Re: Buying and Mixing Apistos

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

I agree with Fredrik, A. macmasteri would (usually) be easier to breed than A.
gibbiceps.

A. gibbiceps is a member of the A. gibbiceps-Group (See issue #53 of The
Apisto-gram).  This group has two sub-groupings, or complexes, within it - the
personata-complex and the gibbiceps-complex.  The personata-complex contains a
group of robust bodied species similar in shape to A. cacatuoides originating in
the upper Rio Negro and upper Rio Orinoco.  It includes A. personata, A. brevis,
A. cf. brevis, A. sp. Breitbinden (Broad-striped), and A. sp. Caño Morrocoy
(probably a geographic color variant of A. sp. Breitbinden).  The
gibbiceps-complex includes the slender forms coming from the lower and middle Rio
Negro and Rio Branco.  It includes A. gibbiceps (with fine horizontal stripes in
the tail) and A. cf. gibbiceps (also with fine horizontal stripes, but it also
has rows of vertical stripes in the central part of the tail fin).  A. cf.
gibbiceps (exported out of Barcelos, Brazil) may possibly be the same as A.
roraimae, which has a similar tail pattern.  Kullander feels A. roraimae is quite
likely just a different population of A. gibbiceps.

The interesting thing about A. gibbiceps is the variation in difficulty hobbyists
have breeding this species.  Many experienced breeder have found it next to
impossible to get consistent breeding from this fish even when using optimum
conditions for it (pH <5.5, total hardness <1º dH).  Others, on the other hand,
have found it very easy to breed on a consistent basis at normal apisto water
values (pH ~6.5, total hardness ~ 5º dH).  This possibly is due to the different
habitats in which these fish were collected.  Perhaps the Rio Negro form (A.
gibbiceps) absolutely requires black water conditions, while those (A.
roraimae/A. cf. gibbiceps) from the Rio Branco, a clear water system, do not.
What ever the reasons for this, more study is needed on the group of species -
both on species identification and breeding requirements.

Sorry, didn't mean to ramble on.  Just a habit.

Mike Wise