Re: snacking viejetas

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@fgn.net>]

John,

Since apistos are primarily maternal caregivers, the male is not absolutely
necessary in a breeding tank after fertilizing the eggs. This is only true if
there are no other fish in the tank except the breeding pair, of course. I
rarely see problems with males in breeding tanks, however, as long as it is
large enough. If the female has to repeatedly drive the male away from her
brood territory, then it is best to remove the male.

As for feeding, feed the female while she is fanning the eggs. Once the fry are
freeswimming the female will live quite nicely on live baby brine shrimp used
to feed the fry. Food, especially live foods rarely encourage the female to eat
her fry. Generally it is just the opposite. Females often have such a strong
brood instinct that they will guard live foods from other fish.

If your viejita eggs disappear after 1 day, I think they are not fertile for
some reason. The female will know this after a day & eat them. Either your male
is "shooting blanks" or something about your water conditions are wrong. It
takes more than soft, acidic, water. It also needs low concentrations of
organics & possibly certain metals. Zinc in low concentrations, for example, is
known to prevent egg fertilization by milt in trout. If you are not doing this
now, try larger & more frequent water changes & see if this helps. Good luck.

Mike Wise

John McCrone wrote:

> Are there any views about whether keeping mum and dad together after
> spawning increases/decreases the likelihood of mum eating the eggs?
>
> Likewise, does feeding encourage/discourage mum from snacking? I would
> presume that a well-fed mother is less likely to eat the eggs, but have had
> the feeling that feeding can also be a distraction and perhaps a stimulant
> to eating.
>
> I've got a pair of Viejetas that have spawned four times now, twice in a
> community tank and twice on their own in a planted 15 gallon. The eggs
> only seem to last a day or so (I've set them up with a new open mouth cave
> so this time I can actually see the eggs and discover what happens).
>
> Water parameters are pH of 6.8, almost zero KH and GH, temperature of 26c.
>
> Cheers
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> from John McCrone
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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. apisto-digest@listbox.com also available.
> Web archives at http://lists.thekrib.com/apisto


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. apisto-digest@listbox.com also available.
Web archives at http://lists.thekrib.com/apisto