Breeding Nothobranchius guentheri - Update Page 4
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 12:35 pm
Got a pair of what is my first annual killifish and boy was I excited…
The male
Separated the male and female and started conditioning them with feeding romifex and grindals three times a day (feeding small quantities 2-3 times a day is beneficial then feeding just once, making the fish think that there is a continuous supply of food, helps to trigger spawning)
Nothobranchius are easy to breed, as for a fish with such a short lifespan they don’t have much of a choice but to ensure their species survival.
Breeding setup - A small 6”12”*12” tank is more than sufficient for a pair or a trio.
Water Parameters:
TDS - 100
Temp - 25
pH - 6.5
Keep it as simple as possible, a bare bottom tank with a small sponge filter will do the job.
What you would need now is peat that is available in any garden nursery. Soak the peat for at least 7 days to get out any chemicals used while getting it ready for packaging. I also put the peat in water and boil it for 5-10 minutes just to ensure that it is safe to be put into the tank. Fill the peat in a small container and place it in the breeding tank.
I have used a box like what is shown in the below pic as it gives a larger surface area to the fish to lay eggs as compared with round containers. Just cut a small piece of the lid for the fish to get in and do their act. It is easy to just pick the box after the fish has spawned and separate the eggs from the peat.
The breeding tank with the female
Spawning starts just minutes after you place the male in the tank provided the fish are conditioned well. Nothobranchius are peat spawners, the eggs are laid just below the surface of the peat.
Spawning rituals - The male will entice the female into the box by showing off and flaring. He will then press her down until half of their bodies are submerged underneath the peat. They will stay motionless for a few seconds before jerking and depositing an egg just underneath the upper layer.
I have just one pair so I keep the pair in the tank for a week and then leave the female in there and separate the male to another tank for at least 10-15 days. It is very important to keep them separate at least for a few days for the female to recover from the constant chasing of the male during the breeding period.
Take the box out gently and pour the water along with the peat in a net. Squeeze the water out (not to worry the eggs are quite hardy and will not be damaged during this process).
Put the peat on a cloth spread it out to dry a bit, the eggs will pop up over the top in a while.
The eggs are opaque in colour and are really tiny.
The eggs
Gently pick them up with your fingers and place them in a small container along with some peat used in the breeding process.
Store this container in a dark place at 25C for 3-4 mths.
Hatching of the eggs would be covered in a follow up as will have to wait for at least 2 mths…
The male
Separated the male and female and started conditioning them with feeding romifex and grindals three times a day (feeding small quantities 2-3 times a day is beneficial then feeding just once, making the fish think that there is a continuous supply of food, helps to trigger spawning)
Nothobranchius are easy to breed, as for a fish with such a short lifespan they don’t have much of a choice but to ensure their species survival.
Breeding setup - A small 6”12”*12” tank is more than sufficient for a pair or a trio.
Water Parameters:
TDS - 100
Temp - 25
pH - 6.5
Keep it as simple as possible, a bare bottom tank with a small sponge filter will do the job.
What you would need now is peat that is available in any garden nursery. Soak the peat for at least 7 days to get out any chemicals used while getting it ready for packaging. I also put the peat in water and boil it for 5-10 minutes just to ensure that it is safe to be put into the tank. Fill the peat in a small container and place it in the breeding tank.
I have used a box like what is shown in the below pic as it gives a larger surface area to the fish to lay eggs as compared with round containers. Just cut a small piece of the lid for the fish to get in and do their act. It is easy to just pick the box after the fish has spawned and separate the eggs from the peat.
The breeding tank with the female
Spawning starts just minutes after you place the male in the tank provided the fish are conditioned well. Nothobranchius are peat spawners, the eggs are laid just below the surface of the peat.
Spawning rituals - The male will entice the female into the box by showing off and flaring. He will then press her down until half of their bodies are submerged underneath the peat. They will stay motionless for a few seconds before jerking and depositing an egg just underneath the upper layer.
I have just one pair so I keep the pair in the tank for a week and then leave the female in there and separate the male to another tank for at least 10-15 days. It is very important to keep them separate at least for a few days for the female to recover from the constant chasing of the male during the breeding period.
Take the box out gently and pour the water along with the peat in a net. Squeeze the water out (not to worry the eggs are quite hardy and will not be damaged during this process).
Put the peat on a cloth spread it out to dry a bit, the eggs will pop up over the top in a while.
The eggs are opaque in colour and are really tiny.
The eggs
Gently pick them up with your fingers and place them in a small container along with some peat used in the breeding process.
Store this container in a dark place at 25C for 3-4 mths.
Hatching of the eggs would be covered in a follow up as will have to wait for at least 2 mths…
