My group of aurantimaculata

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Good to hear ! What temperatures are they at ? I wouldn't worry too much about feeding , In my experience Auranti dont eat much in the winter months appetite tends to pick up again in the spring. If you've let the temps drop for the winter shes probably not as picky as she seems, metabolism is just low and not hungry and only eating her favorites because it's too tempting to pass up.

Mine went off feedings a few weeks back as the temps started to drop and days got shorter, I only offer the occasional small meal once a week or at this time of year and even then 95% of the meals offered are completely ignored. My asiatica will pound back food in the winter or summer, but i find more then one small meal a week in the winter and she get's fat very quickly so i cut her feeding back as well.

Bleheri are new to the collection but they are super active, eating daily & willing to eat more despite the cold temps. Not sure if this will change into adulthood , but i suspect they are may stick to in cooler waters year round and thus the metabolism is steady through the winter... Will need to own them for a few more years before i know for sure !
 
Devon,
Good to hear about your bleheri! Mine are eating every other day/2x week but are now less active than a couple of months ago.

Temp of the aurantis is 21-22 C and they keep begging for food. As soon as I open the lid they come to the surface but only the male eats the mussels. The female swims away, except when I ocasionaly offer zophoba that she hunts and eats like there is no tomorrow. have been offering 2x per week as well.

The 3rd auranti (likely female) that I separated to another tank is the best eater of them all. I offer massivore and mussels ans she eats everything.
 
Oh mine are down lower then that , they were sitting around ~16-17c last time I checked give or take a degree depending on warmer days or colder nights. When they were in the low 20's they were eating fine, mix of pellets and meal worms, I dont offer much chopped frozen food to them because if it get's ignored it disappears into the substrate/plants and rot's. And i got tired of it happening and mucking up my tank lol.

My asiatica is also solo, maybe that makes them into glutenous eaters lol.
 
Looking good !
 
My Aurantis, kept, as Joao's at around 20 c eat like there was no tomorrow....

Same happens with the Andrao's and Pulchras, all sub tropical but all crazy for food in winter..
 
they're so expensive in my country, but they're look so beautiful :D
 
Update:

- The female started to eat (squid was the trigger) and now she chomps squid, lancefish and mussels "a gusto". As a consequence she is growing and reducing the size gap towards the male;
- The male is becoming "grumpier" and every now and then he chases the female. In the beginning it was not an issue, but I´m afraid it will be more and more complicated. Ultimately I have been seeing some the female with ripped fins as a result.

So, basically, I may be in a turning point as regards the bonding (if any) of the pair. Spring time....

I was going to sell my 3rd auranti (the backup female) but I put the sale on hold, until the situation between these two is clarified.
 
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