Alternate spawning method? for S. multipunctatus

tedd47 · Post by **tedd47** » 27 Jun 2003, 21:17

Hello all, I'm new on your board but I've got something I want to run by you, feel free to tell me that yes, it will work, no it won't or you're crazy.

Over the last couple of years I've built a group of 5 adult S. multipunctatus (2 female 3 male), they are now housed with 40 Hap. obliquidens in a 150 gallon tank. The last two S. multi were bought from a friend about 2 months ago and placed with the rest. He had been unable to spawn them and had finally given up on them and knew that I wanted to spawn them. Right now it seems that the female I recieved from him and my two other males are the only ones interested in breeding. In the month I have had the new female I have stripped two female Hap. obliquidens with a total of 6 S. multi fry. Also last Saturday I did a 50 % water change on the tank which triggered spawning in the H. obliquedens. Early Sunday morning I was watching this tank, there were no fewer than 5 pairs of H. obliq spawning in different parts of the tank, the S. multis started scattering eggs over the rockwork in the tank. The other obliq's made short work of the eggs, having them eaten before I even knew what was going on. This of course got me thinking that if I could get them to egg scatter instead of parasite spawn then I could raise more fry. So here's my plan, see what you think and if there are any other ideas please let me know.

55 gallon tank with light baffle placed 2" above floor of tank with spacers, covering entire floor of tank except 10" section at one end to allow for feeding of adults. Light baffle is closed off on end so adults cannot get under it. 2 large and 2 small flowerpots placed on end over egg crating. Filtered by canister filter with current directed to top 1/3 of tank so eggs can settle into light baffle. 2 female S. multi are fed blackworms, earth worms and beefheart until spawning condition is achieved. Males are introduced into tank after 1-2 months of conditioning females. Any breeding activity can be checked by shining the tank bottom with a flashlight. I am also conditioning 3 female Hap. obliq to introduce at the same time the male S. multi are introduced.

So does this have a shot at working or is there a better method that I have overlooked?
Has anyone had S. multi spawn without another fish triggering the spawn?

Thanks for your advice. Ted

Post by **Dinyar** » 27 Jun 2003, 23:39

Yes, your scheme should work, though it might be a chore to keep the baffle in place and the fish from getting under it.

I wouldn't feed beefheart. Blackworms alone or with other live food should do it.

Yes, S. multipunctatus HAS been bred without a host. See the recent thread "Anyone else breed Synodontis multipunctatus?"

Finally, may we request that you kindly include your location in your profile?

Dinyar

tedd47 · Post by **tedd47** » 30 Jun 2003, 16:56

Great! I was wondering about the beef heart since it fouls the water. I'm feeding it to my discus but the synos are tearing up blackworms and earthworms so I'll just stick to them. I've been putting the blackworms in a saucer of gravel every night and the next morning the gravel is thrown all over the place from them digging the worms out.
I'll let you know in a month or so of my success or failure.
I have updated my profile as well.
Thanks, Ted