Breeding Hemiancistrus subviridis

[ElTofi]

Hi, I'm a regular reader on PC and I have several tanks devoted exclusively to Loricaridae (4 specific tank in fact : 1600 l. of Rio Xingu, 375 l. of Rio Orinoco, 300 l. of Rio Negro and 160 l. of Peruvian Clearwater Stream). I saw your experience with L200 and as you may guess, I'm quiet interessted, as I actually have 11 Hemiancistrus sp L128 in the Rio Orinoco tank.

First of all, your tank is just wonderful of natural... but I guess everybody has already told you... I followed with highest interest your experience as my Hemiancistrus arrive to a similar size for the 5 oldest (I have them since January 2007, the 6 others just arrived a few weeks ago)

They are very well fed and begin to show "mature behaviors"... My tank is only 150x50x50 cms but has the same set up than yours (rocks, sand, much stream and "natural" caves).

I'm sorry to learn for this brutal stop... do you have any idea of what went wrong ?

In other reproductions I had (especially with Hypancistrus zebra), I used to collect the eggs a few days after the egglay, cause my males weren't "good fathers". So I had to find a artificial way for taking care of it. Yann Fulliquet gave me several tips... It worked... but before that, I lost a large amount of them during several cycles...

[MatsP]

They all died today.

As noted previously, the first spawn is often the most difficult [one theory is "old eggs" in the female], so it's very often more likely that the next spawn is more successful.

Best of luck next time.

--
Mats

[tadj]

well done on the spawn whats the update have the eggs hatched yet what size tank did they breed in and are they in the tank by them selfs i have 5 l200s planning on getting another 3 and might try to breed them one day
after seeing that its possible well done again

[MatsP]

They fry didn't hatch. I suspect there will be success soon tho', as it's not unusual for the first spawn to be unsuccesful.

--
Mats

[lealea]

Wow this is the best news I have heard all year. I have a few questions. First how big was your female as usually this is the determining factor in maturity and spawning. Also do you have a pair or a colony and if a colony how many? Thanks for the info in advance. lealea

[Haavard Stoere]

Sorry for the late response.

Wow this is the best news I have heard all year. I have a few questions. First how big was your female as usually this is the determining factor in maturity and spawning.

I don`t know whitch female laid the eggs, but my largest female is only 13cm total length. The other females are between 11 and 12cm tl. The male that guarded the eggs was probably only 12cm tl.

Also do you have a pair or a colony and if a colony how many? Thanks for the info in advance. lealea

My colony consists of 9 fish. They have an entire 720 liter tank for themselves.

It has been a while, and I have not yet seen any breeding activity. I do massive waterchanges to simulate the rainy season, and food is abundant. Maybee I should stop changing water, and add small amounts of salt and gh+ to simulate the dry season like I did when I had the first spawn? I really don`t know. Any suggestions?

[Birger]

Maybee I should stop changing water, and add small amounts of salt and gh+ to simulate the dry season like I did when I had the first spawn?

I think you answered your question yourself....if it worked the first time why not again

Birger

[Haavard Stoere]

Maybee.. I am very uncertain.

[ElTofi]

why not ? I think you should go on with a method that already worked. Moreover, you know how to do it as you did it once with the result we know... go ahead !

ElTofi

PS : just a word to tell you that I recieved 6 more adult L128 from a French friend who needed space in his tanks (who said that Santa doesn't exist ?). I'm sure to have at least 4 mature males and 2 mature females (13 cms) + the 11 others which will soon come to an adult size...

[Haavard Stoere]

Very nice:) Good luck with your new Hemis

[Haavard Stoere]

Its been over a week without water change, and with steady temperature of 27,5 degrees. I have added 15 small Corydoras sterbai to the tank to liven it up a little. I can`t see any harm in them.

About the Hemis... They all come out to eat in the middle of the day. Shyness is almost gone. I bet this makes them healthier because of the reduced stress.
In two weeks I will add small amounts of red sea salt, and gibsen to very slightly raise the conductivity prior to a rainy season simulation. Over the following week I will try to raise temperature to 30 degrees, and observe how the fish respond.

All advice and suggestions are appeciated

[ElTofi]

Talking about shyness... could you remind me since how long do you have your Hemis ? Actually, I have mine (the 5 first) from January 2007, 6 more in November 2007 and the 6 last early in January 2008...

Each time I've added a group of fish, it's been a mess during 2-3 days (everyone outside, showing off), till everyone could find his own place... but from then, I hardly can see them, except in the early morning or in the late evening, when I feed.

They are in a fish-room with no move or noise or any activity during the day... I guess that's why they stay a bit "wild like"... But I can't help wondering... In French, we say : "le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" which approximativly means : better is worse than good... but God, how hard it is to let them alone, quiet in their tank... I always want to "get something better"...

