pots

[patwilliamson]

Hi I have a male and female nijsseni , no breeding as yet .Just wondering what are the best type of pots ie shape etc .Also where do you guys get them from , regards Pat.

[Hassles]

Hi I have a male and female nijsseni , no breeding as yet .Just wondering what are the best type of pots ie shape etc .Also where do you guys get them from , regards Pat.

I always give my apistos lots of options and to this point I have never used pots. Rocks and driftwood with hollows etc are good and many of my fish have chosen to spawn in such places rather than the caves I have provided. I usually employ ceramic D caves favoured by catfish and pleco breeders.

Some Apisto breeders use small ceramic plant pots turned upside down which have worked well for them.

take care

[patwilliamson]

thx for the feedback , I have a few rocks and drift wood might just see how that goes , they seem to go into one of the bristlenose breeding pots a bit but never together , thx again and all the best.

[kristina]

I personally like the coconut shell. Crap- that reminds me hassles, I *STILL* have to send you down one (or did I send one down in the last box?)!

But yeah - they are perfect for apisto's IMO. I get a grater/razor blade and get most of the stubborn furry outer off, then give it a good scrub with the steel wool to get any further chunks off. Basically just strip it as much as humanly possible without using power tools. Boil and treat like any other piece of wood and then throw it in.

The Benefits: The shape allows for a perfect cave wall to lay eggs on. You can tilt it slightly on the side to allow a small opening and poke out the 'eyes' of the coconut which (depending on size) can allow the female in and out but not the male. The furry outer shell that remains is easy to grow plants on and regardless of plants or not provides a breading ground of food for the newly hatched fry to feed upon. Terracotta pots do not encourage the growth of the micro things that they eat anywhere near as much. They look natural in the tank - because they ARE! And last but definitely not least, they will help to lower your pH and add tannins to the water.