Saturday, September 24, 2005
Paradise Fish -- Macropodus --Breeding
Paradise Fish Breeding
Fish in pair have been in one aquarium for about two months. The male had adapted to the tank well and was alone for a month and a half before the female was introduced.
Tank in use is an Eclipse 7 Gal (26 liters) with a Marineland filter. For mating -- they will mate in smaller basins - according to the literature.
Male color is blue with red stripes -- the female is dark green with a red fringe. Only other tank occupant is a Ramshorn Snail.
Breeding Attempts
Male has built three or four bubble nests and they have been abandoned or destroyed; sometimes overnight as if after a thrashing with the female.
About 72 hours ago (09-21-05) -- the male having completed anoher bubble nest was joined by the female. As before, she contributed air bubbles to the nest. Then while attending the nest in pair they began their waltz -- I ignored them (avoided watching them) -- then noticed over my shoulder a spray of eggs released by the female and fertilized by the male.
Size of the eggs
- about common pin-head size ... about a hundred (+) --- color was a silvery (like sevruga caviar).
I immediately unplugged the aquarium filter to avoid sucking any eggs through the filter.
Most all the eggs were naturally buoyant and floated to the surface - but the male, and the female, also avidly collected eggs and placed them under and in the spittle nest. This process is a toss - like a spitting - then on to grab more.
Both fish then watched the nest after tiring or adequately collecting. Some eggs floating nearby were ignored - and apparently, the fish noting that an adequate number filled the nest sufficed and stopped collecting.
--The light was left on over night to relax he fish and to aid their guard againts dislodged eggs. (Had assumed that a destroyed nest before may have indicated some confuison in egg colelction - but 'smell' alone may suffice for that.)
The eggs which appeared fertilized became an opaque white -- others remained translucent. Within 24 hours some eggs showed a small flagellum and moved as the fry consumed their egg sac and began hatching - most of these were translucent witha small black dot and black comma of a tail appearing rapidly to the naked eye. Some wiggling movement may be seen in the egg sac before observing a creature of that same size actually swimming at the surface.
Female Removed
The female remained most of the second day after mating & eggs began hatching - then was removed (36 hours after mating). The male was leftt with the eggs & fry and is still guarding the fry. She avoids him, appears interested but he averts/prevents any close approach. To avoid his distraction & irritation she is removed as recommended. She has no visible injury--appeared a little tired .. and after a day is swimming jollily in the other tank.
Day Three -- the numbers of successful hatches appear to be a few dozen -- more than expected and fewer than that may survive as fry.
Fry and male have fine powdered fish food - some of whch was also offered on Day Two. The male has not been seen eating - but is active. The fry respond to motion on the elastic surface film of the water and swim toward anything dropped at the surface - and eat the powdered food.
The bubble nest dissolved the second day and appears un-needed as the eggs and fry stay at the surface. The fry wiggle/swim like miniature frog embryos (tadpoles) -mainly translucent with a black tail - about 20-30 mm in total length. At times floating still (not moving) -- they group at the surface and move in reaction when the water is stirred gently or food dropped.
The male sits below and watches them as if observing infusoria - but is not aggressive nor hungry.
Tonight on Day Three the male has returned some spittle air bubbles to the water surface among some of the fry which are at the surface. A few fry are very obviously active - the others move then rest.
The aquarium filter with a sponge cover over the water intake has been turned back on -- and a gentle surface ripple moves across the tank water.
Eggs unfertilized or bad were a matter of disinterest by the pair and they dropped or floated free and are dissolving on the tank bottom.
Most of the fry have collected near the bubble nest and ocasionally actively swim or bite at food.
Also Day Three -- some Java Moss for 'infusoria' (ie Daphnia & Rotifers) has been added for 'live foods' value.
Food at this time will be finely powdered fish food & powdered hard-boiled egg yolk; and likely powdered/ground dried brine shrimp & tubifex.
As the fry double in size after a week - the male will be removed. They are now about a quarter to half the size of live-bearers' newborn fish.
Breeding Conditions -water
Aquarium had been thoroughly cleaned 3 weeks ago (full water change); and had had a partial water change the prior week (usually some changed weekly).
Some tips --
- Water changes (my local water is slghtly acidic) stimulate neest building. This has been noticed before in my aquarium with partial changes.
Other hobbyists / breeders raise the heat for a slight warming; change some of the water; and then drop the water level -- to simulate an approaching dry season. (I did not drop the water but had done a partial water change - then noticed the nest building return -- the heat in this unheated aquarium (68-72F) increased with warm weather - but just a couple of degrees - gradually naturally ).
After the pair mated - I left the aquarium light on to enhance egg tending by both in the nest - rather than impose darkness.
Some eggs hatched rapidy -- no particular reason for that - save they were 'nest center' and had the male's greater attention. Others were late hatching -- then showed movement after a wait as long as 48 hours. Checking articles on the WWW -- learned that the hatching time can be 24-50 hours.
Temperature has not been raised and is kept as constant as for the Paradise male with slight natural cooling at night a degree or two - ie 67-70F (as warm as 72F the nights of mating).
Actual matng is quick and less injurious than described and seen with Bettas. The female actually appears to inspect and watches the nest - occasionally helping; then circles with the male and then they intertwine. After the eggs began hatchng --she -a little apprehensive looking stayed at the bottom -until removed Day 2. (She's resting in a small communty tank.).
The fry like the male, are light receptive but also move to a still, darker corner. Some dive an inch or two from the surface. Other unhatched eggs still bob at the surface.
