Re: P. altispinosa

[Mark Westling <westling@concept5.com>]

I bought a half-dozen back in February and put them into a heavily
planted 55-gallon tank with about four inches of sand, a few large
pieces of driftwood, and a few flat rocks.  Water was kept about
80-degrees F., slightly acidic (via "Black Water Tonic").  I also
included a school of about a dozen cardinal tetras and a pair of A.
commbrae.  I've been feeding them a combination of live black worms,
frozen brine shrimp, and flake food.

Not long after I put them in the tank, they began spawning.  I believe
they used a piece of wood once, but they typically lay eggs on a rock,
and then after hatching move the fry to a depression in the sand. 
Actually, they seem to move the fry a lot, from depression to
depression.  After the fry become mobile, I siphon them out and feed
them baby brine shrimp.

The original fish are now about 3-3.5 inches in body length. For some
reason, I've only had one spawn in the last few months, but it's been a
blessing: my tanks have been overflowing with the young.  I don't know
how many spawns I've gotten out of them so far, but it's been a lot. 
I'm getting rid of them slowly, trying not to saturate the local
market...

Mark Westling