Re: Aggie "Alenquer"

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

Steve writes:

> I only had room to
>  grow out about twenty fry which are all aout 7 months old now . To me
>  they all look like females.I should be able to tell now ....right?

Maybe not.  Apistos are notorious for their slow maturation.  I think it is
beause they only spawn in the wild during the rainy season.  Acquiring full
"male" coloration early makes them easier for wading birds and others to spot.
This is also an explanation for "sleeper" males that don't become mature males
until the dominant male in the immediate area gets eaten or killed by other
natural causes.   So a fish that takes nine or ten months to mature has a
better chance of survival into the spawning season than a fish with a quicker
maturation. 

Bob Dixon.


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