My Fish House and Spawning so Far.

[Peter Lovett1]

At a out this time last year I started building my fish house little did i know then how much work and how much it would cost. Now that it is finished I think it was more than worth it.

The fish house contains 32 - 48" x 12" x 14" high and 16 - 60" x 12" x 14" high and a 225 gallon sump. Which are all run a a centralised filtration system. Water changer are done by trickling in 100 Gallons of RO water though a water but full of peat.

There are two pimps on the system one which sends the total volume of water though the filtration system once an hour. The other pumps the water round the aquariums at about 3 times the total volume ever hour.

The system has now been up and running for about 4 months with know real problems.

As this was the first time I had ever undertaken a project of this nature most of the design was done on educated guess work. Though I was pretty confident that the design would work I am very surprised how well this is my current list of free swimming fry

Apistogramma agassizii
Apistogramma bitaeniata shishita
Apistogramma baenschi
Apistogramma cacatuoides Triple Orange
Apistogramma eremnopyge
Apistogramma pertensis
Apistogramma panduro
Apistogramma Macmastei
Apistogramma sp. “Oragonâ€Â**

Laetacara thayeri

I am also pretty sure it will not be long until the rest of the species spawn as well. I have a group of 12 wild caught Dicrossus filamentosus which are now starting to show some colour. I also have 6 wild caught Laetacara dorsigera*which are starting to pair up and are digging pit all over their tank but know signs of any spawns. I am also waiting for my A sp. "Maulbruter" A sp. "Morado". I have had A sp. "Maulbruter" in the twice before in the past but had had know luck though they did spawn i never got any fry.


But it is not just the ease in which the fish are spawning it is also the size of the broods which at an estimate are well over 100.

 

[depthc]

Sounds like a very elaborate and well planned setup. If its possible pictures would be great. And good luck on your upcomming spawns, hopefully .

Andrew

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Thanks well it was about 2 years in the planning there are still thing i would like to add to the system. I plan to add an eveporation tower so that is the water in thee fish raise above 26c a valve opens and send the water though untill the water is back too 26c. But money at the moment is in short supply.
I will try to get some pic for you.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

A small update

my A sp. "Morado" and Laetacara dorsigera both layed over the weekend.

 

[Joost S]

My compliments. I get jaleous here!
Congrates on the new nests too.

 

[Andrew C]

Hello Peter
Just thought i would let you see a picture of one of the females with eggs that i got off you two weeks ago :biggrin:

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Nice pic Andy Well look like they are settling well. Hope the eggs hatch and let me know what your water parameters are.

 

[Andrew C]

Peter
The pH of the tank is 6.

It is a bit frantic in the tank, the male looks like he is trying to breed with the other female, but she seems uninterested, and in escaping the male brings her near the female with eggs, and she is having neither of them near her eggs.
Never seen a fish defend eggs so vehemently!

Some of the eggs have fungused, hopefully some eggs will hatch out :frown:

 

[AquaAlbatros]

request

Hi ! congratulations for your fishroom !
Can you post photos of the system ?, i'm building my own fishroom now and i looking for any ideas.
Thank's
Juan

 

[Andrew C]

Peter
The eggs were gone tonight :frown:

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Peter
The eggs were gone tonight :frown:

Is she still guarding the area can you see any rigglers because if they where going to hatch they would have hatched by now.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Hi ! congratulations for your fishroom !
Can you post photos of the system ?, i'm building my own fishroom now and i looking for any ideas.
Thank's
Juan

What would you like to know ask away and i will try to answer you questions where are you in this world if you are in the uk you can come and have a look.

 

[AquaAlbatros]

Thanks peter !
I'm in the other hemisphere of the world, in Argentina.
Currently, i'm studyng the filtration system. Every breeder around here, amateur or professional, uses an air driven filter (corner filter) in their tanks. i'visited some facilities and all are the same : bigs racks of 20 - 60 lts tanks all connected to a central air pump. They prefer this system to prevent diseases spread, but i don't like too much, it's a lot of work to change the water of 20 - 30 tanks of so little volume.
How is your central filter connected ?, are you using overflows ?, my local glass shop almost laught to die when i asked them to drill my tanks ...
Thank's for all the advice.
Juan.-

 

[Andrew C]

Peter
No wrigglers and she's not protecting the area either.
The male is always trying to court the two females, though one of the females hides away a lot more than the other one.

Maybe they'll try again soon.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Thats a shame what was the PH in the tank.

AquaAlbatros

I will answer your question tommorow. I have been very bussy today.

 

[AquaAlbatros]

Thank's peter, no problem, there is no hurry.-

 

[Andrew C]

Peter
The ph in the tank when they laid eggs was 6.
It is down to 5.7 now, as i have a mesh bag full of peat sitting in their tank.

Have been reading that they need a pH of between 4.5 and 5 for breeding and egg devolpment.
Getting my pH to around 5 and keeping it there will hopefully work.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Andrew C

Keep up the good work wish I had the time to get my fish on there way so I am more than happy that you have them and are doing so well good luck.

AquaAlbatros

Okay my system contains 32 - 120cm tanks and 16-150cm tanks they are all drilled and have an overflow in them which returns the water to a large 1500 litre sump.

I have two pumps on the system one sends water round the tanks the other does the filtration system.

I run RO water into the system at 450 l a day, which is also run though peat.

The water is kept at about 26c the PH at about 6 and TDS at 25ppm.

All works very well for me as i never have to do a water change which save on a lot of time.

If there is any thing I can help with let me know I am more than willing to help.

 

[Andrew C]

Peter
Its your good fishkeeping, how healthy and well fed the fish were when i got them.

They all had nice plump bellies

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Lets hope they hatch this time.