Breeding Paracheirodon simulans

[rr16]

Hi, does anyone know of anyone breeding P. simulans? I have just spawned mine so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mike Wise]

I don't understand. You already have spawned your False/Green Neons so you know how to do it. Do you mean how to raise the fry? If so, I can only tell you how I raised my Cardinal Tetras. Basically I just let them feed on microorganisms in a very large clump of Java Moss and on the sponge filter. The top of the tank was covered by floating plants, too, so there were many hiding places to avoid the school of adult Cardinals. Yes, I'm a lazy aquarist and don't try to raise every fry. I fed the adults BBS and once the fry got large enough they started eating BBS near the surface away from the adults. In this way I'd produce a dozen or 2 specimens every 6 months for the club auctions. If you want to raise larger quantities then I guess you'll need to produce infusoria cultures. Personally both species are commercially so common and relatively inexpensive that I doubt that it is worth the cost and effort.

 

[rr16]

Cheers Mike. It was just any advice on raising the fry really. I suspected it would be infusoria then BBS. I've already removed the adults and I have Paramecium and culture bbs every day as I have Copella, Trichopsis vittatus, Trigonostigma, Corydoras and some killi fry (plus a few random others).
Cheers.

 

[rr16]

Here are some not very good pictures at 25 days old. Some of them have the green/blue stripe and eyes now.

 

[Carlos]

Hi,
this is the first time I see a sucessful attempt of breeding this species on the internet.

Can you please specify what your conditions were? a lot of people try to breed simulans with no success. This species seems to have some weird secret as far as breeding is concerned.

PH, GH, KH
Water temperature
Feeding
Water changes
Any leaves in the water releasing tannins
Water current in the aquarium due to filtration/pump
Plant cover
Is it true about the eggs being sensitive to light?
Size of the aquarium.
Were there other species of fish in the aquarium?
Do you know what triggers their instincts to breed?

I use rainwater mixed with soft spring water and already got apistos to breed.

Thanks in advance

 

[rr16]

I have all this but need to write it up. Will try to remember soon. They are in to breed again but not being as serious this time, to see if they breed again

 

[Carlos]

I have all this but need to write it up. Will try to remember soon. They are in to breed again but not being as serious this time, to see if they breed again

Thanks!

 

[rr16]

Below is my experience 1st time of spawning them. Not sure if the eggs are light sensitive or not, but I left the lights on their usual cycle and got 40 fry. The water was strongly stained by this point with tannins. They are currently in water of a lower pH and no signs of spawning. Over the next few days I will probably raise the pH by doing a few fresh water changes with R. O. then maybe try adding homemade blackwater and see what happens. I suspect water changes and increased organic matter may simulate the rainy season.

Hardness is pretty much non-existent and they are in a 12 x 18inch tank with a simple slow sponge air-driven filter and spawning mops and mesh on the base.

Put in on evening of 12/08/17
R. O. Water + alder cones + extract
Temp. ~25°C
pH 6.7

Day 2, pH dropped to 6.4
Water tea coloured
Heater added to up temp.
Fed mosquito larvae and bbs and micro/banana worm.

Day 3
Temp. 26.8°C
pH 5.8?

Day 4
Fed nems, bbs, frozen daph and flake
Topped up with about 10% cooler water
Temp. 26.1?
pH 6.0

Day 5
Fed nems, flake and bbs
Temp 26.8°C
pH 6.3
Added about 30 oak leaves

Day 6
pH 5.9
Temp 27.1°C
TDS 25ppm


Day 7
pH 6.1
Temp 26.8
Thunder storm
Topped up with approx 10% R. O.

Day 8
pH 6.2
Temp. 26.8

Day 9
pH 6.2
Temp 26.8

Day 10
pH 6.3 - added oak leaf extract
Temp 26.4

Day 11
pH 6.1
TDS 30ppm
Temp 26.8
Added more oak leaf extract - water went cloudy
11PM - Temp 27.2 Possible spawning activity - chasing through spawning mops side by side
Check pH in morning and remove adults.

Day 12
Found about 6 eggs under the mesh gauze.
Took adults out of the tank and put in mixed grow out tank
Temp 27.4
Water is highly stained - made seeing the adults to catch them difficult
pH - 5.9
TDS 35ppm

Day 13
Saw 2-3 fry hatched out on base of aquarium.

Day 16 - fry consumed most of yolk sac
pH gone back up to 6.5
TDS 37ppm
Temp 27.4 (27/08/17)

Day 17
Temp 27.8
pH 6.5

Day 20
~ 20 fry freeswimming - tending to move towards the light after lights out.

 

[Carlos]

How many fish did you have in the aquarium, I'm assuming the more the better, or am I wrong?. I'll try to mimic your conditions with rainwater and oak leaves...

 

[rr16]

I had three. I think only two were involved in spawning though.