Re: Beginner needs help! (Was: High density fish tank)

[Zack Wilson <aquamaniac@earthlink.net>]

In my experience a heavy stocking density can be a useful tool in keeping
aggression to a minimum when breeding. For instance, I no longer try to
breed agassizi in pairs. I typically set up one male with about half a dozen
females in a 20 long. The females set up their own territories within the
male's and they will all spawn with him. They will spar with each other for
space, but not to the point of doing damage (dispersed over several fish),
and I don't have to pull the male when they spawn, because he is seen as
part of the protection and they are busy with the other females. This sort
of crowding works very well for me. I've also done this with panduro,
cacatuoides, trifasciata, Rio Mamore, and Morado. In all these cases I have
only one male. With borelli I can get away with multiple pairs, but that
should be done only with certain species. I've found that putting multiple
1:1 pairs in a tank will only lead to problems between pairs trying to
establish a territory/subterritory. If you pick a couple compatible types of
Apistos and put a group/harem of each in there, you could probably have a
successful setup.

One thing I would comment on is that the white sand may not be the best.
Apistos show up better and are more comfortable on darker substrate in my
experience. But, you never know.

Zack


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