Apisto-behaviour.

[Per Wigstal <per_wigstal@yahoo.co.uk>]

I have a little story about a funny phenomena which occurred a couple of years ago in one of my tanks. 
At this occasion this 200 litres tank was inhibitated by a pair of A.Steindachneri and a pair of C.Marooni. Both pairs spawned approximately at the same time, and they splitted the tank between them. 
After about three weeks when both pairs had their batches of fry swimming around, the fun started! 
The A.Steindachneri couple was kidnapping and adopting the marooni fry as soon as they had the oppurtunity. So after a while the Steindachneri batch was 50% Maroonis! 
On the other hand the Marooni parents only saw the Steindachneri fry as some nice "fast-food". 
They noticed right away if there was a Steindachneri fry among their own frys. 
In fact, the frys of these two species are quite different in colour and shape, so there´s no problem to see the difference between them. 

So, to my questions: 

Have anyone of you out there seen anything like this? Have you seen Apistos adopting frys from other species? 

Why do the apistos have this behaviour? Does it fulfill any purpose, or do they do it just by mistake? 

I have noted that in a colony of Resticulosas or Borellis where a group of females are caring for frys in the same tank. There will eventually become a mix in all the females batches of frys in different ages and size. But the mothers doesn´t mind.
Can this be a way of genetic strategy? Since there´s a a very big possibility that all frys are half-sisters and brothers. 
And in a "colony" structure of living there is an advantage if all mothers care for the frys, no matter from where they come.
 
Best regards/ Per


		
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