C.aeneus spawning and fry.

[lurch1000]

I've had aeneus for a year now, and 2 days after moving them from my 96l to the new 240l, they spawned! Everywhere!

Salvaged 30-40 eggs. I salvaged them to a tank, but probably should have done an ice cream tub first, but it looks like most hatched from the few unhatched white eggs I removed. Hard to say how many fry I have as they're camped out on the ledge of the aponge filter that I can't see clearly in to. At a conservative safe guess, at least 15 have survived.

Of the eggs I left in the tank, many got eaten, a few hatched, but I have no idea if they survived, as there are Tetras that will have seen them as a snack, and two filter intakes to worry about. Find out in a few weeks I guess.

The fry in the fry tank are currently on Liquifry as I'm still working on worms and BBS. I was unprepared for this, but I'm working my hardest on it.

Attached is a (poor) pic of 3 fry in the corner.

Here you might make out some in the filter

I know it's tame stuff, and that aeneus will breed anywhere, but it's my first ever fry, so I thought I'd share!!

[lurch1000]

Meant to add - I put the two small air stones from the old 96l, unconnected, in the fry tank for what micro-goodness they might have, and the bigger fry seem to have started picking at it.

[lurch1000]

Spawned again today, so no I have more eggs!

Would the eggs harm in the fry tank, or will the exiting fry decide the sacs are a good source of nutrition?

[lurch1000]

New eggs have started hatching!

Interesting to see the difference in sizes between the ones which are 8 days older!

[lurch1000]

Left this a while!

The oldest fry now really do look like Cory, and have done for a while. Some that hatched last (mid Jan) still look like tadpoles and not fish, so not sure if they're going to do well, or if I'm drawing too much of a comparison with the bigger boys and girls. There is one that's far bigger than the rest by a considerable margin too.

Another 6 weeks or so, they may be ready to step up to a big boy's tank!

[backstreetgambler]

It's always nice with that first spawn of a species you never kept before. Nothing will make you spend more time in front of the aquarium than the prospect of seeing a little fry darting from cover to cover or, as in your case, to see them grow and develop in a grow out tank.

And it's also a sure confirmation that you're doing something right with regards to water condition, nutrition and and overall living conditions when you have your fish spawning. Good luck w the little guys!

Niklas

[Shazray]

And it's also a sure confirmation that you're doing something right with regards to water condition, nutrition and and overall living conditions when you have your fish spawning. Good luck w the little guys!

Niklas

Agreed

I don't know if this is the same for Cories, but I have seen this happen with Celestial Pearl Danio fry - where the oldest ones grow really well but the younger ones seemed... even stunted. Found out that the older fry release a growth-inhibiting hormone which slows the others' growth. The way to combat this is with frequent water changes. They will dilute and flush out those growth-inhibiting hormones so that the younger ones can grow up nice and strong like their big brothers and sisters

[lurch1000]

Thanks Niklas. Hopefullt that means my Acestridium dichromum have a good chance of survival!

Shazray - sounds very interesting, do you have any reference material? I'd love to read up on it. I'd heard suggestion that separating the larger fry will allow the smaller not to get pushed out at feeding time, but I've not had jostling issues as I ensure the food spreads far and wide across their tank.

Water changes are 40% per day, with an extra change every few days in top.

[Shazray]

Not much material, sorry! I experienced it firsthand and then found this.

[lurch1000]

Does sound interesting. Might do a slightly bigger water change later

[lurch1000]

Pic of the fry today. These boys (or girls) are about 2cm long now.

[lurch1000]

What sort of size would people normally consider letting them go in to a peaceful community tank?

I must put centimetre marks on the surround of that tank. Any time I go near it with a tape measure (as I'm rubbish at guessing sizes) they skit away!

Pleased to see that they've started doing to odd surface dash like adults do. The tank is a little way from the sofa, but you occasionally see a tiny elongated shadow dashing up and down