by swaldron/slip.net (Steven J. Waldron)
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998
To: apisto/majordomo.pobox.com
Some years ago, I remember reading in Aquarium digest that Bitaeniata, I
>think they were still being called Kleei at the time, will throw both
>red and blue individuals in their spawns. Perhaps this is also true of
>Bitaeniatas.
A. bitaeniata are extremeley variable in nature and in captivity. If you
look through a large Peruvian importation you will find much individual
variation from the bold and beautiful to the homely (remember some sneaker
males look almost like females). I'm not sure if I agree with Romer's
statment though about agassizi. There has to be some regional population
variation. I've never studied them in the wild, but from the commercial
imports the wild morphs aren't that variable (e.g. you will never see red,
blue/white and Rio Tefe from the same collecting locale). My dos pesos
- Steve Waldron
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by Jota Melgar <jsmelgar/compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998
To: "INTERNET:apisto/majordomo.pobox.com" <apisto/majordomo.pobox.com>
Lisa Brinkman wrote:
> I'm hoping you can help me out. I bought a small group of these fish
> on the weekend (wild caught!). However I have only a small amount of
> info on them. How do you tell males from females? How big do they
> have to be to breed? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
There are a couple localities that I am aware. The most common one, and
probably the one's you saw, come from the Rio Momon near the city of
Iquitos, Peru. The second locality is from Tefe, Brazil and is not as
widespread as the Peruvian variety.
As for identifying them, if they are young and stressed then it can be ha=
rd
to tell them apart. Males usually have clear and longer ventral fins. The=
adult males also have longer third and fourth fin lapetts and a lyreate
caudal fin. Females have a deeper and more yellow body, black edges on th=
e
ventral fins, and a truncate caudal fin.
I agree with Bob, this is a very pretty Apisto.
Hope this helps,
Julio =
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by Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise/bewellnet.com>
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 1998
To: apisto/majordomo.pobox.com
George,
This is from Kullander's "Cichlid fishes of the Amazon River drainages of Peru"
concerning the
ecology of A. bitaeniata:
"Apistogramma bitaeniata appears to be strictly a black-water species,
although many samples lack habitat information. It is common in the Nanay and
Mazán, where Apistogramma are otherwise rare and represented only by A. eunotus
and A. cruzi. Collecting sites include quebradas {streams, from groundwater
sources and/or swamps, whose volumes vary with local rainfall}, lake shores, sand
playas, and blackwater pools. The large sample from the blackwater pool, SOC 71,
is notable for the starved appearance, whereas the Yuto Cocha {lake} sample
consists of only trim fish, suggesting that shadowed slow flowing forest
quebradas with clear black water may provide optimal conditions for the species.
Generally, the fishes were associated with leaf litter."
Kullander lists the following water conditions for the Rio Nanay: "nutrient
and bacteria contents low, excepting a relatively high iron content (0.070 ppm),
pH 5.2, total hardness 3.00 ppm, dissolved oxygen 6.41 ppm and temperature 28.5ºC
{83º F}. Personal observation from river playas indicate a pH of 5.5-6,
temperatures 27-34ºC {80-93ºF} in the surface, hardness 0-0.8ºdGH and dissolved
oxygen 3.6-6.9 ppm (saturation 51-87%) and iron 0.5 ppm."
"Tributary quebradas carry clear, dark water and flow over sand bottom. They
are well-shadowed by forest, but fishing was generally done in open areas. Leaf
litter constitute a significant portion of the substrate. Quebradas were found
to have pH 5.0-6.0, hardness 0.2-0.6º dGH and dissolved oxygen 4.5-6.4 ppm
(saturation 56-77%)."
"Different types of lakes at different water levels were fished. These had
had generally darker and clearer water than the river, but turned turbid with
lowering water level. Blackwater pools, such as my station SOK 71, lacked
transparency. Combined data give ranges of pH 5-5.5, oxygen 2.4-6.4 ppm (31-88%
saturation), hardness 0-0.6 dGH and temperature 27.5-32ºC {82-90ºF}."
