breeding qeustion

[raphie]

hi, i would just like to know if anyone has some tips for breeding raphael catfish for me help will be appreciated.

[Narwhal72]

As far as I know it has not yet been done in captivity.

[raphie]

Hey thanks, it is fo that reason that I am going to try and breed them

[Narwhal72]

From what I have read, doradids are seasonal spawners that make large nests in vegetation. If you have a large outdoor pond planted with aquatic grasses you may be able to replicate the habitat they need to spawn and possibly the seasonality.

[raphie]

Ok so then if I put then In a tank then I have to put in a boat load of plants thanks

[Narwhal72]

Your guess is as good as mine.

Not sure if the type of plants is important to the fish or not. From what I have seen in the wild it was emergent grasses that the nests were found in.

[raphie]

was it aquatic grass or grass we have in our lawn or some other grassie plant thanks

[bekateen]

Did you see this photo in the raphael catfish CLOGs? The habitat is described as submersed terrestrial grasses, although I wouldn't assume that this could be satisfied by using normal "lawn" grass; perhaps that would be enough, but I don't know.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/ima ... ge_id=5988

Cheers, Eric

P.S., You haven't mentioned what kind of raphael catfish you have - striped raphaels?

[raphie]

hey do you have an idea what species the submerged grass may be

[raphie]

Oh sorry I forgot I have a striped raphael catfish Platydoras Armalatus

[Bas Pels]

So one would have to start with a large tank say 3 meters or 10 feet long and 60 cm/2 feet high and wide, with one side of it filled halfway with substrate. Here one sows grass, and after a while, the grass will grow. Large, that is, say 30 cm high (or 1 foot or 12 inches)

The other half is submerged, and here one can place a few Platydoras. These should be adults, which have feen fed very well.

In a few months, a dry season is minmiced, that is the water is NOT refreshed, temp is raised (close to 30 C), and perhaps feeding is low.

Than, one day it starts raining - very soft, better 100 % RO water, @ 25 C or so and the water level wil raise in a few days, so grass will be submerged

The catfish have now the opportunity to make a nest, and so on

Do we think this would work? That is, not going into the problems with actually doing this, but would it have chanses of succes?

[raphie]

Sound like a plan I am goin to try this once the fund roll in. I have like 350 sword tail fry that go for around 2 dollars each and I breed corry catfish to and am looking for a few extra fish to breed. So I'm going to try and get these catfish to breed.

[Bas Pels]

2 dollars for a swordtail? US Dollars??? wow

[raphie]

Jip. 2 us dollars each they are gold and blue

[Riippasaarni]

So.. did the plan work? I'm thinking about taking the Raphaels outside next summer..when they are a little bit older.

[prairiefire]

I'm not sure about the striped ones. But I believe my spotted ones lay their eggs inside a hole in the driftwood. One of the parents will cover the entrance for what seems like a couple months not even coming out to feed. When it finally leaves the hole I will usually find a few new babies hiding in various spots around the tank.

[Riippasaarni]

Thanks, that's what I thought too. Since the other catfishes of this tribe spawn in wood ''caves'' I assumed this would be the case with these too. Each fish has made it's own cave in a driftwood and digging it deeper by the time.
Don't know what kind of raphs others have, but mine are like dogs. They come out when they smell food..begging in one corner..they also chase each other and I have heard them growling eahc other. And they steel food from each others caves..
And even if they are night active..they are actually seen a lot during light hours.