First time experience Apistogramma cacatuoides bred

**Ram** · 13th Sep 2007, 20:31

Today notice the caca pair have some unusual behaviour, both appear more aggressive towards other fishes. I take a closer look, WOW, some tiny fries are swimming next to the female caca. The mother is busy chasing away any fishes that swim near them.
I have 4 guppies and 3 otto living together with the caca pair. As I am first time into this hobby, I would like to seek your advice.
(1) Should I remove other fishes?
(2) Should I remove the male caca?
(3) What fish food shall I buy for the baby fries, and where to get it?
Thanks.
Especially thank to Richard (trident); the female caca was bought from you. Small size but productive....

Mother caca

Father caca

**trident** · 13th Sep 2007, 21:48

Thomas,
Lucky you, Congrats. Your tank is heavily planted, what chances you have in netting the guppies and the male out?

Anyway my caca have only bred once so far, but have eaten up the fries on day 5.
I suspect it's the male, so I think it's sensible to remove the male. Remove the guppies too, don't want them stressing the female.
The male you bought from Biotope?

Eugene, this is one of the female I bought from you, have to release to make space.

Richard

**illumnae** · 13th Sep 2007, 21:53

Congrats on your spawn

it's a thrilling experience when you get your first experience with apistos breeding...i had the same feeling with my first pair of cacas too

the male caca will probably pose the biggest threat to your fry, so if it's possible to do so, net him out...but be careful as startling the female too much might cause her to eat the fry anyway. it's a catch-22 situation at this point in time

**Cacatuoides** · 13th Sep 2007, 22:32

Congrats to you...

You may want to net out the other fishes and leave our pair inside....then observe if the male is threat to the fries, this way, you don't always have to net the male out and keep separately whenever there's a spawn....feed the fries live bbs for better survival rates

Welcome to the apisto club!!

**Ram** · 13th Sep 2007, 22:45

Thank all brothers for the valuable suggestions. BTW, what is bbs? Can I easily buy from any fish shop?

**illumnae** · 13th Sep 2007, 22:53

bbs is baby brine shrimp. it's available from some fish shops, but i think most bros here hatch the brine shrimp themselves. take note that the bbs has to be fed to the fish within 24 hours of hatching or it loses all its nutrients (from the egg sac that it hatches with).

an alternative (and much easier) method of feeding fry is to purchase decapsulated brine shrimp eggs. it contains all the nutrients that bbs has, saves you the hassle of hatching and can be stored for up to a year for easy on-demand use. the downside is that being alive, bbs probably is more attractive for the fish to hunt down and simulates nature better. i've used decapsulated brine shrimp eggs as fry food and as a staple for my adult fish as well with very good results (fish don't need to be acclimitized to it, they just rush for it even the first time i put it in)

**trident** · 14th Sep 2007, 08:30

Yes, do agree that decap BS eggs are a good alternative.
Been using it for a year plus, mostly for my discus fries.
Recently fed to my caca fries before they themselves were eaten.

But mind you decap BS eggs are hard to find as I have not seen it
sold at LFS.

**Ram** · 14th Sep 2007, 10:27

So Richard, where can I buy these BS eggs or any bbs from the fish shops in the northern areas.

**Aquaculture** · 14th Sep 2007, 11:25

You're a lucky bloke. Congrats bro. I've had mine for about a month plus now...no encourging signs...

**trident** · 14th Sep 2007, 13:15

Thomas,
I got mine from a discus forum. I have checked with him, but currently no stock.
Don't know of any LFS selling them.
Looks like you have to hatch the BBS.
Richard

**Ram** · 14th Sep 2007, 13:37

Thanks all. Today manage to remove other fishes in the tank. Still leave the male caca with the fries as I see it does not show aggression towards the fries.
One the fish shop recommend LIQUIFRY for baby fries; bought one box from him. Anyone try this Liquid food before?

**wks** · 14th Sep 2007, 14:11

Liquifry can only be used for initial stage ie first few days after the fries go free swimming. You need bbs for them to grow up.

**Ram** · 14th Sep 2007, 21:59

Thank wks. Liquifry look like milk; the fries seems don't like it. Anyway I shall go get some bbs tomorrow.

**CacaManiac** · 16th Sep 2007, 17:48

my fry are doing good on Daphnia currently.. luckily i can get it readily at my lfs. my job is getting kinda busy.. not enough time to hatch the BBS

**illumnae** · 16th Sep 2007, 23:27

good thing i got a ready stock of decap bbs before the supplies ran out

live food is always good for the fish (if they're clean), so if they take daphnia that's great =) for me i'm lazy to hatch or go to buy live foods regularly, so i resort to the dried version

**Ram** · 17th Sep 2007, 09:11

I have since bought bbs to feed the fries and their parents. Notice the fries can chase after the bbs.....

So shall I remove both parents now and let the fries live on their own; it has been 4 days that the fries on free swimming.

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