chriscoli
Administrator
Update on the eggs....still lookin' good. You can see there are a few that fungused, but I'm leaving them alone for now since the others look great.
Ptychochromis oligacanthus finally spawned
- Thread starter chriscoli
- Start date
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Awesome pics, Christine. If you are bored, can you come over to my place and take some for me?
Congrats on the health of your spawn. Hope they keep going strong.
Congrats on the health of your spawn. Hope they keep going strong.
chriscoli
Administrator
Thanks, Jon! The pair had the courtesy to lay their eggs in a really visible place. They seem to freak a bit when I bring the camera near (big black thing looming near the glass would freak me out too, If I were them), so I've just left the camera with macro sent up on a tripod right in front of the tank. Hopefully that'll minimize the disturbance.
These eggs are fascinating to watch....they've got some very distinct coloration developing, and they're large enough to make good subjects for the camera.
These eggs are fascinating to watch....they've got some very distinct coloration developing, and they're large enough to make good subjects for the camera.
chriscoli
Administrator
Came home tonight....eggs are all off the rock and there's a ton of wigglers in a pit in the substrate!
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Sweet!
dogofwar
CCA Members
Cool!
There's going to be a group of Ptychochromis sp. "Tarantsy" donated by me and a hobbyist in New Jersey in the Rare Fish Auction at AquaMania
Matt
There's going to be a group of Ptychochromis sp. "Tarantsy" donated by me and a hobbyist in New Jersey in the Rare Fish Auction at AquaMania
Matt
chriscoli
Administrator
I haven't' seen much of the wigglers for the past few days since the parents have been keeping them in very deep pits and the wigglers are really blend in with the substrate. Yesterday, I noticed a few starting to attempt to venture out....a good sign.
This morning they're all up and about.....with the parents tending a huge swarm of fry....really awesome thing to see. The pic below is Mom with the swarm.
The tank they're in is right next to my computer....so this morning as I was checking email, I noticed mom darting into the cluster of fry....I pulled my chair closer and watched for a few minutes. Every 20 to 30 seconds or so, she'd dart in, grab a fry and go chomp chomp chomp chomp on it. Sometimes it came back out unharmed.....most never re-emerged! Dad was picking up the stragglers and spitting them back into the herd...but Mom's activity had me worried.
So, I siphoned out about 2/3 of the fry and I have them in a Marina breeder box. I've already offered them some live copepods and saw a few fry darting after them.
the other 1/3 I've left in the original tank with Dad. Mom has been removed to a different tank for now (she's quite cranky about it).
This morning they're all up and about.....with the parents tending a huge swarm of fry....really awesome thing to see. The pic below is Mom with the swarm.
The tank they're in is right next to my computer....so this morning as I was checking email, I noticed mom darting into the cluster of fry....I pulled my chair closer and watched for a few minutes. Every 20 to 30 seconds or so, she'd dart in, grab a fry and go chomp chomp chomp chomp on it. Sometimes it came back out unharmed.....most never re-emerged! Dad was picking up the stragglers and spitting them back into the herd...but Mom's activity had me worried.
So, I siphoned out about 2/3 of the fry and I have them in a Marina breeder box. I've already offered them some live copepods and saw a few fry darting after them.
the other 1/3 I've left in the original tank with Dad. Mom has been removed to a different tank for now (she's quite cranky about it).
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Congrats! Great pic of the swarm.
mchambers
Former CCA member
Indeed. I think we have our next Photo of the Month winner.
HoleyRockofTex
CCA Members
congratz.
chriscoli
Administrator
Quick update on the Ptychos....
The 2/3 of the fry that I removed to a breeder box did not make it. They died off pretty quickly. BUT the 1/3 that I left with dad are doing great. He's very protective and sends them to ground every time I walk into the room. Taking pictures is quite difficult since he charges the glass (and especially the camera) every time I come near.
that being said, though, the fry are looking great and I've even forgotten to feed them a few times (yay for "mature" planted tanks with mulm) and they seem fine.
The 2/3 of the fry that I removed to a breeder box did not make it. They died off pretty quickly. BUT the 1/3 that I left with dad are doing great. He's very protective and sends them to ground every time I walk into the room. Taking pictures is quite difficult since he charges the glass (and especially the camera) every time I come near.
that being said, though, the fry are looking great and I've even forgotten to feed them a few times (yay for "mature" planted tanks with mulm) and they seem fine.
dogofwar
CCA Members
Excellent - they look like they're over the hump!
Matt
Matt
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Very cool! Great pictures, as usual.
Jim Anderson
Members
Great Pics/fish! Why didn't you submit them for photo of the month, you would have got my vote.
Becca
Members
Are these the Madagascans Sam had in the kitchen?
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
Thats awesome! I can never get a get good pics of fry.
chriscoli
Administrator
chriscoli
Administrator
Becca
Members
I wanted these SO bad. He thought they'd go nice in the 150, but knew Jeremy wanted to put Discus in there eventually and thought their speed would be too much for such "laid back" fish.
They are awesome fish and I'm glad you've got them spawning
.
chriscoli
Administrator
So the last batch of fry didn't make it. I blame myself for not keeping up on the waterchanges. Life got busy and I justified it by telling myself I didn't want to disturb them.
Well, I put the female back in the tank and the male beat up on her a little...she hid behind the filter. I was considering some alternative ways to give her some space when the next thing I know.....they've spawned again.
Another nice big batch of eggs, just like last time. Today they moved the wigglers to the front of the tank where I can see them. A few are starting to try to swim, but most are not yet.
Looks like mom may be snacking on them again, so I'll have to keep a close eye on her.....
Well, I put the female back in the tank and the male beat up on her a little...she hid behind the filter. I was considering some alternative ways to give her some space when the next thing I know.....they've spawned again.
Another nice big batch of eggs, just like last time. Today they moved the wigglers to the front of the tank where I can see them. A few are starting to try to swim, but most are not yet.
Looks like mom may be snacking on them again, so I'll have to keep a close eye on her.....