Breeding T. candidi

[tx_mike]

Does anyone have any breeding pointers to share w/ me on Taeniacara candidi? I have a trio (w/ 2 young females & adult male) in a custom 48"x18"x10" tank, it's approx 35 gal. Also in w/ them are a very fecund trio of A. agassizii, a juvie trio of A. borellii, corys & a couple of pit bulls. The tank has lots of wood, plants (fake), pots, etc. I tried real hard to break up any long sight lines. Water is 1 degree GH w/ a Ph of 6.1 and temp range of 79 to 82. I've modified the outflow on the eheim 2217 so there is almost no current, my agassizii's and borellii's seem to like still water. Water changes are 50% every 2 days w/ reconstituted DI.
How are the candidi as parents? Will I have to pull the eggs or fry? If I get any fry (wishful thinking) can I start them on BBS or will I need to use microworms?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[lab]

It seems that people have different experiences with respect to T. candidis water requirements. Some specimens will happily breed in the water conditions you have, while others will not breed succesfully in water with a pH above 5. I have a pair at the moment that breeds regularly in water like yours. I suspect that it depends on how many generations they have been bred in captivity.
Mine are OK parents for about 3-4 weeks, but I keep them in a breeder tank by themselves, so I really wouldn't know how they defend against other inhabitants. They seem quite agressive though. If you really want to be succesfull in raising a batch of fry, you should give a male and a female a tank of their own. Then you won't have to worry about fry eaters. You could also pull the eggs from the community tank, but it would seriously disturb the parents, which can be quite tough on each other.
The fry are actually quite large, so there should be no problem with BBS as first food.
The females motion pattern when guarding fry is really something. I shot a video of it, regretfully in rather poor quality, but I think you can spot the essential:



Good luck with them,
Lars

 

[Fatts]

Mike,
I honestly don't believe the hype about water when it comes to T. candidi. I have bred mine in a ph of 5.0 and EC of 10, and then the same pair bred in my community tank with a ph of 6.4 and an EC of about 250.

I think the key is to add a little peat (or oak leaves) and to feed them well. I feed mine glassworms once a day (and I rotate between, BBS, golden pearls ect for the second feeding a day) for about 2 weeks. Do a small water change every other day (~20-25%). At then end of the second week do a large water change (~75%) an then I have eggs the next day. I have been able to follow it through for about 10 spawns now, and it still has not failed me.

Lab is right though, the "wagging" motion of the female is something you just have to see. My females are outstanding moms. I seem to get about 40 fry every time they spawn. And like I said they have even spawned in my community tank, with cories, tetras and plecos, and mom has raised a few of the fry.

Best of luck, and any other questions, ask away.

 

[retro_gk]

Scott, are those live glassworms or frozen? Source?

 

[Fatts]

Most of the time I use frozen. Every now and then the LFS gets some live in and I use them, but they both, frozen and live, seem to work about the same for me.