GBR Breeding

[SparKy697]

Ok the same pair of GBR have done their thing again. A nice amount of eggs, and now 36 hours later they are looking nicely tan/brown. I have been told by a very reliable source that the dark color means that they are likely fertilized!

I will get a photo up soon. Hopefully I can do what is needed to care for what ever may hatch.

1. Tank size 10 gallon
2. Temperature 80 F
3. pH, GH 7.2, 5 dGH
4. Conditioning (or what you've been feeding) Frozen blood worms twice daily
5. Fishes activity prior to spawning: The pair started just hovering together without much movement. The day before they start paying attention to a spot in the tank. In my case it was a rock.
6. Selection of spawning site (if any) I provided a flat rock surrounded on three sides by java moss
7. Anything you might have done to induce the spawn: Water changes twice a week 50%
8. Pics are always great


Updates to follow.

 

[Jchillin]

Congrats SparKy! Looks like you are well on your way to having some wigglers.

I have been told by a very reliable source that the dark color means that they are likely fertilized!

I'd like the identity of this individual.

 

[WaterPond]

grrrr... how come he gets GBR eggs. I want some

 

[neilanh]

No Pics, No Proof

 

[SparKy697]

Day Three:

Wigglers!!!!!!!!


I found that the eggs had been moved durring the night. They are now it a sideways turned flower pot that I had in the tank for a place to hide. Some of the little dots that were eggs have now developed what looks like a little tail and they are moving all over the inside of the little pot. Wigglers?

The male is guarding the little ones and will not let the female near them. The female does not seem willing to accept this and as a result is getting beat up on pretty badly. I removed her to a net breeder for the time being, but I think she will go into another tank that I have prepared for this reason.

Time for brine shrimp production, which I have never done... Wish me luck.


My camera is not great at macro pics but here are some of the male defending the babies, and if you look close in the one photo you can see what I'm calling wigglers on the back wall of the flower pot.

All advice welcome.

 

[Jchillin]

I almost feel like a mid-wife. LOL. Congrats on your successful spawn.

 

[LandGhoti]

I almost feel like a mid-wife. LOL. Congrats on your successful spawn.

LOL!

Congratulations on your wigglers, SparKy! Please post more pics when you got swimmers!

 

[SparKy697]

I'd like the identity of this individual.

Find yourself a mirror

LOL Midwife indeed!

Honestly, your input has been tremendously helpful. Thank you.

It really seems that the work has actually just begun. I have a batch of brine shrimp started, but was wondering what the story on this "First Bites" food was. Is this intended as food for older fry? Or is it intended as food for use right when they become free swimming?

 

[neilanh]

Congrats Gramps!

 

[Jchillin]

I have a batch of brine shrimp started, but was wondering what the story on this "First Bites" food was. Is this intended as food for older fry? Or is it intended as food for use right when they become free swimming?

First Bites by Hikari I wouldn't suggest feeding it to wigglers, probably after two three weeks is better. It fills in the area between wiggler food and adult food, sorta like puppy chow.

 

[kennef]

awesome! if anyone deserves 150 more mouths to feed, its Sparky...

 

[SparKy697]

It's been interesting to watch the male take care of the little guys. Right now the wigglers look like an egg with a hair fine tail. As they move around they will fall out of the flower pot, or one will take off and swim out of control off into the tank. Either way the father is right there to go get the rogue fry in his mouth and place it back in the pile with the rest of them.

One more twist to add to this event. The java moss that is in the tank for cover is showing signs of bga. I'm just leaving it as it is for the time being because of the fry. I think once I can safely move them out of the tank I will.


Day- 4

Growth is obvious. Looking closely you can actually see a pair of eyes on each of the little wigglers. It seems at this point that the yolk sack is as much of an anchor as it is food.

 

[Burks]

Awesome! Glad to hear the male didn't make a snack out of the eggs.

 

[Jchillin]

You should publish that pic, it is a great display of a proud father protecting his brood against all predators, including someone who has the nerve to stick a camera in his face.

 

[SparKy697]

Day 5

Nothing really new today. The little ones look a little bigger, but seem to be behaving the same. I can see that the flower pot design has some flaws. From time to time a little fry will jump out of the hole in the back of the pot. This pretty much goes unseen so I don't know if those little ones will survive or not.

An updated pic for Jchillin:

 

[Jchillin]

An updated pic for Jchillin

Thank you very much. LOL.

You needn't worry about the younguns that are escaping out the back, truth be told, some are quite dastardly in getting away even when poppa is looking. If they find a decent hiding place who knows?

 

[rich311k]

Congrats on the fry. Awesome pictures.

 

[SparKy697]

Day 6

SWIMMERS!

First inspection this morning found the male off of the nest and on the other side of the tank. This is the first time I have seen him so far from the fry for such a long time. With only ambient room light I posted myself up against the glass, as I have spent much of this weekend .
I noticed that more than half of the fry are no longer in the flower pot. My first thought was that they were in the male! On closer inspection I find that there are many little fry hiding in the moss that is in the tank. Every once in a while one will dart out, swim around, and then dive back for cover. I presume they are hiding from the big face that has visited them many times in their pre-swimmer nightmares.

So, in goes a newly hatched batch of bbs. I have read opinions that say these are too big for their mouth as well as those that say it is all they have ever fed their new swimmers. I choose to believe the latter and hope it works.

I watched a show on the history channel yesterday that said the US was the only country that did not provide paid maternity/paternity leave in the world, other than a couple little dot of a country places in southern Africa. The Czech-Republic even pays for one full year of leave. I wonder if swimmers would qualify for paternity leave? How can they expect me to go to work today?!

More pictures when I get home and the lights are actually on.

 

[neilanh]

You called it.

Congrats!

 

[David14259]

Very cool, and great pics too Sparky! When do I get to come over and see em?!?!?!