How to breed nijsseni

[chappy]

Hi,

Currently setting up a planted tank with the purpose of keeping/breeding nijsseni.Would appreciate a few ideas on water parameters especially ph and also to know about breeding behaviour.Can this be a particularly aggresive fish?

 

[Mike Wise]

A. nijsseni form bonded pairs. They often are very choosy about their mates, so just any male & female might not breed together. This species requires soft acid water to successfully breed in reasonable quantities (more than a lucky 1 or 2). Start with a pH ~5.8 and dH 5.

 

[chappy]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the reply.If they form bonded pairs would I be better off starting with maybe two females and one male till a pair is formed or is this asking for trouble.

 

[Mike Wise]

If you develop a pair, the other female will likely be killed if she is not removed from the tank.

 

[Noddy65]

I agree with Mike, pairs are the best.
Recently however Ive had to do some interesting things with nijsseni.
I have two pairs but the male of one pair died a few months ago. The lone female came into condition (yellow and chasing the dither fish). I popped the other male into the tank with her, she came after him immediately, tail wagging and the whole thing, trying to lead him back to the cave.
He didn't want to have anything to do with her, turned very dark and hung out at the surface in the corner of the tank.
I removed him immediately and popped him back into his existing tank.
I left it for a week and put him back in with the by now very yellow and excited female. Again he didn't want to have anything to do with her.
So I popped him into one of those mesh fry saver things and left him in the tank for a further 3 days. She continued to show interest in him through the mesh.
I then turned the fry saver on its side and put in on the bottom of the tank. Within 10 minutes he had followed her into the cave and they spawned. he then retreated back into the fry saver.
I took this as a sign and popped him back into his original tank.
I have about 30 free swimming fry at the moment.

Mike

 

[ProF_FR]

Hi,

Mike pointed out a good thing : "They often are very choosy about their mates" that makes me say not to keep youngs together too long, i had a female Baenschi who choosed her brother and never accepted another male

ProF