Clown loach with breeding rams & apistos

[boydvd]

Hi there. My rams have spawned. And wondering if I should remove my clown loach.

Also if my cavatoides spawn will clown loach eat the cocky babies too?
Also any tips on catching clien loaches?

Thanks tai

[Hassles]

G'day Tai

Most loaches are very gregarious and lively fish. These characteristics are among those that make these fish desirable, oh that and there capacity to devour snails. However, these characteristics can severely annoy other fish and upset their usual accustomed existence. As such I would consider the loaches to present a threat to the spawning of Apistogramma. Should the Apistogramma produce eggs then the threat of having those eggs consumed is also real. Apistogramma are very protective parents but loaches are not easy to disuade. I know a forum member who has Kuli loches eating the eggs of her Blue Rams. If the Apistogramma deposit their eggs in a safe place where the loaches can't access then these should hatch. Whether or not the fry would be consumed I do not know - I guess it would depend upon the individual parents and their tenacity as guardians.

The only loaches I really like are Dwarf (Chain) loaches but I do not keep these with my Apistos. I have found that Pakistani (Yo Yo / Reticulate) loaches can upset Apistos to the point where they stop breeding.

From memory you're keeping your cacatuoides in a 4 foot tank which provides more options than a smaller tank would offer. As an Apistogramma keeper, and future breeder, your experience base has begun and upon this you shall build so perhaps you can monitor the situation and intervene if you feel it necessary. If you feel the loaches are upsettijg things perhaps you could employ a divider ? You must be aware however that after spawning the Apistogramma male may very possibly find itself the target of the females aggression and if the male cannot escape this will, in all likelihood, perish. As such the more space you have the better.

regarding catching loaches - do it was quickly as possible (before they get too fiesty) and two people are better. Use at least 2 nets and use 1 to try to school them towards the other. I pulled my tank apart to catch the Pakistani loaches.

take care

Regards
Glenn

[boydvd]

Hi Glenn

thanks for the tips. I've removed the clown laoch from my small RAM tank. they male was trying to chase the clown awa but the clown wasn't really perturbed. Now i have to find a home for him.

The clown in my 4footer is going to be real hard. maybe if i put worms in the net and try and coax him into it that way. :)

It's exiting to have the rams breed so i am hoping the cacatuiodes will start very soon too. they are doing mating dances around the tank. however the females haven't really defined their territory. they all hang round the same corner.

yes this apisto journey is really fun!! and i'm already thinking of getting more tanks :)

Ia sked around for microworms... do you know a LFS that stocks it? I tired subscape and mentone aquairum. They sold me Sera fry powder and frozen BBshrimps.

Hoping this is going to be ok.

Cheers

Tai

[Hassles]

Tai

I can easily provide you with a Microworm culture.

I would suggest an empty take-away food container with about 5mm of oats (the kind we eat for breakfast) evenly spread across the bottom. Pour water over these until they are sodden but not swimming. All you need to do then is place a teaspoon of old culture in a corner and sprinkle some yeast (from your grocery store) acorss the top of the oats and in a couple of days you can begin to harvest. I keep my cultures on top of an aquarium to keep it at a good temp.

When the existing culture goes off you simply start a new one as outlined above.

If you want, give me a call and we can arrange to make a new culture for you.

cheers

[boydvd]

Thanks Glenn, i'll be in touc regarding the microworms...

the loach is out of the tank but just as i see eyes on the eggs, i think the parents have eaten the eggs? or else they've moved them somewhere i can't see.

this is a bit sad. hope the eggs and fry are still safe.