Here is my log for breeding Sturisoma'a.
I have got a breeding group of 1 male and 2 females. The adult fish are all about 20cm long TL. They live in the growing up tank of my juvenile Lnumbers. The tank is 1 meter long by 40,40. Filtration is done by a large biological filter, tanks are all connected, in total around 2000L of water. They lay eggs about every 2-3 weeks.
Water parameters:
PH: 7
KH: 3
NO3: <5
Temperature 30 degrees
Conductivity 200-300
Some pictures of the adults, still in the discustank. Female on the left.
Female, very short odonthodes on the jawline
Female still in discustank
Male, large and long odonthodes on the jawline
In the discustank they spawned a few times but there was to much competition from other fish in the tank. But one day I found this little fella <3
My very first baby Sturisoma
Later I found some infertile eggs but still a nice picture. Eggs are about 3mm big and mostly stuck on the glass or as you will see later on also on wood.
These eggs dropped while laying so not fertile...
The one surviving fry did ok for 3 months and then I never saw it again
After a while I wanted to try and breed them in better conditions. I came across a breeding pair and decided to buy them. I took out the female from the discustank and together they now form my breeding group of 2 females and 1 male.
After a few months the all resumed spawning.
Spawning:
The female will turn a darker color then the male. She will position herself in front of the male, either on the glass or on any other surface. I my case the laid eggs on the glass ones and then found a better place, on the wood.
Some times they will stay there for a few days. After laying her eggs, the male will guard them and fan the eggs while lying on top of them.
Here is a picture of the eggs on the glass, the eggs are 3 days old. You can see fry turning around inside the eggs. Really fun to watch!
After 4 days the eggs hatch. The fry have a yolksack and are tiny, about 1cm in lenght. The yolksack dissolves in about 4 days and then the have to eat, constantly.
Set up:
I put the baby fry in a guppy breeder. This one has also slits in the bottom. I also use an airfilter for 100% circulation. I feed the fry as often as I can. Feeding them crushed Spirulina tabs and ones a day crushed Viformo tabs from Sera. They also have 2 slices of cucumber 24 hours a day.
Nicely filled bellies, one week old
After 2 weeks I put them in a larger fry tank. Making the changes small so they still find food everywhere. They need to swim in food otherwise they will not eat or find the foods....
Second set up for the fry that are 2 weeks. Here they will stay until they are about 4 weeks and 3-4cm in lenght.
At 5 weeks old the are around 4-5cm in lenght and still growing well. They start to find food around the tank. I have 2 larger pieces of cucumber in this tank and feed crushed foods 3-4 times a day.
Pictures of older fry will follow soon
I have got a breeding group of 1 male and 2 females. The adult fish are all about 20cm long TL. They live in the growing up tank of my juvenile Lnumbers. The tank is 1 meter long by 40,40. Filtration is done by a large biological filter, tanks are all connected, in total around 2000L of water. They lay eggs about every 2-3 weeks.
Water parameters:
PH: 7
KH: 3
NO3: <5
Temperature 30 degrees
Conductivity 200-300
Some pictures of the adults, still in the discustank. Female on the left.
Female, very short odonthodes on the jawline
Female still in discustank
Male, large and long odonthodes on the jawline
In the discustank they spawned a few times but there was to much competition from other fish in the tank. But one day I found this little fella <3
My very first baby Sturisoma
Later I found some infertile eggs but still a nice picture. Eggs are about 3mm big and mostly stuck on the glass or as you will see later on also on wood.
These eggs dropped while laying so not fertile...
The one surviving fry did ok for 3 months and then I never saw it again
After a while I wanted to try and breed them in better conditions. I came across a breeding pair and decided to buy them. I took out the female from the discustank and together they now form my breeding group of 2 females and 1 male.
After a few months the all resumed spawning.
Spawning:
The female will turn a darker color then the male. She will position herself in front of the male, either on the glass or on any other surface. I my case the laid eggs on the glass ones and then found a better place, on the wood.
Some times they will stay there for a few days. After laying her eggs, the male will guard them and fan the eggs while lying on top of them.
Here is a picture of the eggs on the glass, the eggs are 3 days old. You can see fry turning around inside the eggs. Really fun to watch!
After 4 days the eggs hatch. The fry have a yolksack and are tiny, about 1cm in lenght. The yolksack dissolves in about 4 days and then the have to eat, constantly.
Set up:
I put the baby fry in a guppy breeder. This one has also slits in the bottom. I also use an airfilter for 100% circulation. I feed the fry as often as I can. Feeding them crushed Spirulina tabs and ones a day crushed Viformo tabs from Sera. They also have 2 slices of cucumber 24 hours a day.
Nicely filled bellies, one week old
After 2 weeks I put them in a larger fry tank. Making the changes small so they still find food everywhere. They need to swim in food otherwise they will not eat or find the foods....
Second set up for the fry that are 2 weeks. Here they will stay until they are about 4 weeks and 3-4cm in lenght.
At 5 weeks old the are around 4-5cm in lenght and still growing well. They start to find food around the tank. I have 2 larger pieces of cucumber in this tank and feed crushed foods 3-4 times a day.
Pictures of older fry will follow soon
