coralbandits fish room

[coralbandit]

I am lucky to be bandit !
I went to steal the hongsloi eggs only to find I am rewarded X2 !
It was a smaller female in the cave and I am not sure who laid these under the cave !

I didn't even bother to look in the cave when I saw these !
I just moved the free swimming hongsloi out of their jumbo container to fit the cave so both batches are in now ! Here are the hongsloi free swimmers hatched 1/28 just moved into a D&P ...

^^the little guys on bottom ^^not the EBA sharks who want at them !
When I went to the swap meet I found a self cloner loaed with eggs and set it in a net breeder.
Today I pulled the babies out !

I moved all the cray in the book shelf tank out and gave these guys their own place...Not bad for on batch !


I had to look in the Apisto cave and I hit the mother load !
Full batches of eggs both sets ! Could easily be a 100 between them both ....

 

[mbkemp]

Wow! Eba sharks! I like it

 

[coralbandit]

Wow! Eba sharks! I like it

There still cute being under 1" ..But not for much longer .

 

[coralbandit]

When it rains it pours ..... No I am not selling Morton salt !
The hongsloi must be happy ..I know I have a well stocked community in the 30 long with 4-5 males and probably over 6 females but getting 3 separate spawns I two days ?
Must be Valentines Day ! ....
I just moved this pot yesterday after seeing the activity with the cave ..

 

[mbkemp]

I am anxious to be able to keep these

 

[coralbandit]

It looks like the hongsloi eggs will hatch at 1/3 rate?
Seems most beside those in the cave went bad fast. I think they were not fertilized,but I have had the feeling before with apistos that using MB is not helpful sometimes?
It is hard to tell why 3 batches right after a good one go bad ?
Have been doing a lot all around in fish room and got all the saltwater life out and into the 120 in the next room.. I just need to get the 75 out and cleaned and new rack in its place next.. . I lost my female mandarin in the move but not sure why. I take her loss as a warning flag but all other fish and inverts look good. I will watch and get this tank in better operation in the next week. Need to get the filter out for the 75 and then I will have room in sump for reactors.
I have an AWESOME project coming up next for the 75 in the room with the 120g reef.
I missed a batch of biteaniata eggs today !It looked like a good sized batch and I thought I will get them later...I am hoping she just moved them but not likely...
I have 3 batches of biteaniata so no big miss ,but I hate missing..
The oldest of the Teaniatus Moliwe look like they are ready to be sexed any day.
Even the second batch a month younger has some showing colors at times...
At lot happening and a lot to do...
Still having fun ! Even a little more then I thought with newest additions...
I got Black rams imported from Danziger Discus in Israel on Thursday and got Black ram eggs today ! I expect another batch as soon as tomorrow and more excited then ever about having these fish. These are very new and hard to come by fish and lucked out getting them from a short road trip to Discus Madness in NJ. I have also already been in contact with Shahar Danziger who is being most helpful with info on his breeding and raising water parameters....

 

[ApistoShane]

It looks like the hongsloi eggs will hatch at 1/3 rate?

Seems most beside those in the cave went bad fast. I think they were not fertilized,but I have had the feeling before with apistos that using MB is not helpful sometimes?

It is hard to tell why 3 batches right after a good one go bad ?

Have been doing a lot all around in fish room and got all the saltwater life out and into the 120 in the next room.. I just need to get the 75 out and cleaned and new rack in its place next.. . I lost my female mandarin in the move but not sure why. I take her loss as a warning flag but all other fish and inverts look good. I will watch and get this tank in better operation in the next week. Need to get the filter out for the 75 and then I will have room in sump for reactors.

I have an AWESOME project coming up next for the 75 in the room with the 120g reef.

I missed a batch of biteaniata eggs today !It looked like a good sized batch and I thought I will get them later...I am hoping she just moved them but not likely...

I have 3 batches of biteaniata so no big miss ,but I hate missing..

The oldest of the Teaniatus Moliwe look like they are ready to be sexed any day.

Even the second batch a month younger has some showing colors at times...

At lot happening and a lot to do...

Still having fun ! Even a little more then I thought with newest additions...

I got Black rams imported from Danziger Discus in Israel on Thursday and got Black ram eggs today ! I expect another batch as soon as tomorrow and more excited then ever about having these fish. These are very new and hard to come by fish and lucked out getting them from a short road trip to Discus Madness in NJ. I have also already been in contact with Shahar Danziger who is being most helpful with info on his breeding and raising water parameters....

