Outdoor breeding challange

[Mogurako]

Every summer my club ( http//www.gsas.org) has our annual "White cloud race" which is breeding white cloud minnows in anything that will hold water from June-September. We can only start with 12 fish, any combination of male:female ratio we'd like. At the end we pull the fish and count them up and turn in the numbers of fish we have managed to raise at the first meeting of the fall.

Well this year our BAP chair threw us a curve ball, we can now use any fish we want! That's where you all come in, I need help trying to come up with a fish to use that will do well outdoors all summer and that I can sell to LFS afterwards. My first thought was swords, platys or guppies but I have a feeling that's what everyone will use. See my profile for my current stock but if none of that will work I'm hitting up Petco/petsmart for fish.

My set up will be a 266 gallon swimming pool with a thin layer of gravel substrate and a 200 GPH pond pump just to break surface tension. I will also be planting it with Jungle Val, java fern, java moss and using water sprite as a floater. The pool gets morning and early afternoon sun but is shaded by the house for the hottest parts of the day.

Comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[HUKIT]

Can the fish start out at any size? A pair a Parachromis anything will drop up to a thousand eggs.

P.S challenge is spelled wrong.

 

[Mogurako]

Can the fish start out at any size? A pair a Parachromis anything will drop up to a thousand eggs.

Yes the fish can start out at any size. Parachromis was my first thought if I decided to go with a larger cichlid. My only issue with that is where can I get an adult breeding pair on short notice and what in the heck am I going to do with all those fry plus the adults at the end of the season?!

P.S challenge is spelled wrong.

*Sigh* Well played auto correct, well played.

 

[HUKIT]

Yes the fish can start out at any size. Parachromis was my first thought if I decided to go with a larger cichlid. My only issue with that is where can I get an adult breeding pair on short notice and what in the heck am I going to do with all those fry plus the adults at the end of the season?!

You said you wanted to win, heck I can go on Craigslist and find a breeding pair of managuense or Astronotus ocellatus at any given time. The other option would be something like Cryptoheros honduran sp. which would spawn every 2-3 weeks but their spawn sizes are around 30-50 on average and would at least be worth something.

Do they fry have to be worth anything? If not then just with Amatitlania nigrofasciata.

 

[Mogurako]

You said you wanted to win, heck I can go on Craigslist and find a breeding pair of managuense or Astronotus ocellatus at any given time. The other option would be something like Cryptoheros honduran sp. which would spawn every 2-3 weeks but their spawn sizes are around 30-50 on average and would at least be worth something.

Do they fry have to be worth anything? If not then just with Amatitlania nigrofasciata.

The fry only have to be worth anything if I want to sell them, I'd like to make a little $$ but winning would be much better!

 

[HUKIT]

The fry only have to be worth anything if I want to sell them, I'd like to make a little $$ but winning would be much better!

I think the Amatitlania nigrofasciata would be the clear winners as far as quantity and how quickly they reach sexual maturity. I used to keep many of cichlids outside in half whisky barrels until the cranes found them, one morning I saw this huge male with a 6 inch Astronotus ocellatus in his mouth!

 

[Mogurako]

My buddy is selling his adult pairs of Dovii, one is the coasta Rican blue the other Costa Rican yellows! I may pick up a pair of those.

 

[HUKIT]

My buddy is selling his adult pairs of Dovii, one is the coasta Rican blue the other Costa Rican yellows! I may pick up a pair of those.

See there are always large Parachromis for sale everywhere, but what are you going to do with them in the fall? Are they compatible where they don't need a divider?

 

[Mogurako]

See there are always large Parachromis for sale everywhere, but what are you going to do with them in the fall? Are they compatible where they don't need a divider?

That's my biggest problem is I have no idea what to do with them in the fall. I'd love to keep them if I could. I'll have to ask about the divider.

 

[Mogurako]

The blue pair is $350, male is 21",they spawn all the time and get along with out a divider.

Yellow pair is $120, male is 11", they have spawned once and are currently separated.

 

[HUKIT]

That's out of my league!!!

 

[bmarine]

That's my biggest problem is I have no idea what to do with them in the fall. I'd love to keep them if I could. I'll have to ask about the divider.

Sorry this is random, but is there a prize for winning?

 

[Zactheninja]

I was thinking a few pairs of convicts or something easy, but thats pretty expensive.

 

[Mogurako]

Sorry this is random, but is there a prize for winning?

It changes every year, the BAP chairmen owns an aquarium store so it could literally be anything cool he has at his shop.

 

[bmarine]

It changes every year, the BAP chairmen owns an aquarium store so it could literally be anything cool he has at his shop.

Gotcha thats cool! I was just wondering lol cuz i don't think i would do that if there is no prize

 

[Mogurako]

That's out of my league!!!

My thoughts too!

 

[Mogurako]

Gotcha thats cool! I was just wondering lol cuz i don't think i would do that if there is no prize

We have members that have been breeding fish for 30-40 years or more so even if there wasn't a prize just the recognition of winning is well worth it to me.

 

[HUKIT]

We have members that have been breeding fish for 30-40 years or more so even if there wasn't a prize just the recognition of winning is well worth it to me.

Im still trying for master breeder!

 

[Mogurako]

Im still trying for master breeder!

We have people that are in their 4th + trip through the levels.

 

[HUKIT]

We have people that are in their 4th + trip through the levels.

I refuse to breed Africans so its taking some time!