Hassles
Wed Jul 28, 2010, 07:56 PM
My Perspective on Apistogramma Behavioural Characteristics:
The careful observation and study of Apistogramma behaviour will teach you endlessly about these remarkable, and at times frustrating, fish. As you acquire experience the frustrations will diminish as you will begin to know when your intervention is required to avert an otherwise undesirable situation. The real problems lie with the fact that some of the signs that alert you to impending trouble can be so subtle as to go completely unnoticed. Learning to recognise & interpret these signs is the real challenge facing the novice Apistogramma keeper.
I consider that it is important to realise that we, as fish keepers, maintain our fish in artificial environments and the limitations imposed upon us by these artificial environments must not be underestimated. The major problem with keeping and breeding Apistogramma is keeping them alive, eg: preventing them from killing one another. In the wild, and faced with social turmoil, these fish can simply swim across the lake, up stream, down stream or anywhere else to avoid confrontation. In our tanks such options are denied them so in attempts to compensate for such short comings we are well advised to create, within our aquariums, complex environments that provide a myriad of hiding places for any fish seeking refuge.
The first behavioral characteristic we generally observe is that of courtship, and like many other creatures, the courtship ritual of Apistogramma is among the many things that endear them to their keepers. The yellow colouration of the female Apistogramma and the markedly enhanced black, velvet-like, markings she adopts while she is in 'spawning mode' is truly a marvel to behold. This changing colouration of the female is so distinctive that there is no doubt she is wanting to breed. Another joy for the Apistogramma keeper is the interactions between the two genders and of course the all impressive fin flaring. Males will flare (extend) their fins in attempts to impress the female (like we blokes broadening our shoulders in the presence of a lovely lass) as well as to warn and or ward off rival males (like we blokes broadening our shoulders in the presence of a lovely lass). The shimmying is another obvious interaction between courting couples (I'm back to the fish) as well as that of rivals, the primary variation between these two examples is the intensity with which these actions are undertaken. Shimmying and fin flaring can be courtship and it can be a warning.
The females 'usually' instigate the courtship ritual and an inexperienced male may take a little persuading. Initially he may view the females attention as aggression and swim away. While courting, Apistogramma will chase each other around. Sometimes the female is chasing the male trying to attract his attention and once attracted he may, in hot pursuit, do a little chasing of his own. The female may lead him all over the tank wanting to heighten his arousal and she will ultimately lead him to a spawning site of her choosing. At times such as these the interaction between the courting couple may very well appear to be decidedly aggressive and it can be difficult to know if all is well. If the male fails to recognise these courtship signals the female may rest, return to her normal colouration and make further attempts at a later time.
When breeding, the female Apistogramma will stake-out a territory within the larger territory of the male. Once the female emerges with her new brood you will witness excellent parental care and she will protect and defend her brood against all. It is the role of the male to protect the territory. If he has nothing to protect against he will attract the ire of the female and find himself the brunt of her protective instincts. If the aquarium is not large enough this can easy stress the male to the point of death. One reason breeders of Apistogramma employ dither fish is hoping to avoid such marital strife. The use of dither fish, or target fish, is to provide a target of the Apistogramma's aggression rather than have them fight each other. If dither fish are not present the male will usually go about his normal business much to the chagrin of the female who will coerce him into performing his expected duties. Such coercion is often a little nip or perhaps a little, or not so little, tail-slap (see below). In such circumstances, and after significant provocation, I have seen male Apistogramma 'snap' as it were and retaliate to the point that it became obvious he would kill the female. He was rehoused. I have only seen this once when harem breeding A.juruensis. The male was caught between two females with their respective broods at either end of the tank. While such is not common or typical, such can happen. If you find yourself unsure about the stability of the relationship my advice is this - "if in doubt, fish him out".
Tail slapping (now I'm definitely talkin' about the fish), as some people call it, is nothing other than an aggressive tactic designed to ward off rival fish (male or female) and instill a sense of domination and stress. An Apistogramma can dart across the tank like a virtual torpedo and deliver a nasty slap. Such tail slaps may also be delivered in closer quarters and may be followed by chasing. If you have housed your fish in an adequately complex environment the harassed fish may seek refuge. Once you have observed such actions you need to be prepared for the relocation of the harassed fish unless you are confident the aquarium will cater for all fish without an undesirable conclusion. Males can and will kill other males and females can and will kill other females. Post spawning females can easy kill their partners. Apistogramma won't bite each others heads off but it is the stress that kills our fish. The stress is what we cant see so we must learn to interpret these often subtle signals that will alert us that not all is well.
