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Re: Apisto Piauensis
Sort of an aside to the breeding territory comments- my A. Sao Gabriel pair
which are housed in a 90 gallon planted "community" tank typically take over
about a third of the tank when they have fry - I am always amazed by their
ability to protect their fry against predators (seven other apistos, 4 ruby
clowns cichlids, formerly two adult Mucullochs rainbows, 2 SAE's, 2 bettas,
and 15 or so cardinal and green fire tetras). The females territory extends
up to 45 cm and no- one gets to enter except the male. The female is much
more territorial (defensive) than the male. The male will tolerate other
fish closer than the female will. They have been able to raise several fry
from different broods to a stage where the fry can make it on their own.
Cory
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>
To: <apisto@majordomo.pobox.com>
Sent: March 28, 2000 8:01 AM
Subject: Re: Apisto Piauensis
> 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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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