Copella arnoldi..

[ste12000]

I know its nothing particulary new but these fish facinate me, ive been breeding them seriously for around 12 months and currently have well over 1000 in the fishroom at all ages and sizes. They are prolific spawners and its not unusual to get a clutch of eggs everyday, certainly every two days.

Most of the time i let them get on with it and just observe them while im busy with other jobs, last week i got the camera out and got a few pics to support the article im in the middle of writing. I thought id share them on here.

Male

Female.

Lining up ready to exit the water.

Out of the water and depositing eggs, not the best pic but you can see whats going on.

Eggs on the glass.

A newly hatched fry, still with yolk sac.

 

[slimbolen99]

Sweet! Pretty neat you were able to get pics of the fish on the bottom of the leaf.

 

[Mike Wise]

Wow! The real Splashing Tetra! I've been looking for these for almost 40 years! I thought they were a myth!

 

[ste12000]

Sweet! Pretty neat you were able to get pics of the fish on the bottom of the leaf.

Thanks, my arm was aching in the end, it was a long wait to get a shot.. I got this one and hoped for a better pic, then a friend turned up so i had to stop photographing!!!!! Ill keep trying for a better action shot..

 

[ste12000]

Wow! The real Splashing Tetra! I've been looking for these for almost 40 years! I thought they were a myth!

Really??? Well when we finally get you over to the UK to give a lecture to the BCA ill give you some to take back with you...

 

[Chromedome]

I had the real thing twenty five years ago, bred them for two generations, then moved into a new house with bad water and lost all. Haven't been able to find them since, and I've also been looking. Half the species of Pyrrhulina that I've had were the result of ordering "the real Splash Tetra".

Nice specimens, keep up the good work.

 

[killiguy]

Im supposed to be getting a pair of these fish in a week or 2.How do you tell the "Real thing".
Like Mike Ive been looking for them for 30 years,since Hans Richter did an article on them in TFH in the late 70's

To ste12000 could you fill us in on the process needed to breed these things or do we have to wait for the article

 

[Chromedome]

The most commonly mis-identified fish are Pyrrhulina filamentosa variants. The fastest way to differentiate between these and Copella arnoldi are the metallic spangles on the body of the male arnoldi. Also, there tends to be a reddish blush to the arnoldi, and the red area at the bottom of the lower caudal extension.

There are a couple of other species of Copella that occasionally show up. C. vilmae, which I have only seen in photos, has a great deal more color on the body, and tends to be very thin. Most other Copella species have a line down the side, or rows of spots that are brown to wine red. One that I had actually had spots that were brown with a wine red center, and those fish liked to crawl out of the water onto the top of a floating leaf. I have some really bad photos of those fish lying on the leaf during egg laying.

The Pyrrhulinini seem to have some of the most interesting methods of reproduction, but almost all are brood tenders.

 

[mummymonkey]

Copella arnoldi are reasonably commonly found in the UK. Certainly recently.
I spawned them last year but ended up giving away my breeders. They didn't sell at auctions and I ended up selling most of them to a shop for a quid each.

Here is a video I made of the fry from my first spawning, spawning themselves.

[video=youtube;8YynYtOsi_4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YynYtOsi_4[/video]