Other actions you may observe between warring fish is 'jaw-locking' where the fish will bite into each others mouths.
Once a dominant fish establishes a state of stress within one or more of its rivals it may engage in an array of behaviour to maintain and/or heighten such stress to ultimately ward off or kill the target fish. In the wild the recipient of the aggression will find itself a new territory, however, such is not possible in our aquariums so this may lead to the demise of one of the warring pair. It is in this circumstance that the signs become difficult for us to interpret and if we misinterpret these signals fish will die.
Once an Apistogramma is stressed you may observe it quietly in the tank, motionless and apparently disinterested in feeding. This is nothing for us to worry about, or is it? You may also observe at this point that this fish is also being observed by the aggressor from across the tank and this observation is designed to heighten the stress levels. The aggressor may at times, ever so slowly, swim towards the harassed fish to further cement its dominance. It may come within a few millimeters of the harassed fish and then equally slowly swim away. At times the aggressor, at such close quarters, may simply stare at the other fish until such time as it moves on. In a situation like this, if the recipient of such aggression fails to move on it is because the battle is all but over and death will soon claim your fish. During such episodes, the harassed fish 'may' make attempts to dart off elsewhere and if it doesn't, then it is simply too scared (highly stressed) to do so and death will soon follow. Note: Once a fish is stressed to this state, even your intervention may prove fruitless. Occasionally the aggressor will simply approach the harassed fish to have it swim off elsewhere. This is repeated over and over again heightening the stress with the inevitable outcome. As mentioned, these signs can be very subtle and once noted, you need to be vigilantly observant, learn as much as you can and intervene where necessary. You may perhaps observe a fish hiding behind the filter piping, sponges, heaters, hovering just beneath the surface or anywhere else where an Apistogramma would not normally lurk. What it is hiding from? If you make such observations you need to rehouse the harassed fish or prepare yourself for its demise. Apistogramma are bottom dwellers and to find them dwelling elsewhere should alert you to a situation that demands your attention.
While the above described scenario is usually played out between males it can also and equally be played out between females and at times a female will stress its partner in the same manner. Failure to observe and correctly interpret these signs will lead to the loss of your fish. As mentioned earlier, some of these signs can be so subtle as to go unnoticed and this is one of the reasons many Apistogramma breeders simply choose to rehouse the male once the female emerges with her new brood of fry. This is the only way they can ensure its wellbeing. The loss of one of the breeding pair in not conducive to quality breeding programs and as many of our Apistos are so difficult to come by, a loss can be disastrous and incredibly dispiriting. If you intend to harem breed, eg: multiple females with a single male, ensure the tank is large enough to comfortably house all the fish.
Another scenario worthy of description. You have successfully bred your Apistogramma and the fry are growing rapidly. The parents then breed again. The parents will then consider the fry as a threat to their new brood and will predate (kill) the fry. By rehousing the male post spawning (eg: after the first spawn) such a scenario is not possible. If you have enough tanks, and are happy to breed these fish again, rehouse the fry to a grow-out tank.
I have stated previously, there are not hard-and-fast rules set in concrete that govern Apistogramma behaviour. When starting out one needs to be patient and exceedingly observant. I sincerely doubt that there are any Apistogramma breeders out there who didn't lose a lot of fish during their early days while they themselves were learning. I certainly did. I simply offer the text above and an indicator to assist those new to Apistogramma in the hope that this may diminish the learning curve and help prevent any unnecessary losses. If this diatribe assists you saving just one fish then my efforts will be justified.
As I stated at the beginning, the real problems lie with the fact that some of the signs that alert you to impending trouble can be so subtle as to go completely unnoticed. This subtlety is the stress and stress is what kills our fish.
For the Apistogramma novice, purchase a pair of hardy, easy to come by Apistogramma (cacatuiodes, macmasteri, hongsloi for example) and begin your education. Once you become familiar with Apistogramma behavioral traits and characteristics you will be better suited to keeping the less common, hard to come by species.
