Re: apisto life spans

[Steven Hutchins <hutchins.33@osu.edu>]

At 02:38 AM 1/24/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello,
>
>while we're on the subject of life spans, I was wondering if anyone has had
>any experience with Dicrossus filamentosus.  I have read that fry take a
>long time to grow out, and certainly my group is not setting any records for
>growth rate especially when compared to Apistos.
>
>How long have members kept these fish?
>
>Andy
>samaroo@aracnet.net
>
>
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>
>
I have never raised filamentosus fry, but I purchased some very young
Dicrossus maculatus at last years ACA and they took for ever to grow out.
Only in the last month or so (since July!) has one really started to show
male sex characteristics and that is only the biggest one.  The Dicrossus
are such a delicate fish, and especially the filamentosus.  I have heard of
people saying that slightly harder (not hard, just not extremely soft)
water during the grow out phase will help the growth rate, because the
calcium in the water helps with bone growth.  Of course this applies only
to fish that can handle that kind of water, and I wouldn't necessarily
think that filamentosus fit into this group.  There's my two cents.

STeve