Tony
Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
w00t! 
I picked up a large group of gold headed A. compressiceps last fall from Julie (Thanks again!). I've had them in the 75 community - 8 total and they appear to be balanced 4/4 M/F. They share the tank with Cyp leptosoma Utinta and Paracyp nigripinis. The largest of the males are around 3.5" long and (knock on wood) they aren't killing each other yet.
At Catfish Convention, I spoke with Steve from SCC about making me some of his famous calvus caves that were just a bit smaller. I threw in two over the winter and have noticed that each has been taken over by a pair of comps.
For the last week or so, one of the females has barely left the cave.... tail always sticking out. Last night, at risk of alienating the pair from that cave, I rolled up my sleeve, reached in and grabbed the cave. Dumped it into a collection cup and estimated somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-100 hoppers!
I know that it is preferable to let them grow up a bit more in the tank, but with all the action going on in there, didn't want to risk them getting eaten.
They now reside in my multi-unit egg tumbler, probably for another couple of weeks until the sacks are completely gone.
So... what do I do then? Breeder net with baby brineshrimp? Do they need to be fed more than once daily? I generally try to feed all my Malawi fry 2x daily (once when I first get home and then before bed), but sometimes fall short.
(Before you ask, they are way too dang small for pictures with my kit lens.. like the size of the comma on your keyboard)
So I guess I'll have some 1" juvies available when they grow out a bit....in about two years.
I picked up a large group of gold headed A. compressiceps last fall from Julie (Thanks again!). I've had them in the 75 community - 8 total and they appear to be balanced 4/4 M/F. They share the tank with Cyp leptosoma Utinta and Paracyp nigripinis. The largest of the males are around 3.5" long and (knock on wood) they aren't killing each other yet.
At Catfish Convention, I spoke with Steve from SCC about making me some of his famous calvus caves that were just a bit smaller. I threw in two over the winter and have noticed that each has been taken over by a pair of comps.
For the last week or so, one of the females has barely left the cave.... tail always sticking out. Last night, at risk of alienating the pair from that cave, I rolled up my sleeve, reached in and grabbed the cave. Dumped it into a collection cup and estimated somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-100 hoppers!
I know that it is preferable to let them grow up a bit more in the tank, but with all the action going on in there, didn't want to risk them getting eaten.
They now reside in my multi-unit egg tumbler, probably for another couple of weeks until the sacks are completely gone.
So... what do I do then? Breeder net with baby brineshrimp? Do they need to be fed more than once daily? I generally try to feed all my Malawi fry 2x daily (once when I first get home and then before bed), but sometimes fall short.
(Before you ask, they are way too dang small for pictures with my kit lens.. like the size of the comma on your keyboard)
So I guess I'll have some 1" juvies available when they grow out a bit....in about two years.
