# Is this female brooding/breeding?



## JoshP12 (12 Oct 2020)

Hi all!

I picked up a pair of Apistogramma Macmasteri the other day. The male has colored up but has really underwhelmed me in comparison to the female!






Yesterday/today, I noticed this deep yellow on the female (male in background):




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I was reading about the apisto and found out that they turn this deep yellow color when breeding. And I also read that they like caves (for laying eggs). In the full tank shot below, the only "cave" is the drift wood tunnel (and she does hang out in there).

Here is a full tank shot:




I am curious if this is breeding/brooding and I wanted to know what I should do to raise the babies successfully (special food etc) -- The female did attack a neon today who came near that patch with the few (freshly planted) rotala bonsai + macandra.


I can't find any eggs - based on the colours/behavior can we assume that they are somewhere?

Any advice is welcomed!

Josh


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## Mick.Dk (12 Oct 2020)

I keep A.  trifasciata and A.  cacatoides in several of my tanks - and when the females look like this it is usually only a matter of a day or two untill eggs are layed. The extra territorial behaviour of the female also indicates eggs soon to be laid (if not allready there). Mine often place the eggs in a "cave" formed by plant leaves (ex.  small Echinodorus) though they have access to coconut and clay-pot caves
My females all prove to be very good parents.  I never have had males help,  though literature say,  they sometimes do.
My fry are always left with their mother,  and I only supply freshly hatched Artemia two or three times a day.  This produces healthy,  well-growing offspring,  matured in about 6 - 7 months.
I must say,  though,  that all my Apisto's are living in "old" and established tanks,  so there is surely a rich variety of "micro-biology" (including cherry shrimp nymphs) to hunt,  for the fry.
- good luck with your Apisto's breeding.  They're really not that difficult,  but very interesting to observe......


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## JoshP12 (12 Oct 2020)

Mick.Dk said:


> I keep A.  trifasciata and A.  cacatoides in several of my tanks - and when the females look like this it is usually only a matter of a day or two untill eggs are layed. The extra territorial behaviour of the female also indicates eggs soon to be laid (if not allready there). Mine often place the eggs in a "cave" formed by plant leaves (ex.  small Echinodorus) though they have access to coconut and clay-pot caves
> My females all prove to be very good parents.  I never have had males help,  though literature say,  they sometimes do.
> My fry are always left with their mother,  and I only supply freshly hatched Artemia two or three times a day.  This produces healthy,  well-growing offspring,  matured in about 6 - 7 months.
> I must say,  though,  that all my Apisto's are living in "old" and established tanks,  so there is surely a rich variety of "micro-biology" (including cherry shrimp nymphs) to hunt,  for the fry.
> - good luck with your Apisto's breeding.  They're really not that difficult,  but very interesting to observe......




Thanks Mick! I will update if I find any eggs or any babies .

Josh


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## JoshP12 (19 Jun 2021)

Time ...


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