Apistogramma breeding farm...

[kevkoi]

I've posted this series of pictures before, but some of the current dwarf cichlid enthusiast here may not have seen these pics before.

Picture taken a couple months back of the Apistogramma breeding facility....

Breeding pairs in breeding tanks...

[kevkoi]

Breeding and conditioning tanks..

[kevkoi]

Grow outs..

[parkap]

Kev, is this in Malaysia?

Any photos of the filteration system? Is it a centralised system or are group of tanks individually catered for to ensure the correct water parameters?

Peter.

PS. Thanks for this. Provides a great insight.

[Th0mas]

From what you can see in the pic, they seems to be individual serviced by sponge filters (in the holding and breeding tanks). Not visible in the grow out systems.

Thomas.

[kevkoi]

growouts on a system

Breedings on individual sponge filters.

Just pulled out eggs from Apisto. sp "Mamore red tail", Apisto agassizi "Tefe bauana", Apisto borelli "Opal" this morning. They're BREEDING!!! Whoohoooo....!!

[Th0mas]

You're hatching them away from the parent??

Are they bad parents or just for the commercial point of view?

Thomas.

[kevkoi]

they're very good parents... Female has been guarding the pot since yesterday and no fungussed eggs.

It's just commercial farming mate. I have to strip the eggs to maximise productivity. Now the female will be ready to spawn again in another 2 weeks instead of 4-5weeks if she looks after the brood for 2weeks. :wink:

[Th0mas]

With the recent apisto, I've found the female do guard the eggs for the first two days, followed by eggs eaten up.

Not sure of the reason - maybe they're just not experienced enough.

Might have to pull the egg out if they keeps on snacking them up.

Thomas.

[Noddy65]

Could you post diet, water parameters etc.
It would be great to be able to spawn these guys every few weeks instead of a spawn here and there. Mine spawn, lose the eggs then nothing for months.
We must be doing something wrong?

Mike

[Th0mas]

My baenschi are doing it at a fortnightly interval, while bitaeniata was doing it weekly (almost ~ 8-9 days), trifasciata around 3 weeks interval (smaller female) when nothing hatch and they're off again.

Their diet - frozen bloodworm, Sera discus granule, BBS and frozen BS.

pH is stable around 6, hardness unknown.

The only problem is this tend to wear out the female and she'll require a long break after several consecutive attempts (around 6) and she'll stop. My main problem is - nothing is hatching, they're doing it for the sex :twisted: ......

Thomas.

[steph]

My baenschi have spawned each time after a water change.

I tend to do about 30 - 40% every 2 - 3 weeks (too busy for more).

I feed twice a day, sera discus bits and new life spectrum small cichlid formula. Infrequent feedings of live food, adult bbs or mozzies.

I add a tiny bit of black water conditioner to the tank at water changes, and usually a little bit of leaf gunge goes in with the mossies.

Steph

[hotrowe]

growouts on a system

Breedings on individual sponge filters.

Just pulled out eggs from Apisto. sp "Mamore red tail", Apisto agassizi "Tefe bauana", Apisto borelli "Opal" this morning. They're BREEDING!!! Whoohoooo....!!
Hi Kev,
Keep me posted on the progress of the fry.
Apisto power,
G. :) :P 8-)

[kevkoi]

A.agassizi "Tefe Bauana"eggs HATCHED TODAY... about 15-20 wrigglers.

A.sp "Mamore red tail" eggs are developing nicely, no fungus.

A.borelli "Opal", big bunch of eggs... developing nicely, no fungus.

I expect the eggs to hatch within the next day or 2.

Temp is ambient temp here at about 27degres.

Diet is varied with frozen daphnia, baby brine shrimp, Tetra coloubits and a few other things.

pH sits at 6 for most breeding tanks (lower for some, higher for some like trifasciata). Grow out tanks at 6.5-7 pH.

Big water change followed by an increas in frozen daphnia, bbs seems to work as a trigger for me.

kev

[Noddy65]

Thanks everyone.
Ive reserved some agassizis, trifasciata and bitaeniata from the last shipment...cant wait for them to arrive here in Perth.
Ill post a pic of the tank setup when I get home.

I had to take the wife out to dinner after turning up at home one night with another five tanks.

Mike

[Noddy65]

Ive also just got a big bag of Canadian peat, wow does this stuff drop the ph. My RO water with peat added has a pH of around 5 (is around 6 prior to adding peat)...so Ill have to increase it a bit when using the water in the tanks.

Mike