Are my new Apistos breeding?

Denver's water isn't really conducive to SA cichlids breeding. I've never had it happen before (high PH 8+, low KH 1-2, mid GH 7-9) with any of my Rams or any of the other cichlids I've kept over the last decade. I just got my first Apistogramma (cacatuoides) on Tuesday and noticed yesterday that the little female is favoring one of her Apisto caves (the co-op ones with the tiny little hole), chasing Cory's away any time they get within a few inches of it. She's also doing this thing where she'll swim out a few inches in front of the male, arch her back so she's sort of in a "c" shape and do this shimmying thing in front of him, ending by sort of whacking him with her tail. How concerned should I be that anything is going to come of this? The eggs shouldn't do well in this tap water, right?

(I'm honestly, not all that excited about them breeding tbh. It's never been a part of the hobby that has interested me)

 

Cockatoos are one of the species that will readily breed in fairly hard, alkaline water. I would not be surprised if you end up with a spawn. Females like tight cave entrances, and the males can fertilize the eggs without even going all the way into the cave. They are pretty good parents, so you may end up with a few growing out.

 

I am curious which other will readily breed in tap water. I have a pair of nij which i learn the eggs will not hatch in tds 100 water and of course my cacatuoides have bred and had frys galore but the frys one day vanished (community tank ).

I've been told hongsloi will readily breed but are there others ? Would panduro require special ph/water to breed (I know they are similar to nij but not sure how similar). My nannacara should be able to breed but she has been having problems with her her eggs.

Cockatoos are one of the species that will readily breed in fairly hard, alkaline water. I would not be surprised if you end up with a spawn. Females like tight cave entrances, and the males can fertilize the eggs without even going all the way into the cave. They are pretty good parents, so you may end up with a few growing out.

 

Just an interesting note: Mike Wise, the number one Apistogramma expert in the US, possibly in the world, lives in Denver. There was a very active club out there, they hosted an ACA convention some years ago. I had plans to attend, but an eye injury prevented me from going.

I found the macmasteri group to breed quite readily in moderately hard water, as did borellii. There are a few others, not sure which groups they belong to, but one that was very easy was species "Rot Punckt".

The nijsseni complex all need very soft, acid water to breed. I barely managed to raise a few nijsseni. My agassizi types always needed very soft, acid water. They laid eggs in regular water, but the eggs were never fertile. Pretty sure it was the water. I don't remember what group trifasciata belongs to, but they are another group that has to have soft acid water. By the time I got them, I had learned a lot about fixing the water, and had great success.

 

There are some spectacular borelli. I really liked the nijsseni; but will wait until i move and can have an RO unit before dealing with them again (the female is fine but the male died of droopy and I think it was related to the water not being soft enough but that is wild speculation). I just didn't know better when i purchased them. They did lay eggs 3 times but they never hatched.

 

Mike Wise, the number one Apistogramma expert in the US, possibly in the world, lives in Denver.

Holy crude. I know Mike (not know him, but know of him... you know...) from the apistogramma forum site. I had no idea he was local to my area. I definitely would have messaged him to see if he was breeding anything anytime soon. The cacatuoides pair look like they're pretty happy owning the entire bottom of the 54G, so I'm thinking I'm done stocking there (wanted a pair of Bolivians also) unless the female is protecting eggs and I can get a female out of it to finish the harem.

The Hongsloi and Macmasteri were the other Apistos I was considering for this tank, I still really want a pair of Macmasteri, and that may lead to "needing" another tank at some point now that I know my tapwater isn't instant death for these little guys. Leaf littler seems to be a big hit. I need to pick up more.