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Andrew,
Rearing fry requires moving them into larger tanks as growth rate
increases. For example my Altispinosa fry I rescue from the seven foot
community tank I initially house them in a small 12"x8"x8" tank
with sponge filtration, feeding newly hatched brine shrimp and microworm
culture, small water changes daily. At approximately 3 weeks they are able
to eat crushed quality flake and it is normally at this stage I move them into a
larger tank 24x12x12 then finally into a 39x24x16 tall tank. Depending on
the number of young you are rearing will depend on how many can be maintained in
the tank and for how long. Water changes must be carried out at least
alternate days to attain good growth.
I would like to add here
that my Altispinosa fry are the only cichlid fry that I have removed from the
parents at such a young age, as I stated before if I do not intervene the fry
would be eaten by the community occupants.
My Apistogramma fry as a rule remain with the parents as long
as possible, anything from 3 weeks to 7 weeks and then transferred into a
24x12x12 tank. (My breeding apistos are housed in "species"
tanks.)
Finally I would consider Altispinosa to require a larger tank
to rear as they are more active than apistos.
Now that you have experienced the wonders of cichlids breeding
you will be obsessed forever!
Helen
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