I want to see photos of the rams... get some!! Lol.

 

[coralbandit]

I want to see photos of the rams... get some!! Lol.

I have some in the Black ram thread..
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f82/black-rams-364380.html
Got a lot to do today but will see if they pose for a couple more pics or maybe a video?

 

[coralbandit]

Been busy with the Black rams and moving my 75 reef into a 120g in a different room..
Still watching the PTM closely and they have laid a small batch of eggs . I will let this pair raise them , but I still check on them to know what to look for.. Hopefully the parents will manage without issue?
Saw a slightly plump younger female albino swordtail last night and placed here in a breeder net with a bunch of java moss and have more fry this am ! My thoughts on the male being infertile goes down in flames and I must face the fact that I am not spotting gravid females quick enough.I really thought she had several more days at least? What do I know ! Sometimes it is GOOD to be WRONG !
The fish room is LOADED with fish parents ,fry and juveniles...
All my dip and pours are in use + some....Counting the floating 2.5g [black rams with wigglers] I have 25 dip and pours ,breeding nets in use now.. I have 6 more coming Saturday I hope as it is getting crowded fast in here ! It is hard to find these for a reasonable price ..When Kens has them [rare as it seems] they sell them for $5.99.
Sales on amazon and ebay have them for over $18 each ! Chewy had them for $8.99 so I ordered enough to get free shipping...
With the marine tank moved I am planning in my head the next fun project for the 75g..It will be in the same room as the reef so looking nice as opposed to my utilitarian style in the fish room is not an option.. I am hoping to make this a show case tank of epic proportions.....
But first "one more rack of tanks" needs to be built to move rams around...
So many rams !

 

[TMaier]

Busy busy busy!

 

[coralbandit]

Busy busy busy!

Fun ,fun fun!

 

[coralbandit]

Got the rack all built and installed.
Beamswork DA FSPEC 48" coming today USPS [amazon] .
Got the 48-60" fluval 2.0 pro at LFS yesterday for a bunch of rams !
Nice to be able to trade fish for supplies .
So before ,but still after the 75g reef is gone

[

img]https://i.imgur.com/yIJyLddl.jpg[/img]

Black rams are in the 33 long

Finally got pics of some of my kuhlis..Glad to see any as they hide all the time and the tank is a jungle.

I found one dead so far which honestly was a relief !
I got 20 all together and since then haven't been able to count more then 6 at one time ..
I think I got up to 10 or 11 taking these pics finally ..
Busy busy but the fish won't wait for me !
Here's what my fish do if I don't keep my eye on them !

4 ram tanks with fry swimming with parents ..
Only 2 have proven good parents..

 

[tunamanphd]

Been busy with the Black rams and moving my 75 reef into a 120g in a different room..
Still watching the PTM closely and they have laid a small batch of eggs . I will let this pair raise them , but I still check on them to know what to look for.. Hopefully the parents will manage without issue?
Saw a slightly plump younger female albino swordtail last night and placed here in a breeder net with a bunch of java moss and have more fry this am ! My thoughts on the male being infertile goes down in flames and I must face the fact that I am not spotting gravid females quick enough.I really thought she had several more days at least? What do I know ! Sometimes it is GOOD to be WRONG !
The fish room is LOADED with fish parents ,fry and juveniles...
All my dip and pours are in use + some....Counting the floating 2.5g [black rams with wigglers] I have 25 dip and pours ,breeding nets in use now.. I have 6 more coming Saturday I hope as it is getting crowded fast in here ! It is hard to find these for a reasonable price ..When Kens has them [rare as it seems] they sell them for $5.99.
Sales on amazon and ebay have them for over $18 each ! Chewy had them for $8.99 so I ordered enough to get free shipping...
With the marine tank moved I am planning in my head the next fun project for the 75g..It will be in the same room as the reef so looking nice as opposed to my utilitarian style in the fish room is not an option.. I am hoping to make this a show case tank of epic proportions.....
But first "one more rack of tanks" needs to be built to move rams around...
So many rams !

Another good source so you will have a back-up to your back-up is Big Als.
only issue their is a $75 min to qualify for free shipping. They have a warehouse in Buffalo so you will usually get your stuff pretty quick.
https://www.bigalspets.com/lee-s-specimen-container-convalescent-home-large.html

 

[coralbandit]

All supplies ordered have arrived and the rack is running.
The 55g and the 8 @ 2.5 are still unoccupied but the list of potential tenants is growing !
The Kribensis PTM have free swimmers in cave.Tough for even me to see with flashlight but they are there !
BBS added near mouth of cave this am.
A.bitaeniata have laid eggs again and they are mine !

