Pelvicachromis signatus

[jmtrops]

I had a bunch of F1 females for about the last two years and had been looking for some males. I was finely able to get 2 F0 males about a month ago from Jeff. Since the females were tring to spawn with each other I know it wouldn't be long before they spawned. The fry were out with the parrents this week end. Looks like a good size spawn and the parrents are doing a good job hearding them around. I was a little surprized at the size of the fry, they are a little bigger than P. pulcher fry. I will get some water perameters tonight. Anyone else keeping these?

Jim

 

[aquaticclarity]

Congrats Jim! That didn't take to long. I wish me wild signatus woud get in gear!

Keep in mind that the fish are very prone to female heavy batches of off-spring. I'm guessing a pH closer to 7.0 would help to brig up the male count. But I had trouble getting my signatus to spawn i the past when the pH was above 6.5.

Let us know the water parimeters when you can and I'd LOVE to find out what the sex ratio ends up being when you can tell in a few months.

Jeff

 

[jmtrops]

Conductivity is 175 us and pH is 6.0. I don't know how accuate the pH reading is because that is the bottom of the scale on my test kit, could be lower.

 

[dwarfpike]

Congrats!!

I don't keep them currently, but the LFS has them and I am seriously tempted by them. I just am a little leary about their reported aggression with each other. What size tank are you keeping them in?

 

[jmtrops]

I have them in two 55 gallon tanks. The pair that spawned has an extra female in there and 4 G. wonderi. The othergroup is 1 male and 4 females, 1 male P. taeniatus, trio P. pulcher and 2 Hemichromis sp. This second tank has too many other dominate fish for them to spawn, I need to clear some of them out. I have kept them in 30's and 29's before. I really have not seen an above average amount of aggression with any of the ones I have kept. You should give them a try. Start with a trio or 2 pair with some dither fish and alot of caves, you should be good.

 

[dwarfpike]

29's eh? Hmmmm ...

So it sounds like a 38 gallon (36x15 footprint) with massive driftwood and pvc caves might be good for getting a solid pair out of say 2 males and 2 females, and if need be I can have a 20 gallon long on standby just in case things get rough ...

 

[jmtrops]

That would be good size tank, kind of like a breeder 40.