Breeding Challenge-Moth Cats

[L number Banana]

Hang in there Grokefish, just like the shoe-fish did Things will and do turn around, I'm busy reinventing myself after my 'good job' became my high paid nightmare. It's amazing how wonderful a low-paying high-happiness job has changed my life for the good. Friends think I'm bananas ( ) but I'm wealthy in mind at the moment - no stress. I think the last thing I said to my 'good job' boss was , "I'd rather tap dance on the street with a cap on the sidewalk' and now I realize that yes, even that would have been better than what I was doing. So hang in there and find what makes your heart sing, eventually it will pay dividends.

Hi Proteus,
A democracy challenge? No leaders can work too. I'm so on and off these days that I couldn't guarantee my undivided attention but I don't think we really need a leader, everyone kinda understands the rules as Grokefish originally set out.

Sooo...what's in season?
I'd really love to try again to breed my twigs or my C. trilineatus but something new would be good too. Bumblebees? USDs? Pictus? Impossible-is?
K.minors aren't doing any breeding behaviors that I can see.
P. maccus?
Would love to find some of those little moth cats to try. Banjos?

Suggestions please

[nvcichlids]

I vote against bumblebees and banjos.. (bees are currently breeding and did have a batch of young from banjos a few years back now.)

Moths would be cool for me!

[Proteus]

Hara hara

or

Hara jerdoni

I'm up for those guys myself... as I'm now not sure how those two are going to be different? Though? since this is the most mentioned so far and isn't objected to.

[L number Banana]

Okay so three in for any type of Moth catfish.

They're small enough for anyone to fit into their space and aren't super expensive. Seems good so far.
Can the average keeper find them within a reasonable amount of time? members from different countries?

If this works out as far as availability, I'll start up a new topic to see if we can get some newbies on board. Something like "Hara breeding Challenge Open". Give it a little Grokefish-style blurb and we're off to the races.

Anyone else have thoughts on availability?

[nvcichlids]

well another fish I would love to do is madtoms, but I have a feeling they are not regularly available (if at all in england/europe) and I know I have this feeling because I have a group I am hoping to have bred soon. lol

I say hara hara, but I have not seen hara hara available lately locally, I do have access to jerdoni. Maybe we could allow several different species or just Hara's in general.

[Birger]

I have been putting some thought into this.

Turning these things into a competition...well the hoplo one went as I feared and is taking some time to come to some results.

Instead of a competition they can become more of an informational thread keeping many details in one thread as opposed to spread among many as often happens.

What I suggest is once a core group has decided on a species or a number of closely related species I can split this off and give it a title such as "Breeding Challenge-Moth Cats" leaving the original thread and anyone wishing to continue working with the hoplos (I still have my group intact)

With the reword on the title anyone in the future doing a search on" Hara" or "Moth Cats" will come across that particular breeding thread easier I would think.

Eventually there may be or can be a number of these breeding challenges with the appropriate wording...such as Breeding Challenge-Brochis for example.(or Breeding Challenge-Madtoms)

If the initial core group wish to keep the "competition" involved... then someone will just have to win the current one and then things will move on as originally planned.

What do you think?

Birger

[L number Banana]

Birger:

What I suggest is once a core group has decided on a species or a number of closely related species I can split this off and give it a title such as "Breeding Challenge-Moth Cats" leaving the original thread and anyone wishing to continue working with the hoplos (I still have my group intact)

Hi Birger, I think I mentioned that a few posts back so I agree.

I'll start up a new topic to see if we can get some newbies on board. Something like "Hara breeding Challenge Open". Give it a little Grokefish-style blurb and we're off to the races.

Some title that helps the people searching would be good too, I like your "Breeding Challenge-Moth Cats". Looks like no one has info on breeding Hara hara on the species page but there's a note on H. jerdoni.

Would dearly love to breed madtoms of any kind but still haven't found even one.

I also like that it's a challenge rather than a true competition.

That's four for Hara sp...

[L number Banana]

*Bump*

Maybe we should get Birger to do his magic and post up a nice heading to see how many we can get on board? I'm going to see Iron Maiden in Ottawa in a few weeks so I should be able to track down Haras of some sort.

Er, Birger? Are you up for heading this challenge?

[Birger]

I finally split this off from The challenge part 2

As the topic heading alludes to...any species of the genus Hara.

It is going to take some time so make your plans and get things going...work together and see what you come up with.

Anyone just reading this and wondering what is going on, this is a thread for those that are willing to give these fish a go...get them living healthy lives and with good health comes possible spawning activity.

Anyone can jump in at any time.

Good luck!

[nvcichlids]

This weekend i will be hitting my two favorite local fish stores in hope of finding a good group to work with. ( Found a couple this past weekend listed as Moth Catfish, but they all looked to be different species.)

I will be using a bunch of cabomba/hornwort for my plants, does anyone suggest something else? Tank will be a 5.5 with snails and the moths only.

[Proteus]

Ditto- been looking at different LFS the past weekend and weekend before that.

Looks like i have to resort to ordering them online if I don't find them this week or weekend.

