 Basics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | The first spawn was on Friday 2nd of February 2018. The breeding group consisted of 3 males and 3 females. Additionally, there were 1 unknown individual present. The smallest male was at least 65mm SL and the smallest female was at least 60mm SL. The youngest adult was approximately 24 months old. The individuals were obtained from Tropical Haven, Modesto CA & Aquarium Glaser. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Further spawns | Monday 29th of January 2024. 1 in total. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Feeding |
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| Water Parameters (at time of spawning) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| pH | 7.00 to 7.60 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Conductivity | 500µs to 800µs | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperature | 26.5°C to 28.0°C | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | Medium(air) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Water Params | Tap water dechlorinated with aquavitro alpha. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Aquarium | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dimensions | The aquarium dimensions were 610mm x 305mm x 406mm (24" x 12" x 16") all Length x Width x Height. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Furniture | Sand substrate, cobble stones, bamboo and clay caves, wood. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Filtration | Aqueon QuietFlow 40 HOB and an Aquaclear Powerhead with filter attachment | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting | Ambient room light from nearby window and overhead dining room lights - no specific aquarium light. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Heating | Fluval E200 heater | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Breeding | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Behaviour | Male traps female in cave until she gives up and spawns. In this tank I have two males. Both males trapped the same female over the last 6-7 months, sometimes for days at a time, always unsuccessfully (no spawns). This time, the same female moved over from one male to the other and 10 days after her first spawn, she spawned again with the other male. Now I have one male holding fry that have almost finished their yolk sacs, and I also have another male sitting on fresh eggs! :-) The first spawn yielded 20 fry. Subsequent spawns increased to as many as 30 fry per clutch. In mid January 2020 and on 23 February 2020 I found two more spawns, the first of the new spawning season. The Feb spawn had 38 fry, my largest spawn yet. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Eggs | _eggs/1.jpg) There were 30 yellow-orange eggs laid which were 3.0mm in diameter. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Time to hatch | 6 days Number: 38 Free swimming: 9 days | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Segregation | Six days after hatching, wrigglers had very little yolk remaining. I dumped the dad's cave out into a fry net suspended in the dad's aquarium, and raised the fry in the basket. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fry sizes | 7 days: 10mm 14 days: 12mm 21 days: 14mm | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 days | _7d/1.jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Juvenile sizes | 1 month: 15mm 3 months: 24mm 6 months: 35mm | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 month | _1m/1.jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fry and juvenile feeding | Although 6-day-old fry still had some yolk remaining, I started first foods on day 6 post-hatching. First foods included a ground up mix of freeze-dried black worms, freeze-dried plankton, freeze-dried brine shrimp, Spirulina flakes, shredded raw sweet potato, and Cobalt brand color-enhancing flakes. Fry were fed all of these foods every day, twice daily. | |||||||||||||||||||||
