I have a pair of spectacular A. Hongsloi (the yellow and blue type) that I obtained through Affishionado here in NY City. I have had them about 5 weeks. I am looking for suggestions on getting them to spawn. They are in a ten gal. tank with a few small tetras, plenty of rock formations and an inverted flower pot. The ph is 6.6 and the hardness (as measured by a cheap test kit) is 30 ppm. There is a bag of peat in the tank which adds a nice yellow tint. I change about a gallon of water every two or three days. They eagerly devour frozen blood worms. The male spends most of his time displaying his fins to the female and then chasing her. She scoots away into the rocks and does not appear harmed. She always comes out to eat. Is the ph too high? If so, so I lower it by just adding more peat? Thanks for your help. This list has been helpful to me in the past. Matt Diller <<< "Helen Burns" <helen.burns@bigwig.net> 9/22 3:16a >>> John, I would suggest lowering your pH within the range of pH 5.5-6.5. Filtering through peat will help to lower your pH. Raise your temperature 82-85 range. Flat smooth spawning site i.e. a small piece of slate, rounded stone/pebble or a broken clay flowerpot lying flat. When and if they spawn play it by ear and leave both parents in the tank. If they do it once they will do it again and then you can take appropriate action. Helen > I'm looking for advice on spawning blue rams. I have a very fine and > healthy looking pair, still quite young but hopefully big enough now to > breed. They've been in a community tank and have now been installed in a 30 > inch heavily planted tank with plenty of upright stone and eight pencilfish > as dithers. Parameters are RO water cut with a dash of tap, pH 7, KH 1, GH > 1, zero nasties, 26 degrees C. They are being fed mosquito larva and > daphnia from my fish-free pond. > My main question is should I adjust the temperature and pH - and does peat > help? Some sources I have seen have suggested a low pH while others say 7 > should be OK. Likewise temperature recommendations vary. I'm also a little > unsure about the correct size for breeding. Size has seemed a little > immaterial for my other dwarfs. Do blue rams get as big as bolivians? > Then if they do spawn, do most people leave the parents together as a pair > or routinely yank the male? And do you take out the male immediately or > wait until the fry hatch? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com. For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help, email apisto-request@listbox.com. Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com. For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help, email apisto-request@listbox.com. Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!