Back into Apistos.. with a slight problem

[doppelbanddwarf]

I crush the NLS pellets and mix them together with decap bbs before pouring the mixture into the tank. The pair would peck on the bits of food and sift the substrate at the area. The fry are also feeding on this too.

[stormhawk]

I missed this reply. They're still not feeding on the NLS. Same with the caca and aga in the main community tank. They'll eat a few and ignore the rest. Probably too used to getting frozen BW and live brine shrimp.

Got this "pair" of bitaeniata last week at C328 while picking up some other stuff:



The male flaring at a mirror. I got no idea what strain these are, except that I love the blue colour.



The "female". I'm beginning to think that this is probably a sleeper male. It assumes the female pattern whenever the big male approaches, otherwise retains the fright colouration.

[doppelbanddwarf]

Cool your collection is getting bigger. I'm using the 0.05mm pellets. I don't feed mine any frozen stuff and only live bbs once in a blue moon so they haven't got much choice.

[SCOPE]

Good addition...Look like getting more poison

[stormhawk]

I'm still wondering whether the smaller one is a sneaker male.

Any ideas? I'll try and get a better picture.

Same size pellets for me too doppel. Just that the buggers don't want to eat any.

[Keithw]

mine also having same problem. The Female always in the fear mode once the male chase for a while. Anyway i think if u out a mirror in front of the female the female eventually will turn bright yellow and keep whacking. Do you have this encounter?

[stormhawk]

Mine doesn't turn yellow, it takes the female pattern and keeps flaring at the mirror.

[Keithw]

hmmm maybe your female still not using to your tank yet. give her more time. then you bring out the mirror hopefully can see.

Mine don't know what happen. Don't seems to like spawning for the female. Think she waiting for christmas.

[stormhawk]

I guess so. Getting some extra plants so the smaller one has some cover. I will know if it's a male or not soon enough. It flares at the mirror faster than the bigger male. But does not show male colouration during flaring. Retains the female single lateral band pattern, but the blue-purple colour in the anal fin is confusing.

[joopsg]

storm, i think its a sneaker male.
female seldom have marking on ther cheeks..

[genes]

Second that. Looks like a sneaker.

[doppelbanddwarf]

Henry and Eugene, can advise what are the defining features for a female bitaeniata other than yellow body and short fins? I have a young pair and I'm not sure whether the female is really female too. Would the black in the ventral fins be very visible at all times? I've tried to google but still cannot tell.

[mobile2007]

Determine whether female or sneaker male always a headache for apisto. I was wondering whether, is it possible to differentiate them by locating the ovary at stomach area?

[Keithw]

quite true that is a headache to differentiate a sneaker male. Any old bird can guide us along?

[genes]

Black in the ventrals only appear during breeding. I guess except for looking for the common traits of a female, the rest is up to experience. Why i say its a male because of the colorful anal fin. I have yet to come across a female through my purchases and breeding of biataeniatas that possesses an anal fin as colorful as the male. The yellow tip at the ventral also made it look like a male.

By the way, male looks like its having a sunken belly.

Common traits of female includes
1) yellowish body (only during breeding)
2) much smaller size then male at adulthood
3) short ventral fins
4) no elongated dorsal membranes for the first few rays
5) no elongated dorsal at the last ray (end of dorsal fin)
6) short and more rounded anal fin

[stormhawk]

The male is eating, but he doesn't gorge himself like my caca. Those pigs eat until they're mini balloons. Picture was taken when he was first moved to the smaller breeding tank. Trying to fatten them, but they don't eat much. I'll get some live BS later from C328.

Thanks for the ID. I had a feeling it was a sneaker. Oh well, time to find a real female then.

[stormhawk]

Was feeding the fishes in my 4 foot tank, then I noticed one of my female caca having a skinny belly. I thought she was sick, then I saw her ovipositor extended out. She was enticing the male to enter the cave then I realised... they had finally spawned.

[Keithw]

congratulation Stormhawk! must be a very nice moment when you see all the fries come out and swim.

i still waiting for this moment for my bitaeniata to spawn. somemore this few days super cooling, feed them eat fbs and bloodworm also no chance to get them spawn.

[doppelbanddwarf]

Congrats stormhawk! Must be the cold weather recently.

I just realised my Apisto sp. "wilhelmi" has a new clutch of eggs too. Interestingly she is now going between her batch of 3 weeks old fry, the eggs and chasing the male to the other end of the tank. She seems to like to spawn in ketapang leaves floating near the surface too.

[stormhawk]

Well 1st caca spawn failed. The mother is more interested in eating than guarding her nest. I haven't checked the eggs yet, but probably eaten by snails already. They'll spawn again sooner or later.

I'm still waiting on my wilhelmi to spawn.