Re: Spawning frequency

["alex pastor" <alexp@idirect.com>]

It's not apistos, but the Bolivian rams I've owned for about 2 years have
consistently turned out to be absolutely lousy parents. During this time
they have spawned consistently every month or so.  I don't know if it's just
my two pairs or if this is a problem with the species.

Over the past two years I've tried every combination and permutation in
having them raise a brood, to no avail.  Two pairs together in a 30.  One
pair alone in a 30.  Father removed after fry free swimming.  Father removed
at wriggler stage.  Mother alone with newspaper wrapped around front and
sides of tank. Move fish to a 65 long with a few A. cacatoides......move
fish into a heavily planted lots of muck 54 gallon.......it's endless.....

The other strange thing was that the fry, if they weren't cannibalized,
always seemed to not eat.  They just shrank away into nothingness.

So this week-end I noticed that one of the pair had kiddies again.  As soon
as they were free-swimming, I (in sheer desperation now folks) syphoned out
6 youngsters (which was all that was left by Sunday evening).  They looked
like they were eating infusoria off plants and gravel and compared to
previous broods, were quite lively.  They are now in a heavily planted tank
that was started up in the fall of 1996.  And in the company of over 1000 12
day post spawn thick-lipped Gourami fry which don't seem too enthusiastic
about dying off.  (I just wish they'd start (the Gous) eating powdered flake
and de-cap brine shrimp eggs, which a few of them do, the most of them
don't.)

The Bolivians are just totally 'out of it' parents.  They would spin about
at times and everything, gravel, muck, fry would go flying about.  Then
they'd swim off at least 10 inches away from the brood and leave them to
their own devices.  It's only when they are in the pit as wrigglers that
they take turns constantly guarding.  Once free-swimming, the fry are not
tended diligently, although I noticed this time around the parents split the
brood and some were on the other side of a piece of wood.

Anyway, just a minor sort of semi-rant and observations about these rather
frustrating fish.

Gabriella Kadar
Toronto




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