[Haavard Stoere]

I have had 5 of my Hemis. for almost 3 years. I have 9 in total, and will probably buy 2 more from a friend soon.

[Noorphish]

Hi,

maybe it is usefull to enhance the water flow for a few weeks. I´m not sure, but it can be a point to breed this fish.

bye

[jopbgon]

Havard did the currents do not affect the corys???.By the way Im sure your pl*cos will breed again

[Haavard Stoere]

The corys handles the currents really well, and I can`t imagine the Hemis mind them being there.

I am quite sure I will eventually breed the hemis, but I rather not wait a year or two. I have had them for quite a long time, and they seem to be very robust, and easy to keep. Feeding them is truly a pleasure. They like all kinds of food, and eat large quantities.

[jopbgon]

I´ts good to know the corys handle the current very well, I might add some to my 120g tank .
Havard have you try adding some other tetras in the tank, personally I have some pristellas that handle very well the current, you should try them

[Haavard Stoere]

A friend of mine says the same thing about pristella. I am breeding some lemon tetras as a side project, and will try some of them in a while. They are the same sort of tetra as pristella.

[Franne]

Hello there.

Any news on more eggs?

Regards Frantz





Danish

[grokefish]

what about silver dolars? mine love the strong current 5000+lph in a 500l tank.
Matt

[Haavard Stoere]

I would not use such large tetras in a possible breeding tank. At the moment my 14 Hemiancistrus subviridis are alone in the tank with a few hundred yellow shrimps and a few assasin snails.

This last week I have done some travelling. When I came home yesterday everything was fine, but in The Hemiancistrus subviridis tank I had accidentally pulled the plug from one of the 3000lph powerheads that runs water through a spongefilter. I turned it on again and did a 90% waterchange. I was not worried about restarting a partially dead filter because of my other filters that were already running.

The temperature dropped from 30 degrees to 24 degrees during one hour.

Two hours ago when the lights went on the alpha male had a visitor in his cave. They layed side by side with the male partially blocking the entrance half diagonally. The cave is quite spacious. I went upstairs, had a cup of coffe etc. and went downstairs to my fishroom an hour later. The female had left the cave and the male sits deep in the cave fanning with his ventral fins. Unfortunately I can`t see the eggs, but I believe they are there.
The temperature is 29.5 degrees. Ph is 7.3-7.4.
I am thrilled This might develop into an exiting winter

[Bas Pels]

What better way to say 'welcome home, and thanks for the fresh water?'

Congratulations

[Haavard Stoere]

I got a clear view of the inside, and there were no eggs. I have started a new large waterchange. Hopefully the female will return.

[ElTofi]

hi Haavard,

you're playing with our nerves

I won't miss the next report... seems well engaged

[Haavard Stoere]

It WILL happen this winter. Hopefully more than once

I could of course wait until they breed successfully before posting, but I much prefer to play with Tofis nerves

[ElTofi]

...I could of course wait until they breed successfully before posting, but I much prefer to play with Tofis nerves

That was very funny

[Haavard Stoere]

I am glad to amuse
About posting in real time instead of waiting.. It means pulling our pants down in public, and not everyone likes watching or likes to expose themselves by pulling their own pants down. A live forum and portal like PC consists of real time stories along with articles and database. This thread will end when I have described several successful spawning of Hemiancistrus subviridis, if I don`t have a accident or fatal disease along the way, or my fish die along the way. The result of this is maybe a three year thread before any conclusion is made or there may be no conclusion. Anyway... A conclusion should never be the objective. This is real and live, and maybe a bit pointless as all fish keeping and everything else really is. The main purpose of presenting my attempts in real time is to get feedback and suggestions as to what I should do differently.
One of my greatest dreams as a fish keeper is to breed this specie on a regular basis. There are a lot of nice striped fish, and a lot of nice spotted ones, but the base color and yellow spots of H. subviridis is something really special not resembling anything else except B. demantoides (B. demantoides is duller in color, but more majestic in posture). Very few have seen conditioned specimens, and they are way nicer than the fish you find in the shops, pictures in books and on the net. They are truly spectacular. Keeping the fish in varying conditions over a long period of time is also easy. Many loricariids become dull in adulthood. H. subviridis becomes brighter and better looking.
Anyway... This has become a long wait for me, and I hope something happens soon. I am not really a patient person. I would rather have bred this fish a year ago

[Bas Pels]

I think Haavard is fully right. By telling what he does - and the outcome, he makes it possible for others to help him

And to learn - and those are the 2 purposes of any forum: to help and be helped

[Haavard Stoere]

The alpha male is guarding/fanning eggs. I will let him have this opportunity to show how good a father he is. If he fails I will rob him of the eggs next time.

[husky_jim]

Congrads Haavard!!!!

Keep us updated!