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layer of peat fiber, which should be moist enough that it
won’t dry out quickly, but not wet. It can be remoistened
periodically with a spray bottle. The container should be
labeled with the species name and the date the eggs were
harvested.
Lay the eggs on the peat, trying to keep them from
touching one another. This helps to avoid a fungussed
egg infecting a neighboring one. Monitor the development
of the eggs, and when you think that the hatching
point may have been reached, add water to the container.
If all has gone well, the majority of the fry will hatch. Or,
the eggs can be picked out by hand and placed in fresh
water, as peat consumes oxygen and must be laboriously
separated from the larvae. Either way, it is worth storing
the peat moist and adding water again a few days later.
Another method is to use peat fiber in the aquarium
instead of a spawning mop, removing it after a few days
and storing it moist in a plastic bag or lidded container.
This avoids having to pick out the eggs by hand. You will
have no idea how many eggs have been laid, but this is
a simple and effective variant for readily bred species. In
the case of recalcitrant species we would recommend the
more labor-intensive, but more easily monitored method,
which may well prove easier in the long run.
Which method works best depends on the circumstances
and the skill of the aquarist. Everyone will find
his or her own route to success.
The fry grow out fairly quickly. The size of the rearing
container should be suited to the size of the fish. There
is no advantage to a small number of fry in too large a
container. The fish won’t find the food as well, are often
timid, and don’t grow well. Then again, lots of fish in a
small container is not a good idea either, because they
won’t grow well.
Problem areas
Sometimes the fish undergo long pauses in spawning
and are then difficult to induce to spawn again. This isn’t
necessarily dependent on the food situation. For example,
boredom can also lead to unwillingness to spawn. If you
are keeping only one pair, there is no option to change
partners, so other ways must be found to perk the fish
up again, such as making a water change with noticeably
cooler water. To amplify the effect you can also stop making
water changes for a long time beforehand. In this way
you can simulate the tropical dry season, during which
the fish have to make do without fresh rain water.
Transfer to a completely different aquarium or spawning
container can also help. Reluctant spawners should
be separated and kept separate for at least a week. During
this period the female should be fed heavily. The male
should be fed somewhat more sparingly, or he may lose
his sex drive and react only half-heartedly to the female.
It is also wise to consider from what region your
Aphyosemion originated. From this you can evaluate
whether your fish prefer cooler water or should be kept
and bred in warmer water. If
the species is from the lowlands
or the savannas, then Aphyosemion australe
Below: Spawning
penetrate a little way into
it will naturally prefer higher
the peat, release eggs, and
temperatures, which may
spawn while lying close to
mean a range of 73–77°F
each other.
W. HILGNER
AMAZONAS
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