[nvcichlids]

Ditto- been looking at different LFS the past weekend and weekend before that.

Looks like i have to resort to ordering them online if I don't find them this week or weekend.

If I can find a place locally that has a lot I will let you know so you don't have to order online and pay shipping (although gas costs might cost just as much depending on what you drive lol.)

[L number Banana]

I'll be checking Ottawa FS on the 7th.

Do I need to worry about getting a different species thrown in by mistake - crossbreeding?

Have to confess that I know zippo about Hara but have time to read up on old posts this coming weekend.

Have a 10 gal that I can set up this weekend using biofilter from the big tank. I would like to try a sponge filter after its stable.
Don't know which plants yet, maybe the big city will have something interesting to try.

[nvcichlids]

you will be able to visably tell if they are different. Most will vary in coloration. I would say if you see different species in the tank, try to pick out a bunch that are the same coloration and markings. I saw that my LFS had hara hara and hara jerdoni (sorry.. spelling might be off there.)

[The.Dark.One]

you will be able to visably tell if they are different. Most will vary in coloration. I would say if you see different species in the tank, try to pick out a bunch that are the same coloration and markings. I saw that my LFS had hara hara and hara jerdoni (sorry.. spelling might be off there.)

You will find that almost every fish sold as Hara hara will be Erethistes pusillus. The true Hara hara is very rare in catches but sellers list E. pusillus as H. hara.

[Proteus]

Okay guys now this is getting more complicated:


MY question is that I did find a cheap source online its http://www.invertzfactory.com but listed as hara sp. ? anyone have any thoughts on this one

[Richard B]

An Akysis species...maybe

Akysis maculipinnis

- Steve (The Dark One) or Silurus should be able to give a firm ID

[The.Dark.One]

These do look like A. maculipinnis to me. Silurus will say if not as there are some very similar ones. Def an Akysis, not Hara.

[nvcichlids]

I had asked the same question in the past, they are not hara sp. the hara j's they have listed are however hara's

[L number Banana]

For ID, I *think* that the moth cats are the only ones with the real hooked/serrated, long pectoral fin (compared to body length).
Is that true?

[The.Dark.One]

For ID, I *think* that the moth cats are the only ones with the real hooked/serrated, long pectoral fin (compared to body length).
Is that true?

Compared to Akysis, yes.

[Proteus]

Got 4 specimens from invertzfactory as I was ordering some Boraras maculatus and wanted to see how their shipping method was.

super sweet service and super shipping! okay on a serious note- after a closer look at the cats they're more likely not to be hara sp. per comments from the stock photo... pictures will follow as currently having difficulty with the digital camera so everyone can make surefire ID.



Anyone else that has had any luck in getting any Hara for this?

[mummymonkey]

Got 5 H. jerdoni. Still quite small though. (Even for them).

[L number Banana]

Nothing yet, had to cancel my Maiden concert for family stuff so won't be in the big city til maybe next week.
Tank is ready though

[medaka]

HI Guys

I wish you all well in launching a Moth Cat breeding programme.

I successfully spawned and raised to a size suitable for passing onto other Aquarists
Erethistes minuscula and Erethistes jerdoni.
I also managed to get fertile eggs Erethistes pusillus but all the fry died after 7 days
(I do have a theory as to why the E pusillus fry did not survive, but until I can prove it; I will keep shtum).

The first Moth cat I spawned was Erethistes minuscula in 2000/1, but it was a couple of years later when I reported on their spawning in the Catfish Study Groups quarterly journal, after re-spawning them in the same conditions.

I will send some photo's of fry, etc for the cat-elog; as I don't know when my small web site will be able to go back on line, hopefully within the next couple of months .

[apistomaster]

www.franksaquarium.com, in New York State often has Hara spp(Unless the aforementioned substitute is more common; he is usually pretty accurate about his fish ID) at what seem like cheap prices to me.

[medaka]

HI Larry

www.franksaquarium.com, in New York State often has Hara spp(Unless the aforementioned substitute is more common

Just to be brief re: Hara & Erethistes

see Taxonomy & Science news thread
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 14&t=27566

[apistomaster]

Thanks, I was being too lazy to go back to the posted name.

[nvcichlids]

I have yet to come across any and do have my name in for when they are available locally. I have my 8 gallon completely set up for them (and cycled with some purple passion danios). I can post pictures soon as I get back home!

[L number Banana]

I have yet to come across any and do have my name in for when they are available locally. I have my 8 gallon completely set up for them (and cycled with some purple passion danios). I can post pictures soon as I get back home!

Purple Passion Danios? Sounds lovely! Post those pics anytime
Since they grow up with Danios etc, can the two be compatible when breeding takes place? I'm guessing no because my danios are very efficient at gobbling up their own eggs.
I checked out the above link for franksaquarium.com and may be able to go for a drive to the US but I need to check into the price of the paperwork to see if it's worth it or cheaper just to go to Toronto and find some there.

Moderator question:
Since this is kind of a challenge to get people to try to breed/keep a species they've not bred before should we move this to Tank Talk to encourage new or non Asian-catfish people to try Haras?