Apistogramma cacatuoides, few question

by **Vincemallow** on 07 Nov 2011 20:34

good evening,
10 days ago did buy a harem of cacatuoide,and surprise this afternoon, a female and the male where under a rock in hole they dig in the sand.
i watch the female turning in all the sense next to the male

i was not sure what they were doing and was wondering if the male didnt keep her stuck in the hole.

and when the male moved i spotted around 50/60 gold/amber eggs under the rock

to be honest i dont anything about breeding exept for my guppied and the red cherry i used to have and angels who used to lay eggs to eat them few hours later .
the apisto are in a community tank. the female chase everything 5cm around the rock nobody can approach exept the male sometimes :lol:

now what is the story?
i have a spare empty tank in the shed without light and a external filter 600l/h with a large intake

is it worth it to set it up using some my media from one of fiters ?
do i move the rock and female into the tank?
or leave everybody alone in the community tank ?

thanks for any advice ,

vince

by **davey_c** on 07 Nov 2011 20:49

you didn't say whats in the tank with them?

oh and congrats dude

by **Vincemallow** on 07 Nov 2011 20:52

davey_c wrote:you didn't say whats in the tank with them?

oh and congrats dude

sorry, with them i have :

peper cory the poor guys get chase every 5 min
cardinalis
rummy

by **Vincemallow** on 07 Nov 2011 21:01

Here the best pics i can get, sorry cant get a better one with the cheap camera i have ( did put all my money in the tanks :lol:

)

by **davey_c** on 07 Nov 2011 21:07

yep i think the cory's will be the extent of your problem... they love eggs but if she can keep them away long enough for the eggs to become almost free swimming then they should be fine in the community tank.
i haven't bred apisto's but i've heard many times that they are excellent guards where their eggs are concerned :lol:

by **Vincemallow** on 07 Nov 2011 21:16

thanks i think i ll leave them like that and if some fry survive i ll set up the 60l to grow them.

its look like doing another business with another female on the other side of the tank in a hole of the bogwood. i will have to put something else on the tv, COD give them ideas :lol:

by **joemc** on 07 Nov 2011 22:16

thats great to see Vince, generally if you see a female apisto in a cave for more than 5 mins you can assume she has either laid eggs of is planning to , you will see her move out sand and chase every other fish away,the eggs usually hatch within 3-3 days and after another 3 or so they will be paraded out by the mother, the cardinals will do their best to eat a few once they come out but for now it will be the cories or bristlenose that will be a threat to the eggs, good luck with them , hope you get a few young!

by **Vincemallow** on 07 Nov 2011 22:26

thanks joe, like i said for the moment i think to leave everybody together but take off the 60l from the shed and cleaned it

is that will be a good choice to transfert them in that tank?
if i take media from my 2 running filter plus water from the main tank, will be ok to put the female with her eggs into it straight away, i know its not a difficult species to breed but my first one( exept guppy :lol:

) and really think about trying to raise them ( have some spare time in my hands)

by **joemc** on 07 Nov 2011 22:41

relax Vince, i would haul out the small tank and set it up and get it cycled, but i would leave that fish where it is, once the tank is cycled add one of the other females, feed her well and then add the male and watch what happens!