- Messages
- 736
- Location
- Clarkston, WA
I have been trying to breeding AND raise this species since 1970. Not a continous effort, of course but perhaps every eight to ten years I give them a try. I keep at them because they are much more challenging than Apistogramma species and because they are a lovely fish. I also don't need as much tank space for their project as I do for the ten Heckel Discus I have hopes for. D. filamentosus is my practice fish, a warm up to greater things, if you will.
Spawning has never been a problem. I have had them breed in water with pH7.4. Total Hardness ppm 250ppm.
This last time I grew the breeders up in RO water , Keta-Peat and Alder cone soaking in the reservoir. pH 4.5, no measureable hardness.
This was the first spawn from a recently matured group so it is entirely possible the eggs weren't fertilized. So far the best I've done over the years is to get less than 10 free swimming larvae to live almost one week.
Here is a photo of the pair that spawned
The eggs:
And the male on nest, post-spawn:
I know the successful breeding of this species has frustrated some of the best of us but I have never gone to the lengths I did this time to do my best to cater to their needs. Maybe it is just because this was their first spawn and the eggs weren't fertilized. They went bad within 12 hours so this hypothesis seems likely.
I have two males and five females set up in a 20L. Bare bottom except some Alder leaf litter, a piece of bogwood, some petrified wood and clay pots.
Corydoras weitzmani are also present. Live blackworms are always in the tank and these fish are also fed live bbs and frozzen bloodworms.
I have been changing half the water every week with prepared aged water of the same chemistry.
I know I am not alone in having similar experiences with attempts to breed and raise Dicrossus filamentosus. I don't have these problems with Apistogramma species.
Spawning has never been a problem. I have had them breed in water with pH7.4. Total Hardness ppm 250ppm.
This last time I grew the breeders up in RO water , Keta-Peat and Alder cone soaking in the reservoir. pH 4.5, no measureable hardness.
This was the first spawn from a recently matured group so it is entirely possible the eggs weren't fertilized. So far the best I've done over the years is to get less than 10 free swimming larvae to live almost one week.
Here is a photo of the pair that spawned
The eggs:
And the male on nest, post-spawn:
I know the successful breeding of this species has frustrated some of the best of us but I have never gone to the lengths I did this time to do my best to cater to their needs. Maybe it is just because this was their first spawn and the eggs weren't fertilized. They went bad within 12 hours so this hypothesis seems likely.
I have two males and five females set up in a 20L. Bare bottom except some Alder leaf litter, a piece of bogwood, some petrified wood and clay pots.
Corydoras weitzmani are also present. Live blackworms are always in the tank and these fish are also fed live bbs and frozzen bloodworms.
I have been changing half the water every week with prepared aged water of the same chemistry.
I know I am not alone in having similar experiences with attempts to breed and raise Dicrossus filamentosus. I don't have these problems with Apistogramma species.