No water change other than partial will be attempted for the next week.
Fish in pair have been in one aquarium for about two months. The male had adapted to the tank well and was alone for a month and a half before the female was introduced.
Tank in use is an Eclipse 7 Gal (26 liters) with a Marineland filter. For mating -- they will mate in smaller basins - according to the literature.
Male color is blue with red stripes -- the female is dark green with a red fringe. Only other tank occupant is a Ramshorn Snail.
Breeding Attempts
Male has built three or four bubble nests and they have been abandoned or destroyed; sometimes overnight as if after a thrashing with the female.
About 72 hours ago (09-21-05) -- the male having completed anoher bubble nest was joined by the female. As before, she contributed air bubbles to the nest. Then while attending the nest in pair they began their waltz -- I ignored them (avoided watching them) -- then noticed over my shoulder a spray of eggs released by the female and fertilized by the male.
Size of the eggs
- about common pin-head size ... about a hundred (+) --- color was a silvery (like sevruga caviar).
I immediately unplugged the aquarium filter to avoid sucking any eggs through the filter.
Most all the eggs were naturally buoyant and floated to the surface - but the male, and the female, also avidly collected eggs and placed them under and in the spittle nest. This process is a toss - like a spitting - then on to grab more.
Both fish then watched the nest after tiring or adequately collecting. Some eggs floating nearby were ignored - and apparently, the fish noting that an adequate number filled the nest sufficed and stopped collecting.
--The light was left on over night to relax he fish and to aid their guard againts dislodged eggs. (Had assumed that a destroyed nest before may have indicated some confuison in egg colelction - but 'smell' alone may suffice for that.)
The eggs which appeared fertilized became an opaque white -- others remained translucent. Within 24 hours some eggs showed a small flagellum and moved as the fry consumed their egg sac and began hatching - most of these were translucent witha small black dot and black comma of a tail appearing rapidly to the naked eye. Some wiggling movement may be seen in the egg sac before observing a creature of that same size actually swimming at the surface.
Female Removed
The female remained most of the second day after mating & eggs began hatching - then was removed (36 hours after mating). The male was leftt with the eggs & fry and is still guarding the fry. She avoids him, appears interested but he averts/prevents any close approach. To avoid his distraction & irritation she is removed as recommended. She has no visible injury--appeared a little tired .. and after a day is swimming jollily in the other tank.
Day Three -- the numbers of successful hatches appear to be a few dozen -- more than expected and fewer than that may survive as fry.
Fry and male have fine powdered fish food - some of whch was also offered on Day Two. The male has not been seen eating - but is active. The fry respond to motion on the elastic surface film of the water and swim toward anything dropped at the surface - and eat the powdered food.
The bubble nest dissolved the second day and appears un-needed as the eggs and fry stay at the surface. The fry wiggle/swim like miniature frog embryos (tadpoles) -mainly translucent with a black tail - about 20-30 mm in total length. At times floating still (not moving) -- they group at the surface and move in reaction when the water is stirred gently or food dropped.
The male sits below and watches them as if observing infusoria - but is not aggressive nor hungry.
Tonight on Day Three the male has returned some spittle air bubbles to the water surface among some of the fry which are at the surface. A few fry are very obviously active - the others move then rest.
The aquarium filter with a sponge cover over the water intake has been turned back on -- and a gentle surface ripple moves across the tank water.
Eggs unfertilized or bad were a matter of disinterest by the pair and they dropped or floated free and are dissolving on the tank bottom.
Most of the fry have collected near the bubble nest and ocasionally actively swim or bite at food.
Also Day Three -- some Java Moss for 'infusoria' (ie Daphnia & Rotifers) has been added for 'live foods' value.
Food at this time will be finely powdered fish food & powdered hard-boiled egg yolk; and likely powdered/ground dried brine shrimp & tubifex.
As the fry double in size after a week - the male will be removed. They are now about a quarter to half the size of live-bearers' newborn fish.
Breeding Conditions -water
Aquarium had been thoroughly cleaned 3 weeks ago (full water change); and had had a partial water change the prior week (usually some changed weekly).
Some tips --
- Water changes (my local water is slghtly acidic) stimulate neest building. This has been noticed before in my aquarium with partial changes.
Other hobbyists / breeders raise the heat for a slight warming; change some of the water; and then drop the water level -- to simulate an approaching dry season. (I did not drop the water but had done a partial water change - then noticed the nest building return -- the heat in this unheated aquarium (68-72F) increased with warm weather - but just a couple of degrees - gradually naturally ).
After the pair mated - I left the aquarium light on to enhance egg tending by both in the nest - rather than impose darkness.
Some eggs hatched rapidy -- no particular reason for that - save they were 'nest center' and had the male's greater attention. Others were late hatching -- then showed movement after a wait as long as 48 hours. Checking articles on the WWW -- learned that the hatching time can be 24-50 hours.
Temperature has not been raised and is kept as constant as for the Paradise male with slight natural cooling at night a degree or two - ie 67-70F (as warm as 72F the nights of mating).
Actual matng is quick and less injurious than described and seen with Bettas. The female actually appears to inspect and watches the nest - occasionally helping; then circles with the male and then they intertwine. After the eggs began hatchng --she -a little apprehensive looking stayed at the bottom -until removed Day 2. (She's resting in a small communty tank.).
The fry like the male, are light receptive but also move to a still, darker corner. Some dive an inch or two from the surface. Other unhatched eggs still bob at the surface.
No water change other than partial will be attempted for the next week.
// posted by scotty of course @ 10:55 PM 
