Hello Apisto Fans

[Zack J Wilson <aquamaniac@juno.com>]

Hello All,

I have just joined the Apisto List, and I'd like to introduce myself. 

My name is Zack Wilson.  It seems most of the time I'm one of the only
Apisto lovers here in Minnesota, but the internet helps. I've been
keeping fish for about 12 years, and in the last few years I've become
more and more focused on Apistos, partly because of space constraints and
partly because I like their little cichlid charm. 

I currently maintain about 18 species of Dwarf Cichlids(15 Apistogramma,
2 Pevicachromis, 1 Anomalochromis), among my other fishes. I've bred
several species, and am working with others.

While I'm at it, I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences
in breeding the new Apistogramma species, "Lyretail Panduro". I have had
a VERY nice pair I separated for breeding for a few months now, and I've
been trying to get them to spawn.

I am keeping them in a 20 long, moderately/heavily planted with Hygro,
Foxtail, C. wendtii, and floating Water Sprite and Salvinia. Fine
Flourite substrate. There are several clay caves and upside down saucers
in there for spawning, as well as a medium size piece of driftwood.
Straight RO water is used( there is some negligable buffering, as my tap
is liquid rock), 30% water changes once a week. Temp. 80F. They are fed a
variety of frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, live mosquito
larvae and blackworms once, sometimes twice a day. I have been
experimenting with the pH to see if that makes the difference. I started
at a pH of 5.75, and have been bringing it down slowly. I have it at 5.15
right now. 

They have been eating like pigs the whole time, and even seem to have a
good amount of interest in each other. They get along very well, a little
mild chasing once in a while, but no harm done. The female is a nice
yellow color almost all the time, but I have yet to have a spawn. If
anyone has any experience with these guys, or has some pointers, I'd
really appreciate it.

Thanks, 

Zack
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