Anentome helena and hongsloi spawn

[tat]

Hi,

I have a pair of hongsloi on a 20G tank, with 8 Hemigrammus rhodostomus, 2 amano shrimps and 4 Anentome helena.
Female is closed on the cave (coconut hut) since last friday/saturday, so I guess the incubation period is almost over.

My big question is, any of the tank mates, specially the helenas are a threat to the eggs or to the fries?

Thanks!

 

[Mike Wise]

I doubt that snails are fast enough to enter a cave before the female can remove it. Rummy Nose Tetras (there are several different species), however, tend to be excellent fry predators.

 

[tat]

Thanks for the reply. Mine Rummy Nose Tetras are the most common, Hemigrammus bleheri.

Your suggestion is to let the female defend the fries from the tenacious rummy noses? Or should I do something otherwise all the alevins will be eaten?

I don't mind if in the end only 6 or 7 fries survive. The room to keep the fish is limited..

 

[Mike Wise]

If you really do not need to keep many fry, then let the female try to defend them. Any fry remaining after 2 weeks should be too large for the tetras to eat.

 

[tat]

And magic happened!

Look at this beautiful Hongsloi fries, can you see them

 

[tat]

Well.... The female definitelly abandoned the cave, and is now taking care of the fries behind a stone.

I am feeding the fries with a syringe, twice a day with Sera Vipan Baby.

Humm, any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Humm, any recommendations?

Yes, try and get some life food for them. "Banana worm" (Radopholus similis or Pratylenchus goodeyi) are very easy and productive, and about 1/2 the size of the equally easy "Microworm" (Panagrellus redivivus). These cost pennies to keep and whilst they aren't as good as BBS, they can be fed together with decapsulated brine shrimp and powdered flake, where their movement will stimulate the feeding response in the fry.

As soon as the fry are free swimming, I start feeding them Grindal worms and Moinia as well.

cheers Darrel

 

[tat]

Thanks dw1305.
Where does people usually find the starting cultures, for banana worm or any other microworm culture?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Where does people usually find the starting cultures

If you are in the UK?, PM me your address and I'll send you some. Otherwise via Ebay.

cheers Darrel

 

[tat]

Thanks dw.
I am from Portugal.
Well, for now I will keep feeding with Sera Vipan and BBS. I think I will try the Instant Baby Brine Shrimp from Ocean Nutrion. Expensive but saves lot of work. Anyone already tried?

Everything is going as planned. The female is guarding the fries, from the rummy-noses with the male help. I can't count them, but I think they are surviving....

Here they are:

A little closer:

 

[Gwendal]

Nice pics, i hope they have a good grow.






1 saludo

 

[gerald]

Darrel (and anyone else) - aside from size, is there any difference between micro, banana, and walter-worms in terms of how well Apisto fry eat them? Ive tried microworms on Badis and Elassoma; they may eat a few but dont really seem to like them. I imagine the culture media affects their taste. They sure are easy and low-maint compared to hatching Artemia.

Hi all,
Yes, try and get some life food for them. "Banana worm" (Radopholus similis or Pratylenchus goodeyi) are very easy and productive, and about 1/2 the size of the equally easy "Microworm" (Panagrellus redivivus). These cost pennies to keep and whilst they aren't as good as BBS, they can be fed together with decapsulated brine shrimp and powdered flake, where their movement will stimulate the feeding response in the fry.

As soon as the fry are free swimming, I start feeding them Grindal worms and Moinia as well.

cheers Darrel

Tat -- i suggest keeping the tetras stuffed with food (immediately before you squirt in food to the Apisto fry) so they wont be tempted to eat the apisto fry and their food.

 

[tat]

Thanks for the suggestion gerald.

Well, I am not sure, but I think all fries are gone :-(
Female is now seducing the male again, and hiding on the cave. I can't see any fry. I doubt she is hiding the fries on the coconut....

 

[tat]

Thanks for the suggestion gerald.

Well, I am not sure, but I think all fries are gone :-(
Female is now seducing the male again, and hiding on the cave. I can't see any fry. I doubt she is hiding the fries on the coconut....

I was wrong! I found this morning the female with the fries around the heater.

I didn't expect to see the female dancing around the male, like she was yesterday, when she still have the spawn to guard.

 

[loirUh]

nice!


Ric.Gomes

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Darrel (and anyone else) - aside from size, is there any difference between micro, banana, and walter-worms in terms of how well Apisto fry eat them? Ive tried microworms on Badis and Elassoma; they may eat a few but dont really seem to like them.

I haven't had the culture for long, but everything seems to like Banana worms. They are a bit smaller than micro-worms and incredibly prolific. I haven't noticed any fish not eating Microworms, but I've had a similar experience now with Grindal Worms. All the fish I've kept have eaten them, but I have a "pair" of Parosphromenus (possibly "Bintan" and probably both males) which will suck them in, but immediately spit them out again.

cheers Darrel

 

[tat]

Hi,

Just wanted to give an update.
I thought all fries died, because I couldn't see the female guarding the fries for the last 5/6 days.
Surprisingly, yesterday I saw 3 survivors quickly hiding. The tank layout provides many hideouts, and it seems some of the fries can survive by their own means....
Unfortunately it's impossible to take any picture, or even be sure if they are still alive Anyway I will restart feeding brine shrimps, more or less where I suppose they are hiding.

What concerns me more right now is the female. After abandoning the fries, she started with the procreation rituals again. I thought she was ready to get back in the cave. But what is happening is that the male is chasing aggressivelly the female, which is only hiding the male.
She has now her fin damaged, and looks very stressed... I am not sure what to do.

 

[tat]

The male keeps chasing the female, which seems stressed.
As you can see on the picture, the female shows some damage on the caudal fin.

Should I isolate the female on a breeding box, so she has time to recover?

 

[Mike Wise]

Personally, I think putting the female in a breeder box will cause her even more stress. My guess is that your problem is that the male can see the female too often. You need more cover and/or a larger aquarium.

 

[gerald]

Or, use a tank divider temporarily -- less stressful than a breeding box. If you MUST use a breeding box, put the male in it (with javamoss and pipes to hide in) and cover it; NOT the stressed female. Long term solution is what Mike says.