# Apistogramma borelli "opal"...spawn?!?



## ameekplec.

Picked these guys up from Menagerie last week, and they've been great in my 20L with 6 little Pseudomugil furcatus (Furcata rainbows), and my zebra plecs and a whole whack of RCS, MTS and Assassins.

Male and Female:









Pops on his own:









On Thursday I did a WC with 10% RO/DI water since I had a bit left over from a WC on my reef tanks. I also started feeding the tank with a bit of frozen foods too.

Anyways, today I got home after being at the folk's place for the weekend. I couldn't spot the female, but then I saw her hanging out by a cave in the back corner of the tank. As soon as I spotted her she darted into a cave (for the zebras...of course, they don't use them).

Hiding in the cave:









From what I've read, apisto females take on a different colouration when spawning/ready to spawn. Sure enough she only has a black band over her eyes:









And her whole body is just a golden yellow, with orange-ish fins:









Well, dunno if she's spawned already of if she's just showing colours. She's VERY territorial of her cave, not even letting shrimp get close. She also spends a lot of time just in the cave.

What do you think apisto people? Have I a spawn here?


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## Hack02

Sounds like the right things are happening and the behaviour is what my female did in the week or so before the little ones showed up. The hiding is a flower pot watching over it is a god sign. Hopefully this is it, good luck.


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## aln

if you see it cleaning the area off then your prabably 99% sure there are going to be eggs so get some food! for them


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## ameekplec.

Well, from my cursory reading, they're cave spawners, and true to that she's picked a pleco cave - it's about 4.5" deep, and roughly triangular - 1.5" width and about 1" high- and it's angled and at the back so there's no way I can see in there.

Hack, if her behaviour is consistent with yours, I may have little ones next weekend!


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## bae

Congrats. If she hasn't spawned, she's about to. Keep a dim light on in the room at night so she can protect the eggs from snails and other predators. The male may try to help guard the fry, but not until she brings them out, and maybe not then.


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## ameekplec.

The male seemed to show no interest in the cave - he was more preoccupied with the mysis on the other side of the tank. Maybe he'll be interested in protecting the fry when and if they hatch.

In terms of lighting it up, I'll see if a crappy LED light I have is just dim enough. Problem is is that the tank is literally next to my head, as the dresser it's on is right next to our bed.


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## KnaveTO

Congrats there Ameekplec


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## DaFishMan

Best of luck & very nice borelli's


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## Chris S

She likely has eggs in her little cave. She has her raccoon eyes too, which means she is in spawning/rearing mode!

I've had females be perpetually in spawning colouration though, so the best indicator is her guarding her eggs.


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## Byronicle

i bought the same borelli's at Menagerie, beautiful cichlids, LEAST aggressive for sure.

And my pair is doing the same behaviour, she has gotten more golden with the dark band down her eye and the male seems more interested, she too has picked out a cave as well (log really). So would think our cichlids would soon be spawning which is exciting.


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## ameekplec.

Well, I got back from being away for the weekend last night, and when I checked the tank just now, the female was out and away from the cave - leading a small school of fry! There's probably 15 - 20 of the little guys swimming about


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## Hack02

Congrats Eric,

maybe a fish swap is in order down the road.


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## ameekplec.

Well, I barely had room for this pair, and I certainly will have to set up anothre tank to rear these fry....so I guess I could just set up another tank


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## ameekplec.

Just some photos 

Here's the tank they're in:









Papa:








He was a little thin for the first few days until he figured out that the things that fall from the sky are food. Now he's plump and his fins are growing longer everyday, and colour is coming in a lot better all over. That and he's got a nice fat little belly now 

Mama and her fry:


















I think the fry are about 2 days old. They hang around together and mom takes good care fo them, chasing off any fish and shrimp that get too close. The also catches them from getting sucked in by the Eheim intake (which I think I'm going to raise up higher to avoid sucking in fry).

For the next few weeks they stay with mom. I'll be feeding crushed flake/pellets and freshly hatched BBS when available.

I'll try to update somewhat regularly with pics as they get bigger and bigger


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## TBemba

I would put Nylon Pantie hose over the Eheim intake or Cut a sponge and slip over the intake. This will prevent the fry getting sucked up.

I hope more people breed Apistos. I would like to see more in the hobby and at Auctions.


Congrats on the Spawn


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## Byronicle

nice lol fry so tiny


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## KnaveTO

Congrats Ameek!! I may have to bug you for some of those when they grow up... if you need a rearing tank I have a 5gal or a 10gal here I can loan you.


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## ameekplec.

For this first batch I've decided (from about day 2) to let things progress without intervention and see how many fry survive. So far I think she's down to about 10 - 12, from 20 - 25.

There's definitely a lot of 'stuff' for the fry to pick at, and they appear to be a bit bigger already. Mom does a good job of defending the little ones, but every day a few less seem to be part of the school.

Next time I already have the blessing to set up a small tank for the fry


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## Hitch

Nice, congrats man.


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## matti2uude

How are the fry now?


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## ameekplec.

Well she's down to two little fry in the main tank - next time I think I'll remove the cave after the spawn to a breeder net or something to give the fry a better chance of survival.

The little ones have their black stripes and act like tiny tiny versions of their parents. Hopefully they survive


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