Basics |
Overview | The first spawn was on Saturday 13th of June 2020. The breeding group consisted of 1 male and 1 female. Additionally, there were 11 unknown individuals present. The smallest male was at least 90mm SL and the smallest female was at least 90mm SL. The youngest adult was approximately 24 months old. The individuals were obtained from Multiple private sources. |
Feeding | 1. | Repashy bottom scratcher mixed with grub pie (dry / prepared) few times a week | | 2. | Freeze dried blackworms (dry / prepared) occasionally | | 3. | Zuchinni (fresh) (dry / prepared) occasionally | | 4. | Xtreme Aquatic Foods Cat Scrapers (dry / prepared) few times a week | | 5. | Bloodworm (frozen) few times a week | | 6. | Hikari Carnivore Tablets (dry / prepared) few times a week | | 7. | Repashy bottom scratcher mixed with super green (dry / prepared) few times a week | | 8. | Brine shrimp (frozen (frozen) occasionally | | 9. | Mysis (frozen) occasionally | | 10. | EBO Aquaristick mussel (dry / prepared) occasionally | | 11. | EBO aquaristicks shrimp (dry / prepared) occasionally | | 12. | Repashy soilent green gel (dry / prepared) few times a week | |
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Water Parameters (at time of spawning) |
pH | 6.00 to 6.40 |
Conductivity | 100µs to 200µs |
Temperature | 26.5°C to 27.0°C |
Current | Strong |
Other Water Params | All measured using the API liquid test kits
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (not measureable but surely present)
KH 1 drop - 17.9ppm
TDS - 114ppm |
Aquarium |
Dimensions | The aquarium dimensions were 1200mm x 480mm x 360mm (47.2" x 18.9" x 14.2") all Length x Width x Height. |
Furniture | Heavily caved with two layers of caves,
Slate tiles separating the layers
Bog wood and Malaysian driftwood on top with large Anubias sp. to provide shade and cover.
No substrate as I heavily feed and substrate just traps waste. |
Filtration | Fluval 306 canister
4000lph powerhead for extra current.
2x Sponge filters with high air flow (Serenity Large Sponge Filter SMXY-380) |
Lighting | 10w LED batten from hardware store 6500k |
Heating | Ehiem 300w connected to an Inkbird thermostat for extra safety.
set to maintain temps at 26.5-27 degrees Celsius in winter.
Summer the tank can reach 31-32 degrees Celsius (it's hot in Australia) |
Breeding |
Behaviour | Typical pleco spawning
Male had this female trapped for 2 days before she was let out after depositing her eggs.
Male is doing a great job of fanning and rotating the egg bundle.
Noticed the female two days after was very beat up from the male, abrasions down her sides.
I hope she can recover well before she tries spawning again. |
Eggs | There were 20 amber/yellow eggs laid which were 3.0mm in diameter. |
Time to hatch | 7 days Number: 14 Free swimming: 7 days |
Segregation | Ziss BL-3 fry box after 7 days when I noticed fry leaving the cave.
Had 20+ fry but due to a filter mishap I've ended up with 14 fry in the Ziss fry box at the free swimming stage.
The fry measured at 7 days way approx 14-15mm in lenght.
EDIT: 29/06/2020
Woke up to 9 dead fry. reasons of death are unknown. So now there are 3 fry remaining
Edit: 21/07/2020
Only 1 fry remaining :( |
Fry sizes | 7 days: 15mm 14 days: 17mm 21 days: 18mm |
7 days |  |
14 days |  |
21 days |  |
Juvenile sizes | 1 month: 18mm 3 months: 0mm 6 months: 0mm |
1 month |  |
3 months |  |
6 months |  |
Fry and juvenile feeding | In the Ziss BL-3 fry box they have Indian almond leaves, twigs and guava leaves to rasp on.
I will offer repashy blends and micro worms daily.
week 2 - Started feeding fluval bug bites flakes and hikari carnivore pellets |