Peruvian Angels:Spawn to 3 months...and some FAQs
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:50 pm
It is high time I close this journal. Therefore, I am putting all (that I think is relevant) in one post. I have just selected some portions from my earlier thread viewtopic.php?f=46&t=692. My intention is not to hurt anyone, but to ensure that these posts only contain some necessary steps i had taken to breed F1 Peruvian scalares. Therefore, the comments and my responses to them have been mostly deleted. We can then archive this thread after it is locked (if the moderators want it) .
Tank details:
Dimensions: 72 (L) X 21(D) X 18 (H)
Water: 80% RO rest Tap
Keeping the water 'soft' and doing Blackwater: Mostly Almond leaves, but initially have put some commercially available BW extract.
Substrate: Ada Nile sand
Background: Tree trunk, roots and Rocscape customized and made by India Petstore
Hardscape: Plenty of Driftwoods
Filtration: 2217 Eheim and 2203 Eheim (might remove the 2203 later)
Filtration media: Apart from sponzes, ADA Bio Rio and SERA Peat and Newzealand Sphagnum moss
Light: 4 X10 watts LED
Flora: Some floating plants initially, but gave them up soon.
Fauna: WIld caught Peruvian Scalare Angels; some more Apistos.
Other observations: The tank is cycled with water from my existing tank, 2203 filter that was in my existing tank. Fishes added after 1 month of cycling
Parameters: PH 6.4.
First attempt to breed: Result failure
Eggs were there at the side glass. Unfortunately, I had to travel for the next few days. I did remove all other fishes from the tank to another tank except the parents. But when I returned the eggs were gone! My guess (a) immatured parents, most people say that happens the first couple of times , and or (b) parents eat up eggs moment they get startled by any movement! Failed one more attempt and then I made sure that next time (the parents are slightly matured by then) the would be parents will have a separate tank, hidden from plain eyesight, dark water and little disturbance.
So here is my breeding tank details
Size: 18 inch cube
Water: RO, blackwater made with IAL
Filter: Spinge filter attached to an airpump. tank temp: around 25 degrees, maintained through CPU.
Day 1 photos: Egg laying and fanning......
At the same time, there was an other pair who had spawned. Been aware of (a) how aggressive the parents get towards others and (b) the fries may not survive in the tank, I decided to remove those eggs and raise them separately.
Result: The eggs which were kept with the parents have hatched. Now they are busy removing the small wrigglers from one corner of the tank to the other! The eggs, which were unattended became white and did not hatch...I have identified some (plausible)reasons for this: 1. The water I used was the tank water, without doing any subsequent water change 2. Could not add methylene blue to keep fungus away and most importantly 3. Last night the air pump got turned off (must have accidentally disturbed the electricity connection!). I have not tried again to 'artificially' hatch eggs.
This is where the actual journey begins;
Updates on Scalare Angel breeding:
Tank size: 18 X18X18 bar bottom glass tank
Filtration: Power head
Breeding equipment: One slate resting on the glass at 60 degrees
Light: Low
Day 1 : Eggs are laid on the slate….impossible to count,
Day 3: Approximately after 48-60 hours from the eggs are laid, they hatch (impossible to count again ). The parents move the eggs to a different portion of the tank. The fries are attached to the tank side through their egg sac. One can see the tails are wriggling.
Day 4-7: The parents will try atleast a couple of time to carry the wrigglers in their mouth and stick them at different portions in the tank.
Day 7: The fries are free swimming. I could observe them for about half an hour post free swimming. Counting possible.....guess one, in the morning around 100 fries ! Few things I have noticed are;
(a) the parents still can’t believe that the fries are free swimming, and hence, they are making a desperate attempt to take them in their mouth and make them ‘stick’ against the wall
(b) gradually they are accepting the ‘fate’ and just concentrating on carrying the ones who are straying from the group and putting them back in the group.
(c) the fries gravitate towards the light.
Filtration: The filtration was switched off after the eggs were laid. Will start sponge filter today.
The most critical phase is the first 3 weeks from spawn. Decisions to be made:
1. When to remove the parents?
2. What to feed?
3. Water change?
Feeding: Fed some microworms. Making brine shrimps: I was keenly following http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uNkHPuGaqo&feature=plcp as well as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBF4CfUCVpY&feature=plcp. These are wonderful documentaries. For Brine Shrimp, the best I found, with a success rate is Azoo Artemia Cysts.
A diet of BBS and Micro worms were followed for next 3 weeks (that is upto 4 weeks from spawn)
Water change: (50%) using RO water as replacement and use drip technique to ensure the change in pH is not too rapid.
Day seven onwards managing to hatch Brine Shrimp eggs and feeding the babies......
Some pictures after 8 days from spawn
The parents were separated day 14
Water change. Gradually decreasing from 50% to 25% every week, feeding BBS, siphoning dead fishes from the bottom
Day 30: The fries start looking like baby Angels
Size: Varied...from quarter to half an inch.
Feeding: So far, feeding on brine shrimp, micro worms and micro tubifex.
Water parameters: RO water mostly....40% change every week.
Day 30 onwards....
1. Feeding: Gradually move to non live
2. Water: Move to non RO, tap water
The fries are now put in a grow out tank. there is not much change in the maintenance schedule henceforth.
Day 45 (more than six weeks later).
The stripes are prominent. Living on Tap water...and gradually started on Hikary Flakes, crushed Tetrabits. However, primary diet still is live feed- Artemia and Microfex. Some pics
From this stage onwards, there isn't any intervention needed. They are perennially hungry, water change 20% every week is good enough. Now just wait for the beauties.....
Day 90.
The fishes are all ready to travel. They have to find new homes.
