RE: New subscriber to the apisto@aquaria.net mailing list.

[Pete Johnson <petej@tlg.net>]

Erik Prins wrote

> I've heard that breeding [A. nijsseni] is not easy, it seems to be that the
> eggs give males OR females depending on the temperature. Does anybody
> know something more about this?????

They are tough to breed, I think -- I've had four spawns but have yet to 
get them past the wriggler stage -- I think I have too many fish in my 
nijsseni tank and the parents just can't cope. I would suggest taking the 
eggs and/or fry from the parents, though I leave them with my other 
Apisto species.

They like acid water -- pH 6.0 or lower.

Uwe Romer has done a lot of work with sex ratios in Apistos. The fry take 
on their sexual determination during the first month of life -- they are 
not born a particular sex. He found that for almost all species of Apisto 
higher temperatures produce more males and higher pH values more females. 
Center point for even sex distribution is 78 degrees F (26 degrees C) and 
pH about 6.8. Maintain these environmental conditions for the first month 
of their lives to achieve a balanced ratio of sexes.


----------------------------------------------------
     If wishes were fishes we'd all have ponds.

Pete Johnson        San Jose, CA       petej@tlg.net
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