Sturisoma sp. aff. festivum

[scatz]

All Assigned Numbers:

Name: Sturisoma sp. aff. festivum

Common Names: Royal whiptail

Photos:



Appearance:Long slender bodied, suited to fast flowing water, fin extensions grow from every fin making them very striking


Compatibility: Very peaceful but somewhat nervous so shouldn't be housed with any boisterous bottom dwellers that could cause too much stress, fine for peaceful community tanks but should ot be kept with fish that are prone to fin nipping

Sexing and Breeding: Once mature, males will display impressive interopercular odontodes, almost beard looking.
eggs are laid on a hard smooth surface, often on the aquarium glass, the male will stay and fan the eggs until they hatch

Diet:they seem to be herbivorous, and spend a lot of time grazing on biological growth throughout the aquarium, plenty of fresh, soft vegetable should be offered such as boiled green beans, blanched lettuce leaf etc., they will also happily accept algae wafers

Water parameters: clean fast flowing water should be provided along with high oxygenation. temps between 22c and 28c.

Max Size:around 7-8"

Bred by: Scatz

Breeding Log: See post below. Original breeding log for questions and comments is here http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6073

Additional Comments:

 

[scatz]

Tank: 3 foot clearseal tank, fine gravel substrate, lots of driftwood and plants
Filtration: Eheim ecco external, Fluval 3+ internal filter
Water parameters:
Ammonia, nitrite = 0
Nitrates = 10-15
PH = 7.4
Temp = 23c
Water changes at 25% 3 times a week using rain water.

Adult Male and Female Whiptail pleco's

Male (notice the impressive beard!)

Female

Both fed on algae wafers, flake food, fresh veg (courgette, cucumber, peas, green beans) and occassional meaty treat like tetra prima or bloodworm


02/02/2009
First spawn, after a cool water change, the pair spawned for the first time, laying about 30 eggs on the glass, the male stays with the eggs and fans to keep plenty of water movement over the eggs.

The eggs at day 3

Day 4, starting to show some developememt

Day 5, huge developements overnight, and the young fish can be made out, including the blood vessels

Day 7, nearly ready, with Male stimulating the eggs to try to hatch them

Day 8, and the eggs start to hatch

Fry on day 1, still with egg sack

1 week old

The fry mainly fed on the algae growth in the tank, but at 1 month old, would start to graze on blanched lettuce leaves and cooked green beans, its at this time that they start to fill out and grow a bit more

and by 2 months, they are over 1" long and taking the same food as the adults, and ready to move on to new homes.

one of the older fry next to a newly hatched youngster