Key points;
Water parameter: Soft
Light: Low. Do not startle the parents
Feed: BBS, microworms are best and almost necessary from free swimming stage to day 45
Water change: start with 50% initially, the gradually settle to 20% per week
Most important: Let them grow, don't tinkle much.....and enjoy!
(Journal Closed)
bappa
Tank details:
Dimensions: 72 (L) X 21(D) X 18 (H)
Water: 80% RO rest Tap
Keeping the water 'soft' and doing Blackwater: Mostly Almond leaves, but initially have put some commercially available BW extract.
Substrate: Ada Nile sand
Background: Tree trunk, roots and Rocscape customized and made by India Petstore
Hardscape: Plenty of Driftwoods
Filtration: 2217 Eheim and 2203 Eheim (might remove the 2203 later)
Filtration media: Apart from sponzes, ADA Bio Rio and SERA Peat and Newzealand Sphagnum moss
Light: 4 X10 watts LED
Flora: Some floating plants initially, but gave them up soon.
Fauna: WIld caught Peruvian Scalare Angels; some more Apistos.
Other observations: The tank is cycled with water from my existing tank, 2203 filter that was in my existing tank. Fishes added after 1 month of cycling
Parameters: PH 6.4.
First attempt to breed: Result failure
Eggs were there at the side glass. Unfortunately, I had to travel for the next few days. I did remove all other fishes from the tank to another tank except the parents. But when I returned the eggs were gone! My guess (a) immatured parents, most people say that happens the first couple of times , and or (b) parents eat up eggs moment they get startled by any movement! Failed one more attempt and then I made sure that next time (the parents are slightly matured by then) the would be parents will have a separate tank, hidden from plain eyesight, dark water and little disturbance.
So here is my breeding tank details
Size: 18 inch cube
Water: RO, blackwater made with IAL
Filter: Spinge filter attached to an airpump. tank temp: around 25 degrees, maintained through CPU.
Day 1 photos: Egg laying and fanning......
At the same time, there was an other pair who had spawned. Been aware of (a) how aggressive the parents get towards others and (b) the fries may not survive in the tank, I decided to remove those eggs and raise them separately.
Result: The eggs which were kept with the parents have hatched. Now they are busy removing the small wrigglers from one corner of the tank to the other! The eggs, which were unattended became white and did not hatch...I have identified some (plausible)reasons for this: 1. The water I used was the tank water, without doing any subsequent water change 2. Could not add methylene blue to keep fungus away and most importantly 3. Last night the air pump got turned off (must have accidentally disturbed the electricity connection!). I have not tried again to 'artificially' hatch eggs.
This is where the actual journey begins;
Updates on Scalare Angel breeding:
Tank size: 18 X18X18 bar bottom glass tank
Filtration: Power head
Breeding equipment: One slate resting on the glass at 60 degrees
Light: Low
Day 1 : Eggs are laid on the slate….impossible to count,
Day 3: Approximately after 48-60 hours from the eggs are laid, they hatch (impossible to count again ). The parents move the eggs to a different portion of the tank. The fries are attached to the tank side through their egg sac. One can see the tails are wriggling.
Day 4-7: The parents will try atleast a couple of time to carry the wrigglers in their mouth and stick them at different portions in the tank.
Day 7: The fries are free swimming. I could observe them for about half an hour post free swimming. Counting possible.....guess one, in the morning around 100 fries ! Few things I have noticed are;
(a) the parents still can’t believe that the fries are free swimming, and hence, they are making a desperate attempt to take them in their mouth and make them ‘stick’ against the wall
(b) gradually they are accepting the ‘fate’ and just concentrating on carrying the ones who are straying from the group and putting them back in the group.
(c) the fries gravitate towards the light.
Filtration: The filtration was switched off after the eggs were laid. Will start sponge filter today.
The most critical phase is the first 3 weeks from spawn. Decisions to be made:
1. When to remove the parents?
2. What to feed?
3. Water change?
Feeding: Fed some microworms. Making brine shrimps: I was keenly following http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uNkHPuGaqo&feature=plcp as well as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBF4CfUCVpY&feature=plcp. These are wonderful documentaries. For Brine Shrimp, the best I found, with a success rate is Azoo Artemia Cysts.
A diet of BBS and Micro worms were followed for next 3 weeks (that is upto 4 weeks from spawn)
Water change: (50%) using RO water as replacement and use drip technique to ensure the change in pH is not too rapid.
Day seven onwards managing to hatch Brine Shrimp eggs and feeding the babies......
Some pictures after 8 days from spawn
The parents were separated day 14
Water change. Gradually decreasing from 50% to 25% every week, feeding BBS, siphoning dead fishes from the bottom
Day 30: The fries start looking like baby Angels
Size: Varied...from quarter to half an inch.
Feeding: So far, feeding on brine shrimp, micro worms and micro tubifex.
Water parameters: RO water mostly....40% change every week.
Day 30 onwards....
1. Feeding: Gradually move to non live
2. Water: Move to non RO, tap water
The fries are now put in a grow out tank. there is not much change in the maintenance schedule henceforth.
Day 45 (more than six weeks later).
The stripes are prominent. Living on Tap water...and gradually started on Hikary Flakes, crushed Tetrabits. However, primary diet still is live feed- Artemia and Microfex. Some pics
From this stage onwards, there isn't any intervention needed. They are perennially hungry, water change 20% every week is good enough. Now just wait for the beauties.....
Day 90.
The fishes are all ready to travel. They have to find new homes.
Key points;
Water parameter: Soft
Light: Low. Do not startle the parents
Feed: BBS, microworms are best and almost necessary from free swimming stage to day 45
Water change: start with 50% initially, the gradually settle to 20% per week
Most important: Let them grow, don't tinkle much.....and enjoy!
(Journal Closed)
bappa