This is a decent sized spawn in compare to past..
The power of frozen bloodworms in action. These two fish are PICKY eaters and their tanks shows debris in days from left over food.. I mean they don't eat 2 pellets it seems sometimes? The spawn getting larger is a good sign IMO.
Looks like 20+ fry from the hongsloi hatches . I am happy I have some.
Black rams first spawn is failing in high %. Any survivors will be a surprise.
Batch # 2 of the blacks looks better though. Started with smaller hatch and have over 20 . Thinking of combining the two .Probably will.
Spawn 3&4 were left in tank or with parents and are gone.
Spawn 5 is on day 2 eggs looking to have 25% or less fertile eggs.
Spawn #6 was placed in D&P this am and looks to be the largest so far !

30 D&P being used ATM....
Ready to list the first spawn of Kribensis PTM and my cross breed rams.
Kribs are 3 months old and over 1". Hard to say if they are sexable as they huddle in mass. All 60+ of them. Going to sell them in groups of 6 so pairing is possible for all .The younger batch looks great also.
The crossbreed rams are 4-6 months old and easily sexed..
I have seen many 'hybrids' on Aquabid from importers only .
They are listed as 'Pearl' rams or hybrids many with gold being an underlying gene. I have no golds....
I am excited to be able to offer what few other have ...
Thinking of driving to NJ today to "enhance my ram stock !"

Last day of February so my winter time is almost up !
Took a ride the other day and put the top down [ it was 74 !]. High in the 50's today with a winter storm warning for 8-12 inches of snow on Friday here !
Time does fly when you are having fun...Spring is coming ???

 

[mbkemp]

CB I saw you say somewhere something about livebearers and sex ratio I can’t find it.

 

[coralbandit]

CB I saw you say somewhere something about livebearers and sex ratio I can’t find it.

Hey Mike ,
Livebearers often have higher female hatches in higher temperatures.
I am not sure if ph has an effect on them but in several other fish having the ph on the other end of the preferred range results in skewed sex ratios .
Apistos will have higher males with heat and high ph.
Swordtails will have more females with high heat. I don't mess with livebearers ph as my tap is fine. I add wonder shells to them though.
I have almost all male Apisto hongsloi hatches and all female Jet Black swordtails ! Seriously ,tanks with almost completely same sex. With 100+ jet blacks I can count the males on 1 hand.
With the honsgloi I have had only 10 or less females in the last year +..
I moved both fish to bottom racks without heaters in attempt to keep them 'cool' and I try to mind their TDS [I don't really check or care about ph other then source water ]..

 

[mbkemp]

Thank you. I have my Endlers at 80 and it is 8-1 female mix. I was about to make it worse.

 

[coralbandit]

Thank you. I have my Endlers at 80 and it is 8-1 female mix. I was about to make it worse.

74 will fix you up.
They say for the apisto that the conditions you raise them in for up to 3 months can have an effect.So a fish born or hatched 'properly ' can still be skewed by water parameters.
In the same respect a hatch or birth of fry in 'improper' conditions may be able to be fixed by setting the parameters correct after birth.
Just get them cooled down and get the hardness up in moderately high range.
Most livebearers need the minerals found in water.
That is why with 7.6 ph /2-3 kh /9 gh and 350+ TDS I still add wonder shells to the livebearers. IMO the wonder shells are like vitamins for the fish ?
I do use vitamins also unlike many.. I use Boyds 'Vita Chem' either in tank water or soaked in food as per directions[couple drops per tank].

 

[mbkemp]

I have seen vita chem mentioned. I am going to try that

 

[ApistoShane]

Tom! It has been some time my friend!

Apistos need 79F for perfect m/f ratio, higher and more males, lower and more females. Have not had an issue with pH.

I have heard lots of conflicting stuff - some people say 2 months to determine gender, some say 2 weeks, some say 6 months! I am not totally sure - perhaps three months is the correct time period.

I just cleared out a bunch of juvies... last couple are going out this Monday. From there, I can focus on collecting eggs and raising out fry. Excited to start getting things done in the fishroom. Spring cleaning?

I have been busy with school! Lots of college letters coming in.... it's getting more and more tense as we approach the end of this month.

I will stay in touch!
Shane