@listbox.com.
> Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.
Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!