Breeding L260's

[Patrick888]

Hi all.

Question I'm hoping you can help me with. I've never spawned a plec before (though I keep a few types) and while carrying out my regular maintenence routine last Saturday morning on my community plec tank, to my utter amazement and complete surprise I found my male bouncing around a ball of large orange eggs at the back of a cave. Couldn't believe it. I also keep L14's, L66's, L128's, L200's and Amano shrimp (along with one female L260) in this 450L tank (not biotypically correct, I know) so I was a bit worried about what would happen. I removed dad and eggs (with the cave) to a fry saver which hangs within the same tank. As I said this all happened last Saturday. At this stage about half the yolk sac has been consumed and, from about a dozen eggs originally, about 6-7 remain (I think). My question is, how long should I leave dad in the cave with the young as they're all moving about freely now? Is there a danger that he'll turn on them at any stage? Is there a danger that the young will suffer if I remove dad? Any advice much appreciated. Thanks in advance
Patrick

 

[Brengun]

As soon as fry are free swimming and eating they have no further interest in dad.
In an emergency such as eggs kicked out or wrigglers kicked sometimes you just have to raise them yourself without dad.

Better hurry up and return him and his log back to his original position in the tank so the female knows where he is. She might want to go lay again.

 

[Kingtiger]

Is the father a L260?

Cheers

 

[Irene0100]

well done. If the young dont have much egg sack left, then it should be fine to return dad and cave to tank. keep they fry in the saver for a while so you can feed them, keep an airstone with them or some water flow into the saver. feed once egg sack is barely visible - just a plump looking fry, and feed little and often ( I try 3 or 4 times a day). good luck.
it may be worth you setting up a special tank for them so you can then let him raise future spawns without risk of other fish interfereing, if you can.

 

[Patrick888]

Thanks for your replies.

The dad is a L260 also. I had a quick look last night (the slate cave has a detachable roof) and he has six fry in the cave with him, plus one which is outside. The one outside has begun using his mouth to attach to the surface (can't tell about inside fry, but i'd assume it's the same for them). About half of the egg sac remains on each fry.

I have a racking system also so there's a section of that dedicated to the fry and L260 adults (though I'll probably keep the fry in the fry trap for a while to grow them on a bit. I actually had intentions of moving them last weekend during maintenence but I'm wary of doing so at the moment for fear of messing things up for them and the change of environment might put a stop to any future potential breeding. Just when things are starting to get good, eh!

 

[Bigjohnnofish]

nice

some people spend years keeping these fish and never spawn them...
my first spawn produced 16 fry... but the second spawn disappeared... either male got hungry or had some outside interference...

 

[Irene0100]

how are the babies doing?

 

[Patrick888]

how are the babies doing?

Hi Irene

Thanks for asking. Seven babies remain and all seem to be doing quite well in their fry trap. Two weeks old now and egg sacs almost fully consumed. They're really grown as well - must be three quarters of an inch at least already and really colouring up, though from what I've read I believe the growth rate slows down somewhat after an initial spurt, so to speak.
Patrick

 

[Irene0100]

good news then, what are you feeding them?
have parents laid again yet?

 

[Andrew]

Well done Patrick
You are better to take some pictures of the fry once they fully devolp and post them, just to make sure there has been no cross breeding going on.
The more i read about tanks with mixed hypancistrus in them, the more i find how easily they will cross breed.
It is not a slur on you, it is just something to be watched out for in mixed tanks.

Eggs take three weeks from being laid until the fry devolp and have used up the yolk sac, after that they will need fed each day.
It is also better to grind up the food for the first few weeks, it helps the fry.

 

[Patrick888]

@ Irene
Haven't started feeding yet as they're still using up their yolk sac but feed the parents on protein based foods such as tetra prima, doromin, prawns, mussel and earthworm sticks with a weekly slice of courgette which they have a minimal interest in. No further spawns yet, but my fingers are tightly crossed...

@ Andrew
Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it. The whole crossbreeding issue that you suggested did actually cross my mind, with different Hypancistrus in the same community tank, and I will be taking pictures for verification. From what I have seen so far, from various images of L260 fry I've searched for across the web, and comparing them to my own, I'm quite hopeful that I actually do have bona fide L260's. Time will tell.

Take care
Patrick

 

[Andrew]

Patrick
Try feeding a couple of broad beans, crumble them up a bit in your fingers as you feed them, the fry are better with some veg in their diet, and you might find the adults like them.
But it's the same with trying any other vegtable with hypancistrus, some take to it, while others don't.

Remember when the fry do need feeding to grind up thier food a bit.
I have mortar and pestle, and put in it; a little tetra min, a couple of earthworm sticks, a spirulina stick and a couple of veggie bits (dry food), grind it up and place it in the tank where i don't think the current will blow it about.
I do this for the first 3 or 4 months, even if their is adults in the tank with the fry, and they are still breeding.
Your tank sounds quite busy, it might be better keeping the fry in the trap for a while to get them eating well, before letting them back into the tank.

 

[Denis]

frozen peas microwaved and mushed up a bit is great for the fry,, all fry in fact, they will feed well and grow big on it.


Any news on the pics