R: Apistogramma borellii

["Simone e Pierluigi Vicini" <ps.vicini@flashnet.it>]

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> Da: Phillip J Ryti <rytireefs@juno.com> wrote:

> I have two females and 1 male borellii in a 15 gallon tank.
> 4 clay flowerpots are scattered about the bottom.
> No gravel is present in this aquarium.
> A large portion of the tank is covered with java moss.
> PH is around 7. A few young Apistogramma sp. "Schwarsaum" fry
> are used as dither fish. No signs of spawning yet.
> Any suggestions?
> Philip Ryti 

Hi Phillip I saw a lot of answers to your questions but I will tell you my
experience as well.

I keep my Borelli in a 15 gallon tank as well, my tank it's heavely
planted, has a coconut as breeding cave and has 2" layer of fine gravel
this may be not necessary but helps because my apistos as most Apistos dig
holes in the gravel in wich they move their fry periodically, the gravel
it's also a good hiding place for fry. I use dither fishes but I have to
move them out everytime my Borellii spawn. The PH it's important but
hardness is important as well. You may try to low the hardness gradually to
3°dKH it means to 50-60 ppm if you are using tap water but anyway I prefer
to use RO instead of tap. Remember that in their habitat they spawn after
the rain season when the hardness and the conductivity (I don't know the
right spelling of this word) get very low.   
I have a CO2 system to keep the PH a little acid but I use also peat in my
filter it releases good thinghs (I don't know the translation of "acidi
umici" e "oligoelemetnti")
wich helps the breeding season to come.
I know people who just can't breed their Borellii even if they do all this
things but the most have good, nice, easy spawnings.
The last thing: try to raise the temperature to 80-81 °F if you have it
lower 

Hope this can help
Simone Vicini (ps.vicini@flashnet.it)