"The R. Mazán, visited in 1984, was similar to the R. Nanay. The river and
associated streams had soft, slightly acid water (<1º dGH, pH 5.5-6.0)."
I've found that this species produces consistant and large spawns (100+) at pH
<6.3, a total hardness of 5º dH (3º dGH & 2º dKH), and a temperature of 26ºC
(77ºF). A. bitaeniata seems more susceptible to bacterial diseases than most
apistos and doesn't take well to many medications - especially the dye-types like
malachite-green. Because of this, tank cleanliness is very important. I've
found using older, less energetic males, with younger females produce more and
larger surviving spawns. The males are polygamous and tend to bother brooding
females to the extent that they often eat their spawn/fry. Females are also
easily spooked, leading to the same result (munch!). Even turning the lights on
or off can spook them. I've found keeping a dim light on the brooding tank at
night helps a lot. Hope this helps.
Mike Wise
Geo/Len wrote:
> Hi
>
> What would the ideal water condition (PH, Water Hardness & Temp.) be to
> breed A. bitaeniata???
>
> George
>
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by David Sanchez <barbax2/yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999
To: apisto/admin.listbox.com
I guess we are all here. Regarding the A.bitaeniata
they are a great fish to work with. They are not
overly demanding inregards to their water parameters.
I have spawned them in r.o. pH 6.2 and 100 us/cm. They
have always been good parents and are I consider them
a great Apisto for beginners because they tend to
spawn rather readily. I am currently working with the
red variety and they are rather attractive and I am
very pleased to have a few spawns to raise myself. I
have good success with a group in a 30 planted tank
and they just raise up their young and have formed a
really cool community. I really like these fish I
hadn't worked with them in a few years and it's nice
to see them again. I have been Importing quite a few
so hopefully they will find their way to shops all
over the country so we can all enjoy them.
=====
David Sanchez
Orlando, FL
http://www.mindspring.com/~barbax
barbax@mindspring.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
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by BigJohnW/webtv.net (John Wubbolt)
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000
To: apisto/listbox.com
Hello Doug
I have had good luck spawning my Bitaeniata. Never Kept Iniridae, so i
cant give you help there.
What i can tell you is that my Bitaeniata had to be really mature before
they spawned for me. I never had young pairs spawn for me. Every
pair of bitaeniata that ever spawned for me were at least a year old or
older before i got good eggs. Unlike Cacatuoides which have spawned
for me in half that time. Seems that this species likes maturity.
Some one else out here might have had better experiences with their
fish, but this has been the norm for me.
I did spawn my fish in fairly soft acidic water. I have a pH of less
then 6.0 and hardness of less then 20ppm. This just happens to be my
tap water. So no I dont treat it to make it softer.
John
by Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise/bewellnet.com>
Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2000
To: apisto/listbox.com
Doug,
I've successfully bred both species over the years and will give you my
impressions on both.
As Big John wrote, I too have found that older A. bitaeniata males make the best
breeders - especially when matched with young females. Females are very nervous
when they have fry. My feeling is that young males are too "eager" and harass the
females so much that they tend to eat their eggs/larvae more than most apistos. I
always left a 3W night light on above the breeding tank of females with eggs
because they tended to spook when the lights turned off or no suddenly and then
would eat their eggs/larvae. A. bitaeniata is a blackwater fish that breeds best
at pH <6.3 and soft water.
A. iniridae can be a very consistent breeder if you have the right pair. Like
most pertensis-group species they tend to be very monogamous. I once had a
breeding female ignore 3 other males that I put with her, once her original mate
died. This species is also a blackwater species that needs water similar to A.
bitaeniata.
Doug Cushing wrote:
> I've had difficulty breeding both Apistogramma iniridaae and A. bitaeniata.
> I have trios of both species---I've had all three together, I've introduced
> one female at a time, I've lowered both pH and TDS of the water thinking
> that these factors might be the problem....but no luck. Both species are
> kept in well planted 15G tanks where I've had no trouble spawning several
> other Apistogrammas. Can anyone clue me in on what I might be doing wrong or
> what I might try? Thanks to the list in advance.
> --Doug Cushing
>
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Apistogramma/Dwarf Cichlids
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