Sincere regards
Hassles
The careful observation and study of Apistogramma behaviour will teach you endlessly about these remarkable, and at times frustrating, fish. As you acquire experience the frustrations will diminish as you will begin to know when your intervention is required to avert an otherwise undesirable situation. The real problems lie with the fact that some of the signs that alert you to impending trouble can be so subtle as to go completely unnoticed. Learning to recognise & interpret these signs is the real challenge facing the novice Apistogramma keeper.
I consider that it is important to realise that we, as fish keepers, maintain our fish in artificial environments and the limitations imposed upon us by these artificial environments must not be underestimated. The major problem with keeping and breeding Apistogramma is keeping them alive, eg: preventing them from killing one another. In the wild, and faced with social turmoil, these fish can simply swim across the lake, up stream, down stream or anywhere else to avoid confrontation. In our tanks such options are denied them so in attempts to compensate for such short comings we are well advised to create, within our aquariums, complex environments that provide a myriad of hiding places for any fish seeking refuge.
The first behavioral characteristic we generally observe is that of courtship, and like many other creatures, the courtship ritual of Apistogramma is among the many things that endear them to their keepers. The yellow colouration of the female Apistogramma and the markedly enhanced black, velvet-like, markings she adopts while she is in 'spawning mode' is truly a marvel to behold. This changing colouration of the female is so distinctive that there is no doubt she is wanting to breed. Another joy for the Apistogramma keeper is the interactions between the two genders and of course the all impressive fin flaring. Males will flare (extend) their fins in attempts to impress the female (like we blokes broadening our shoulders in the presence of a lovely lass) as well as to warn and or ward off rival males (like we blokes broadening our shoulders in the presence of a lovely lass). The shimmying is another obvious interaction between courting couples (I'm back to the fish) as well as that of rivals, the primary variation between these two examples is the intensity with which these actions are undertaken. Shimmying and fin flaring can be courtship and it can be a warning.
The females 'usually' instigate the courtship ritual and an inexperienced male may take a little persuading. Initially he may view the females attention as aggression and swim away. While courting, Apistogramma will chase each other around. Sometimes the female is chasing the male trying to attract his attention and once attracted he may, in hot pursuit, do a little chasing of his own. The female may lead him all over the tank wanting to heighten his arousal and she will ultimately lead him to a spawning site of her choosing. At times such as these the interaction between the courting couple may very well appear to be decidedly aggressive and it can be difficult to know if all is well. If the male fails to recognise these courtship signals the female may rest, return to her normal colouration and make further attempts at a later time.
When breeding, the female Apistogramma will stake-out a territory within the larger territory of the male. Once the female emerges with her new brood you will witness excellent parental care and she will protect and defend her brood against all. It is the role of the male to protect the territory. If he has nothing to protect against he will attract the ire of the female and find himself the brunt of her protective instincts. If the aquarium is not large enough this can easy stress the male to the point of death. One reason breeders of Apistogramma employ dither fish is hoping to avoid such marital strife. The use of dither fish, or target fish, is to provide a target of the Apistogramma's aggression rather than have them fight each other. If dither fish are not present the male will usually go about his normal business much to the chagrin of the female who will coerce him into performing his expected duties. Such coercion is often a little nip or perhaps a little, or not so little, tail-slap (see below). In such circumstances, and after significant provocation, I have seen male Apistogramma 'snap' as it were and retaliate to the point that it became obvious he would kill the female. He was rehoused. I have only seen this once when harem breeding A.juruensis. The male was caught between two females with their respective broods at either end of the tank. While such is not common or typical, such can happen. If you find yourself unsure about the stability of the relationship my advice is this - "if in doubt, fish him out".
Tail slapping (now I'm definitely talkin' about the fish), as some people call it, is nothing other than an aggressive tactic designed to ward off rival fish (male or female) and instill a sense of domination and stress. An Apistogramma can dart across the tank like a virtual torpedo and deliver a nasty slap. Such tail slaps may also be delivered in closer quarters and may be followed by chasing. If you have housed your fish in an adequately complex environment the harassed fish may seek refuge. Once you have observed such actions you need to be prepared for the relocation of the harassed fish unless you are confident the aquarium will cater for all fish without an undesirable conclusion. Males can and will kill other males and females can and will kill other females. Post spawning females can easy kill their partners. Apistogramma won't bite each others heads off but it is the stress that kills our fish. The stress is what we cant see so we must learn to interpret these often subtle signals that will alert us that not all is well.
