Dicrossus filamentosus

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I've purchased five sub-adult Dicrossus filamentosus a few weeks ago. They've settled in really well and are becoming sexable.

I'll keep a pair, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get the water soft and acidic enough for them to breed.

This time I'm going to feed them much more carefully, difficult because they are typical blackwater fish and eat everything.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Yoannikko]

Nice looking fish !

How are you going to bring the pH down ? Just botanicals ? Though from what I understand, you would need a lot to get below 6.5/6.0 pH. Or are using peat ?

 

[rasmusW]

Weeee… does this mean we actually get to see one of your tanks and not just that old picture of a overgrown tank (-don’t get me wrong, I like that one too).
Good luck with your new fish.

-r

 

[MacZ]

I'll keep a pair, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get the water soft and acidic enough for them to breed.

Soft is never the problem, as you have a rainwater source. The pH doesn't have to be that low for them, though about 6.0 would be good.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Nice looking fish !

How are you going to bring the pH down ? Just botanicals ? Though from what I understand, you would need a lot to get below 6.5/6.0 pH. Or are using peat ?

I'm just going to try with botanicals, I no longer have easy access to DI water (I've just retired from work).

Soft is never the problem, as you have a rainwater source. The pH doesn't have to be that low for them, though about 6.0 would be good.

I'm going to clean out one of the water butts and hopefully (<"if it ever rains again">) the water will be softer in the winter. Our rainwater always has <"some carbonate buffering">, because it is all limestone here, and dust from the roof etc., gets into the butt.

Weeee… does this mean we actually get to see one of your tanks and not just that old picture of a overgrown tank (-don’t get me wrong, I like that one too).

This one is even more overgrown than the others, I've had a bit of a Susswassertang (Lomariopsis lineata) issue. It is the perfect plant in many ways, I like it, but I just have an industrial amount, it is now competing for space with the Frogbit.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

Darrel, photo #2 looks odd for D. filamentosa.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Darrel, photo #2 looks odd for D. filamentosa.

All five are normally chequered, I should be able to get a photo of all of them. I'd agree it does look strange in the photo.

They had apparently been in the shop (Maidenhead Aquatics in Cirencester) for several months, but they couldn't remember exactly where they were obtained from.

I virtually never buy fish, and I didn't intend to buy these, but it is pretty rare to see unusual soft water fish in this area and all the fish looked well kept.

Cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Darrel, photo #2 looks odd for D. filamentosa.

Failed to get all five in the same shot, but it was interesting watching them. They changed markings as they interacted.

So three out of five.

And the fifth fish again, in the process of going from bar to stripe.

Cheers Darrel

 

[MacZ]

Ok... in the first picture you have 2 females, 1 male.

The second picture: I fear those are both males. The slight furcation in the caudal and the red/blue hue in the dorsal tell me that fish is a male, the other one probably has some colourvariation in the body I haven't seen in females.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

The second picture: I fear those are both males. The slight furcation in the caudal and the red/blue hue in the dorsal tell me that fish is a male,

Yes, I think you are right. I'm pretty sure one is a male and two are females, that one looks like another male, and I'm unsure about the fifth one.

I'm only going to keep a "pair", I just need to make sure that is a male and a female, not two males.

cheers Darrel

 

[anewbie]

Do these fish have any sort of pairing behavior or does the female simply picks an 'acceptable' male to spawn with - and does the female ever reject a male if she doesn't like the available options ?

Btw i had an interesting behavior where i removed a male my ram had been with for sometime and put in another nicer male but the female went into 'pout' mode and wouldn't eat or have anything to do with the male.

 

[MacZ]

Do these fish have any sort of pairing behavio

It is really impressive to see it.

Not my video but look:

and does the female ever reject a male if she doesn't like the available options

Yes. My last two were a prime example. First she rejected him, because he was still to young. Then he outgrew her and ultimately he killed her.

 

[anewbie]

It is really impressive to see it.

Not my video but look:

That is breeding courting but do they have strong bond or when she is ready to breed again will she happily breed with a different male that is suitable but available.

For example with my pair of ram when i removed one the other one pouted for a 5 days until i return her mate.

 

[MacZ]

but do they have strong bond or when she is ready to breed again will she happily breed with a different male that is suitable but available.

oh, that wasn't clear to me from your original question. I haven't noticed any bonding beyond spawning.

 

[Mike Wise]

They do not form bonds. More like most apistos: pick the best spawning partner.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
They've been enjoying the black mosquito larvae and Daphnia diet, and two of the females look to have laid eggs somewhere in the jungle, but I think the water will be too hard for any success.

Cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
This is how they look now. I've seen some eggs, they looked fertilised, but still no fry.

Cheers Darrel

 

[MacZ]

Beautiful fish. I know why I prefer them over Apistos.

 

[anewbie]

The male in breeding dress is extreme eye candy but they are larger fish that need a larger aquarium.

 

[KenL]

The male in breeding dress is extreme eye candy but they are larger fish that need a larger aquarium.

How large?