 Basics | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | The first spawn was on Sunday 15th of April 2018. The breeding group consisted of 5 males and 3 females. Additionally, there were 6 unknown individuals present. The smallest male was at least 75mm SL and the smallest female was at least 65mm SL. The youngest adult was approximately 8 months old. The individuals were obtained from Imported from Petra Aqua. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Further spawns | Wednesday 2nd of May 2018, Monday 22nd of January 2024, Monday 5th of February 2024, Saturday 17th of February 2024. 4 in total. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Feeding |
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| Water Parameters (at time of spawning) | |||||||||||||||||||
| pH | 6.80 to 7.40 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conductivity | 300µs to 500µs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Temperature | 24.5°C to 28.5°C | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current | Medium | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other Water Params | Tap water declorinated with Aquavitro alpha. Fish spawns seem to hatch much better when spawn and rearing occur at cooler temps, around 76F. My first spawns were up around 82F, but survival was very unpredictable, in several instances all eggs (or all but a few) failed to hatch at higher temp. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Aquarium | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dimensions | The aquarium dimensions were 610mm x 305mm x 305mm (24" x 12" x 12") all Length x Width x Height. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Furniture | Sand substrate, clay and bamboo caves, wood, Manzanita wood. One Anubias plant | ||||||||||||||||||
| Filtration | Aqueon Quietflow 40. Extra water flow and aeration using an Aquaclear 30 powerhead with venturi. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting | T8 fluorescent on 12L:12D timer. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Heating | Fluval E250 heater set at 83F. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Breeding | |||||||||||||||||||
| Behaviour | NOTE: After fourth or fifth spawn, I found that egg incubation and hatching is MUCH BETTER at lower temps (76F) than at higher temps (82F), and now I leave eggs with dad instead of removing to egg tumbler.... Now back to description of original/first spawn: First spawning not observed. It occurred overnight after a 90% water change and deep clean of tank, refilled with cool (74F) water (compared to normal tank temp = 83F). Male found in cave fanning eggs the next morning. On day 3 of fanning, the eggs turned white and by day 4 the male had either eaten his eggs or kicked them out of his cave. This same pattern occurred with my two first spawns. When the fish spawned a third time (on 12 June 2018), I left the eggs with dad for one day. Even on day one, I started seeing eggs turn white again, so I took the eggs and moved them to an egg tumbler (see Segregation). A fourth spawn occurred on 29-30 July 2018. It was a larger egg mass than before. When I found the eggs I removed them from the cave and put them in a Cobalt tumbler and treated with methylene blue before sealing up the tumbler (see Segregation). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Eggs |  There were 150 yellow eggs laid which were 1.5mm in diameter. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time to hatch | 4 days Number: 43 Free swimming: 4 days | ||||||||||||||||||
| Segregation | On the third spawn, I took the eggs from dad's cave and placed them into a Cobalt egg tumbler. I estimate that about 1/4 - 1/3 of the eggs hatched, yielding at least 43 fry. On the fourth spawn, I again removed eggs from dad's cave and put them in a Cobalt tumbler. I added a couple of drops of methylene blue then let it wash out of the tumbler into the parent tank with the normal water flow. Between 100-150 eggs hatched, I estimate more than 50% of the total egg mass. Hatching started on day 3 and continued for 3 more days, with one egg hatching on day 6. Most eggs hatched on day 4 and day 5. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fry sizes | 7 days: 10mm 14 days: 13mm 21 days: 15mm | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 days |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| 14 days |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| 21 days |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| Juvenile sizes | 1 month: 19mm 3 months: 38mm 6 months: 57mm | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 month |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 months |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 months |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fry and juvenile feeding | On the third spawn, I left the fry in the tumbler for two days to ensure that all the eggs which could hatch did, and then I gently transferred all the fry to a fry net/basket inside the parents' tank. The basket had some small Java ferns added, along with a few dried oak leaves and a couple of fragments of old bamboo. On day four the fry had consumed most or all of their yolk, so I started feeding small amounts of crushed Spirulina flakes, shredded raw sweet potato, and crushed freeze-dried black worms or blood worms. Growth at 2 months: 28mm SL | ||||||||||||||||||
