Re: Peat vs. Sphagnum moss??/ Trying Some new Apistos now D.filamentosus

[David Sanchez <barbax2@yahoo.com>]

 "I'm finally going to give D. Filamentosa and A.
Panduro a try.
I've been avoiding the D. Filamentosa because I'd like
to see if I can get it to have a natural "child
birth." I've heard it's hard to get the female to take
care of the eggs/fry without eating them. My pair will
be wild so I'm thinking chances should be better."

When I first heard this Jerry I thought to myself what
the heck are people talking about. In my experience
D.filamentosus mothers are superb mothers and take
excellent care of their fry. I am currently breeding a
group of them as we speak and I have a female tending
fry this very hour. So what's the secret?
Jerry you must sacrifice 2 cans of bbs eggs to the
Apisto gods and then .... Kidding

The key is as me and Mike W are fond of saying cover,
water quality, and food.

1) Cover I am using a cover of Riccia and they are
swimming all over the tank. They obviously feel
secure! Hey I have places to hide and I dont feel like
something is going to eat me there fore I can think
about other things like breeding. Ok maybe i'm psycho
analizing a fish. But it's not far from the truth.


2)Water quality. The most important one of all. These
fish come from very pure 3 us/cm microsiemen water
that stays that way day in and day out. Get out your
meter at home and test thewater from day to day. Big
change, big increase in conductivity from day to day.
So we have to keep up the water quality this means
water changes! Having a heavily planted tank with
nutrient sucking plants is a huge help. The planst
will consume waste in the form of ammonuim thus
nitrate will not eve be produced because the plants
are eating the waste before hand! The point is we need
to maintain a very stable and level conductivity as
well as very low. I have preached this for years on
the Apisto list. It is just common sense if we compare
how our closed system is in comparison to the native
biotope we begin to see this is a very key point. Most
fish are more tolerant of this and our little friend
D.filamentosus is one of the more demanding species in
this regard. Of course we know we need a very low pH
and 0 DH and 0 KH. That is easy with the equipment we
are blessed with today. You say people failed even
with the proper water parameters so the key is the
counductivty and keeping it low and stable as
possable.

3) Man feed them! get them fat. I promise if we feed
heavily we will get eggs no matter what. They may not
hatch etc but they will breed if they are being fed
well. Black worms, daphnia, bloodworms etc etc. My
philosophy is get the female so fat and filled with
roe she simply has to lay eggs. A simple yet effective
plan. See no secrets:) Mosquito larvae is one of the
very best foods, I read it actualy has a hormone or
something that stimulates them to spawn. Well I have
plenty of them year round so I use them!


Anyway I hope you can enjoy the great site a shoal of
Dicosus can be with their momma leading them around.
This was a hot topic at one time too Jerry. But it is
now I hope accepted fact.

Dave sanchez




--- JerrCarol@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 3/15/2002 11:58:13 PM Eastern
> Standard Time, 
> apistowise@fgn.net writes:
> 
> 
> > Sphagnum
> > peat is peat made from sphagnum moss. This is the
> one we apistophiles &
> > killinuts covet. Sorry, just feeling nit picky ;-)
> > 
> > 
> 
> Not being picky I think. I'd rather know what is the
> best to use. So it's 
> sphagnum peat then. A new adventure for me.
> 
>   I'm finally going to give D. Filamentosa and A.
> Panduro a try.
> I've been avoiding the D. Filamentosa because I'd
> like to see if I can get it 
> to have a natural "child birth." I've heard it's
> hard to get the female to 
> take care of the eggs/fry without eating them. My
> pair will be wild so I'm 
> thinking chances should be better.
> 
>   As for Panduro well, still researching. I really
> got to stop buying so many 
> fish and buy some more books. At least I have the
> list and the Internet but, 
> the books are helpful....just thinking out loud I
> guess...I do that once in a 
> while...think that is.<G>
>                                                     
>            JerryB
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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.
> 
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Sports - live college hoops coverage
http://sports.yahoo.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.