Hi folks...
I started with 4 fry purchased from a breeder in Middlesbrough(Apr 12) And added another from another breeder near Crewe(June 12). I quickly realised I wasn't happy with the way I'd gone about it. And decided I would look around for some adults...
In September 12, Rare aquatics in Crewe advertised sexed pairs, and I bit the bullet, securing a pair for collection in October.. The juvvies and the pair were moved into there new home, a 90l fluval Roma tank. The only other tank mates are cherry shrimp...
The tank is filtered with an Eheim classic 2213 external and an Eheim Biopower 200. A thin layer of black sand is on the bottom of the tank. The tank was decorated with small slate caves spread around underneath shelves of slate.
The fish seemed ok.
In Feb 13 I managed to secure another female from Rare aquatics. I also at this time changed the slate caves to clay caves again purchased from Rare..
Also I added an Eheim aquaball 45 and installed this at the bottom of the tank pointing the flow right across the caves.
I was told to increase the temp to 30.oC which I did at this time..
Throughout this process I was feeding them frozen bloodworm, lobster eggs, tetra prima, along with new era Pleco tabs, and new era flake...
My husbandry regime involved 2X 40% water changes weekly and then treating tap water with Prime...
Its easy to get frustrated, with not much happening, or seemingly not much happening... Whilst selling some cherry shrimp to a customer In May 13, (I should point out from my L260 tank), I noticed some small plec shaped fish darting about... Success!!!! In that tank anyway..
My thoughts were fantastic... I've bred some plec's. I must be doing something right.... I'd had various bits of advice about water quality, change to ro, change to hma, if not don't use prime. But it was ok for the 260's, so surely it must be ok for the 46's...
I carried on, 3 more spawns from the 260's.. Nothing from the 46's. They didn't even seem to go anywhere near each other..
In October I changed their food, started feeding just ground up prima, and lobster eggs and blood worm... Nothing changed...
At the end of November, I came down to the tank and noticed the heater-stat glowing red, and I mean like the whole element was red... I looked at the thermostat and I said 32.8oC, I nearly had a cow, I quickly changed it over and must of set it mistakenly to 28.5oC. (I could of kicked myself really as I'd had the new jaeger heater since June and couldn't be bothered to swap it over).
A week later the male had the female trapped in the cave...
Progress....
The female left the cave a few days later, and the male stayed. I was very excited, too excited. After 3 days I came home from work to find the cave empty and the remains of the clump of eggs bouncing around the bottom of the tank.
I was gutted, but managed to put what remained in a breeding trap. There were 4 left whole and about 12 empty shells. 2 became fungused and 2 hatched, but perished soon after...
Although extremely disappointed by what had occurred, I carried on with the same regime, and then just over a week ago I noticed another trapping, which must of been towards the end as they switched caves and the male remained in the 2nd cave with eggs which have since hatched, to date I can see little fry with what remains of their egg pouches attached..
I've attached a pic of my setup for those interested..
I hope this helps with anyone struggling to breed plec's....
I started with 4 fry purchased from a breeder in Middlesbrough(Apr 12) And added another from another breeder near Crewe(June 12). I quickly realised I wasn't happy with the way I'd gone about it. And decided I would look around for some adults...
In September 12, Rare aquatics in Crewe advertised sexed pairs, and I bit the bullet, securing a pair for collection in October.. The juvvies and the pair were moved into there new home, a 90l fluval Roma tank. The only other tank mates are cherry shrimp...
The tank is filtered with an Eheim classic 2213 external and an Eheim Biopower 200. A thin layer of black sand is on the bottom of the tank. The tank was decorated with small slate caves spread around underneath shelves of slate.
The fish seemed ok.
In Feb 13 I managed to secure another female from Rare aquatics. I also at this time changed the slate caves to clay caves again purchased from Rare..
Also I added an Eheim aquaball 45 and installed this at the bottom of the tank pointing the flow right across the caves.
I was told to increase the temp to 30.oC which I did at this time..
Throughout this process I was feeding them frozen bloodworm, lobster eggs, tetra prima, along with new era Pleco tabs, and new era flake...
My husbandry regime involved 2X 40% water changes weekly and then treating tap water with Prime...
Its easy to get frustrated, with not much happening, or seemingly not much happening... Whilst selling some cherry shrimp to a customer In May 13, (I should point out from my L260 tank), I noticed some small plec shaped fish darting about... Success!!!! In that tank anyway..
My thoughts were fantastic... I've bred some plec's. I must be doing something right.... I'd had various bits of advice about water quality, change to ro, change to hma, if not don't use prime. But it was ok for the 260's, so surely it must be ok for the 46's...
I carried on, 3 more spawns from the 260's.. Nothing from the 46's. They didn't even seem to go anywhere near each other..
In October I changed their food, started feeding just ground up prima, and lobster eggs and blood worm... Nothing changed...
At the end of November, I came down to the tank and noticed the heater-stat glowing red, and I mean like the whole element was red... I looked at the thermostat and I said 32.8oC, I nearly had a cow, I quickly changed it over and must of set it mistakenly to 28.5oC. (I could of kicked myself really as I'd had the new jaeger heater since June and couldn't be bothered to swap it over).
A week later the male had the female trapped in the cave...
Progress....
The female left the cave a few days later, and the male stayed. I was very excited, too excited. After 3 days I came home from work to find the cave empty and the remains of the clump of eggs bouncing around the bottom of the tank.
I was gutted, but managed to put what remained in a breeding trap. There were 4 left whole and about 12 empty shells. 2 became fungused and 2 hatched, but perished soon after...
Although extremely disappointed by what had occurred, I carried on with the same regime, and then just over a week ago I noticed another trapping, which must of been towards the end as they switched caves and the male remained in the 2nd cave with eggs which have since hatched, to date I can see little fry with what remains of their egg pouches attached..
I've attached a pic of my setup for those interested..
I hope this helps with anyone struggling to breed plec's....
