Astatheros Longimanus - Should I pull the wigglers?

[jonclark96]

I was delighted to come home tonight to see one of my astatheros longimanus females all colored up (for as much as they can) and chasing everything in the tank away from a clay pot. Low and behold, there is a pile of wigglers in the bottom of the pot. Not sure which of the males is the father.

I'm very excited about the spawn. I picked up a group of four wild caught from Lake Nicaragua last spring from Jeff Rapps at the first AquaMania. His import was the first time I had ever seen them for sale, never mind the bonus that they are wild fish with provenance.

I'm torn as to whether or not I should pull the wigglers. I'd like the pair to bond and go through their parental instincts, but I'd like to grow out the fry as well.

 

[festaedan]

Wow! Congrats!
I'd put half in a seperate half or a breeder box and then let the other half get raised with the parents. If the parents do a good job at guarding and not eating the fry the next spawn you should leave the whole batch with them. Thats what I did with my old breeding pair of H.carpintis. The fry I kept with them also grew much faster.
Also, post some pics when you can.

 

[Localzoo]

Wow! Congrats!
I'd put half in a seperate half or a breeder box and then let the other half get raised with the parents. If the parents do a good job at guarding and not eating the fry the next spawn you should leave the whole batch with them. Thats what I did with my old breeding pair of H.carpintis. The fry I kept with them also grew much faster.
Also, post some pics when you can.

+1
And yeah fry grow really fast with the parents


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Andrewtfw]

What a great fish to have spawned. I agree with the others. I would pull some to grow just in case and leave the rest with the parents.

 

[jonclark96]

I went ahead and pulled some, if not most, of the wigglers today. The parents made it tough on me, as they had moved the pile from inside the clay pot to under the edge of the pot overnight. I always feel so bad when I steal fry. The parents have been exhausting themselves keeping away the other tank mates and I just swoop in make it all for naught. Here's hoping that the male doesn't shred the female because the wigglers are gone...

 

[Jmty]

Congrats


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[TMSB805]

congrats on the spawn man. I'm debating if i want to move the three that i have to they're 75 or not. I'm still unsure of the sex of them. Good luck with future spawns.

 

[jonclark96]

Thanks, Zach.

With my group, there is a significant difference in size between the males and females. Besides their size, and the fact that I now know that they are indeed different genders due to the spawn, there aren't a whole lot of differences. I'd say that the males have more color.

 

[dogofwar]

Cool - need some pics (says the guy who never takes pics)

I think it's the best thing to pull most and leave some for the parents to guard.

I'd just put the fry in an empty 10 or 15g (or small bin) and raise them from there on golden pearls.

Matt

 

[jonclark96]

I left about half the spawn with the parents to raise. They have been doing a great job defending their turf, which isn't such a good thing for the other pair in the tank. I may have to find them a new home before too long.

 

[jonclark96]

Interesting observation this evening when I got home. In the tank with the parents, all the wigglers have become free swimming (yes, I'll try to get some pictures). In the Marina breeder box I moved the wigglers to, they are still wiggling, although they look to be free swimming soon. The only thing that I could attribute this to with any certainty is the tank temperatures, although I try to keep all of my tanks around 78 degrees.

 

[mchambers]

I recently moved some rainbow cichlid fry to a breeder box and left others in a community tank with the parents. The fry that stayed with the parents have grown much more rapidly.

 

[jonclark96]

Here are some terrible iPhone pics. Of course they are behind the decor in the tank.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[TMSB805]

How's everything going with the fry?

 

[jonclark96]

All the fry in the tank with the parents were consumed during a water change. The fry I pulled to a separate breeder box are doing well and feeding on golden pearls. There have been a few fatalities, but I'd guess I have around 25 doing well.

 

[Andrewtfw]

All the fry in the tank with the parents were consumed during a water change. The fry I pulled to a separate breeder box are doing well and feeding on golden pearls. There have been a few fatalities, but I'd guess I have around 25 doing well.

Good thing you pulled some from the parents.