Apistogramma Cacatuiode Breeding

[Seal36]

Hello I have a male and a female apistogramma in a 110 litre tank and I think they might be starting to breed but I was told that they could not breed in my tank as my ph is 7.4 which is too high for them to breed in. This was then backed up by me as I have had 2 pairs of apistogramma before this pair which have never paired up or even flirted with each other. I would like to know if it is possible for them to breed in my aquarium as they have been acting aggressively towards my other fish but have not been guarding a specific area from Tom

 

[the_lock_man]

A high pH isn't ideal for them, certainly, but the instinct to further the species is strong. I have a female agassizii who is very keen on one particular flowerpot-cave, but there is no male in the tank.

 

[Essjay]

I have had cockatoo apistos breed in my tank at pH7.4 - the female in my photo hatched in my tank. Hardness is more important than the pH. I have what my water company calls moderately soft water.
Are yours showing signs of selecting a cave for laying eggs? Has the female gone bright yellow like in my photo?

 

[Seal36]

Her body has not gone bright yellow but her fins are starting to and it looks like they have selected an old ship wreck to lay eggs if that is what they are trying to do but the couple also swim over to some logs and plants on the other side of the tank and start digging in the sand there. So does this mean that the two pairs I had before these did not breed because they did not like each other or could the water play a fact in it to and my hardness is between 8 and 16 d from Tom

 

[misterpro]

I've had a couple breed succesfully in a tank with a PH of 8.2 and KH of 10

Just to point out that if they want to breed, they can and will do so.

 

[Seal36]

My female has turned yellow but not as bright as in the picture. So does this mean that she is getting ready to mate and lay eggs from Tom

 

[Essjay]

If she's turning yellow, that is a good sign. I usually know when mine have spawned as the female is that bright yellow and she chases everything that goes near her chosen spot.

 

[Seal36]

Ok maybe they are just getting ready to spawn then and is there much difference in spawning between kribensis and apistos as I know what to look out for in kribensis and was wondering if it's the same. Also what's the difference between old and new world cichlids from Tom

 

[Seal36]

My apistogramma turned a nice yellow colour which I thought she would be getting ready to spawn and I have been watching them today and they have separated as a pair. They still stay in the same area but there is no breeding colour to the female and the male is not presenting to her anymore is there any reason why this might happen. Hope you can help from Tom