Pre-Spawn Activity on Acanthicus (?)

[husky_jim]

Hello to all.
As some of you already know i have collected some large Acanthicus in order to try on breeding them.

After the disaster on identifying the Species between what is Hystrix and what is Adonis, i concluded that my largest and 'marbled' fish (50cm TL) is Adonis and the smaller (35cm TL) is or falls under the the so called Hystrix group.

When i introduced both of them in the tank 'all hell broken loose' and the fish where trying to kill each other and they confirmed their 'Acanthicus' reputation.
That was the biggest catfish fight i have ever witnessed.The fish where destroying the tank and they even moved some large rocks that weight more than 5 kilos!!!
I immediately separate them and after 2 weeks they healed up and the damaged fins where almost in good condition.

In the meantime another 35cm+ TL fish was imported by an LFS in Athens as Adonis and as you may understand i had to buy it.Unfortunately currently i have no pics of the 'new' fish but i will try to get some during the next days.

So i 've decided to introduce the new fish in the tank with my big guy and try to record their behavior, but to be honest i was expecting the same disaster as the previous time.

To my surprise after introducing the new fish nothing bad happened!No fights at all and their behavior among each other where as friendly as the common Bristlenoses!!!!

After 5 weeks now their behavior has changed to what i considered to be 'better' or at least interesting.....The big fish is always together with the new without hurting it, always trying to block the other in a cave (?),they have no problem eating together and making all the pleco-mating 'rituals' that we know......

In addition to that i think that the new fish is starting to fattening up....I am not sure though as it was very malnourished when i receive it.....

I will try to monitor their 'activities' and update with the results but i wanted to know if anyone has ever witnessed such behavior on Acanthicus or on any other similar sized Loricariidae????

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[Bas Pels]

This does sound very promising indeed

In addition to that i think that the new fish is starting to fattening up....I am not sure though as it was very malnourished when i receive it

I once got a wildcought group of Geophagus - a cich lid, thus not related - also very underfed.

Afer 2 weeks they looked fattened up, and 2 days later the female was carrying eggs. I think the bad period did have a certain influence, and your Acanthicus might just express the same relation: After bad times the good will return, so we better reproduce in the start of these good times

[husky_jim]

Update......


No sign of fighting all these days and few minutes ago this......





It might be a 'false alarm' but who knows????


Wish me luck guys.....I 'll keep you posted

[Loracidlover]

How are things today? Dare I ask.....eggs?? This is very exciting! Good luck!
Conrad

[Mixalis]

Good Luck Jim!!!

[Cristoffer Forssander]

Do you have both sexes?
Perhaps this is a possible breeding attemt!

Good luck!

[Haavard Stoere]

This sounds very promising Keep us posted

[husky_jim]

Todays update....

The smallest fish has left the cave and the big guy is still in.

Unfortunately the cave is so large that i cannot see the 'end' even with a flashlight......

I will monitor the big guys behavior in order to see is he is fanning eggs or not.....

Even if there are no eggs in there it was very promising.



p.s. i am so anxious that i am thinking on buying a waterproof camera for moments like this.....

[Carp37]

Wow- best of luck...

[husky_jim]

Todays Update....

I guess there are no eggs since the big guy is most of the time outside of the cave....
I will try to start a rain/dry season on the next days and monitor the behavior of the fish.

I guess that since there is no fighting, things are "really good" in the tank!

I 'll keep you posted.

[Janne]

guess that since there is no fighting, things are "really good" in the tank!

Agree, if it was 2 males they would have fight heavily so now you need to feed the female so she become ripped with eggs

Janne

[Mixalis]

Any news Jim?