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Finally, after trying to get my Laetacara thayeri to spawn for almost two
years, they did the dirty deed!
The pH was about 6 and the hardness was about 100 microSiemens.
60-gal. tank, lots of floating water sprite and driftwood. They were fed
live adult brine shrimp, live daphnia every week but mostly Tetrabits (or what
ever they're calling it now). Basically the same conditions I had
maintained over the last 18 months or so.
What triggered the spawn now?
Well, I tore down the elaborate photography scaffolding gizmo I had set up
to photograph them...they were too shy - if they saw me, they would hide.
I managed to get some pics but not in spawning coloration. (spawning
coloration is the same pattern but with more contrast) Other than that, I added
a mated pair of Keyhole cichlids to the tank and a bunch more dithers. The
dithers were actually a rare tetra that I saw in the habitat where I collected
the thayeri. I saw a bunch of them in a store in Sacramento, California
(Capitol Aquarium) and I got them.
I think the additional fish in the tank made them feel more comfortable and
that is what triggered the spawn.
I'll have pics of these and L. flavilabris on my site one of these days.
Vinny
BTW, if any of you go to San Jose area, California, do visit Dolphin Pet
Village. They have at least 20 species of Apistos! sp. Algodon, Cara
Pintada, iniridae, sp. Xingu, T-bars, etc, etc. The fish weren't as
healthy as in Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco but the variety was on par or
better. I spent 4 hours there this weekend and I didn't even venture into
the reptile or bird sections.
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