Other actions you may observe between warring fish is 'jaw-locking' where the fish will bite into each others mouths.
Once a dominant fish establishes a state of stress within one or more of its rivals it may engage in an array of behaviour to maintain and/or heighten such stress to ultimately ward off or kill the target fish. In the wild the recipient of the aggression will find itself a new territory, however, such is not possible in our aquariums so this may lead to the demise of one of the warring pair. It is in this circumstance that the signs become difficult for us to interpret and if we misinterpret these signals fish will die.
Once an Apistogramma is stressed you may observe it quietly in the tank, motionless and apparently disinterested in feeding. This is nothing for us to worry about, or is it? You may also observe at this point that this fish is also being observed by the aggressor from across the tank and this observation is designed to heighten the stress levels. The aggressor may at times, ever so slowly, swim towards the harassed fish to further cement its dominance. It may come within a few millimeters of the harassed fish and then equally slowly swim away. At times the aggressor, at such close quarters, may simply stare at the other fish until such time as it moves on. In a situation like this, if the recipient of such aggression fails to move on it is because the battle is all but over and death will soon claim your fish. During such episodes, the harassed fish 'may' make attempts to dart off elsewhere and if it doesn't, then it is simply too scared (highly stressed) to do so and death will soon follow. Note: Once a fish is stressed to this state, even your intervention may prove fruitless. Occasionally the aggressor will simply approach the harassed fish to have it swim off elsewhere. This is repeated over and over again heightening the stress with the inevitable outcome. As mentioned, these signs can be very subtle and once noted, you need to be vigilantly observant, learn as much as you can and intervene where necessary. You may perhaps observe a fish hiding behind the filter piping, sponges, heaters, hovering just beneath the surface or anywhere else where an Apistogramma would not normally lurk. What it is hiding from? If you make such observations you need to rehouse the harassed fish or prepare yourself for its demise. Apistogramma are bottom dwellers and to find them dwelling elsewhere should alert you to a situation that demands your attention.
While the above described scenario is usually played out between males it can also and equally be played out between females and at times a female will stress its partner in the same manner. Failure to observe and correctly interpret these signs will lead to the loss of your fish. As mentioned earlier, some of these signs can be so subtle as to go unnoticed and this is one of the reasons many Apistogramma breeders simply choose to rehouse the male once the female emerges with her new brood of fry. This is the only way they can ensure its wellbeing. The loss of one of the breeding pair in not conducive to quality breeding programs and as many of our Apistos are so difficult to come by, a loss can be disastrous and incredibly dispiriting. If you intend to harem breed, eg: multiple females with a single male, ensure the tank is large enough to comfortably house all the fish.
Another scenario worthy of description. You have successfully bred your Apistogramma and the fry are growing rapidly. The parents then breed again. The parents will then consider the fry as a threat to their new brood and will predate (kill) the fry. By rehousing the male post spawning (eg: after the first spawn) such a scenario is not possible. If you have enough tanks, and are happy to breed these fish again, rehouse the fry to a grow-out tank.
I have stated previously, there are not hard-and-fast rules set in concrete that govern Apistogramma behaviour. When starting out one needs to be patient and exceedingly observant. I sincerely doubt that there are any Apistogramma breeders out there who didn't lose a lot of fish during their early days while they themselves were learning. I certainly did. I simply offer the text above and an indicator to assist those new to Apistogramma in the hope that this may diminish the learning curve and help prevent any unnecessary losses. If this diatribe assists you saving just one fish then my efforts will be justified.
As I stated at the beginning, the real problems lie with the fact that some of the signs that alert you to impending trouble can be so subtle as to go completely unnoticed. This subtlety is the stress and stress is what kills our fish.
For the Apistogramma novice, purchase a pair of hardy, easy to come by Apistogramma (cacatuiodes, macmasteri, hongsloi for example) and begin your education. Once you become familiar with Apistogramma behavioral traits and characteristics you will be better suited to keeping the less common, hard to come by species.
Sincere regards
Hassles