Tips needed for breeding L-103, L-201, L-260, L-174, L-134 a

INXS · Post by **INXS** » 24 Dec 2005, 14:02

I have set up spawning tanks for them as follows:
My regular tap is PH7.8 and TDS 270, at the present I'm trying to make a push for spawning or abandon the projects if it doesn't work after making a strong attempt.I recently (one week ago) split up the fish into the following tanks - only the 55 is "as is" and has been for over a year.

L-103/Panaque Maccus:
20 long with a cluster of roots, several containg caves that are perfect fits for the fish also a few plants. Bare bottom and a clay cave .
I added 3 fish of which I'm pretty certain one is male and two females - very wellconditioned and in my possession over 2 years.
One week ago I did a cold water change with RO water, dopping TDS to 70 and temp to 70. I have allowed the temperature to go up to 85 now.
At first the male occupied one of the wood caves for a few days and he later moved to another and another but now none of the fish is in any cave. The supposed male sprouted a good amount of fur - odontoidal growth.
No breeding or attempts yet, how do I proceed?

L-201:
29gal bare bottom , roots and a clay cave. 3 fish of which 2 are very fat and one is slightly smaller but also conditioned. Fish are all over 2 years in my possession.
I think one of the fat ones is female and the small one could be male with the other big one a question.
Dropped temp72 and tds 98, temp now back to about 84. One of the fat ones is in the cave and has been for a while, he is however facing out. The others are in the wood pile.
I did notice that all the fish seemed to have bumps/raised scales almost like odontoidal growth but not as pronounced - all the mature L-260s seem to also have this but not my zebras.
No breeding yet or attempts, how do I proceed?

L-260
I have 3 tanks , 40,40 and 75g, set up bare bottom with a root cluster and one cave. Each tank contains one male and two females and all fish are very well conditioned. The male in each tank has set up in the cave and positioned himself properly with the tail out. Females are in the wood.
I dropped both 40s to 100 tds and 72deg, it is now back to around 82-84 - the 75 got a cold waterchange but I ran out of RO water so it is at the regular TDS level.
There was attempts once or twice a few months ago when the fish were all together , a male had a female trapped in a cave and females would sometimes cruise by the males caves and stick their noses in.
No attempts since I split them up .
How do I proceed?

55g with 1-2" of black sand 3mm grain, wood and a number of caves. There are about 7 each of L-134, L-174 and L-172b/leporacanthicus "golden" heterodon. I had hoped that by keeping different genera together they might breed together without the risk of crossing.
All fish over 2 years in my possession and very well conditioned - the only question may be the leporacanthicus as they are only around 5".
The L-174 are mostly in the root cluster and smaller fish then the others(2-2.5") some of the males have dug out caves under pieces of slate and in crevices . There has been a little jockeying for spots between males and females occasionally come and visit males but I have not witnessed any attempts of trying to get together.
L-134s , the males will sprout healthy fur growth on the tail after waterchanges and are often positioned in the caves with the tails out, females are usually in the wood or under some broken pottery - this tank contains a lot of structure. Some of the peckoltias have occasionally gotten in the same cave as the leporacanthicus but I have not seen a male and a female in the same cave. They are extremly fat.
L-172b, what I assume are the males are in caves almost always. I noticed that this genera is very drawn to caves as far as the males are concerned and the other sexual differences are minor. I have not seen any females checking out any males caves but there is some going back and forth between the peckoltias .
I have dropped the tds on this tank a number of times as low as 30tds (I'm thinking my digital measures mg and not microsiemens).
I am thinking that I should split them up but at this point I'm not looking to set up mor tanks so I will wait until I get rid of some other fish.
Is/would it make a big difference to split them up? And if so, should I try to split them in MMF groups or just keep the entire group together?
How do I proceed?
Thanks

laurab5 · Post by **laurab5** » 24 Dec 2005, 14:22

I would not give up onn the last 4. The clowns have been bred very rarrily, and shane can't even get a spawn. I have bred L134. I found that after the first spawn, theywere really easy to spawn. I would keep them at the 7.8PH and TDS270 for a few weeks. Then, drop the water down to 7.0PH and a 150-180 TDS. Keep them at this for a month. Then, bring the water back up to regular. I haod 4-5 spawns, in a 2 months span. I lost my breeding quad due to the stupid ice storm we had here.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 03 Jan 2006, 11:48

L103:
I think 85'F (29'C) is a bit on the high side for