The challenge part 2

[grokefish]

I have come up with another challenge if anyone is up for it.
It's more of a long term one this.
Here's how it works:-

Someone picks a species (I will pick the first one).
Anyone that takes up the challenge must attempt to breed this species and the first one to get successful fry that can be traded in for credit in the LFS/sold, picks the next species.
However the next species will not be picked until everyone that takes up the challenge has had a successful breeding experience.
This way the challengees can pick up experience, knowledge from the first to breed.
This is a long term challenge starting with easy to breed and hopefully moving on to more challenging progressively.
Anyone is free to join in at any stage, all you have to do is post "I'm in!" and you will be added to the list below.
The first species is..........

To be revealed after at least 3 people have posted "I'm in!"
It is not a species I currently own and it's supposedly not too challenging to breed and I have no experience of it so all is fair.
further rules, the species picked must not be too large, or overly unobtainable (in the beginning anyway) and you cannot follow on with a similar fish e.g Corydoras whadyamacallit followed by Corydoras Howazyefarther

Get it?

So who's in?

Matt

[Jools]

I'm in, but I don't have time right now to write a LOT more about this as I have a thing in mind for this on the site too. It's something Shane and I have been kicking around for years but it's essentially an extension to my cats and my aquaria along teh lines of "my breeding project".


The key to this is that the experiences get recorded in some form of structure on the site. Can that be mandated into this without spoiling it?





Jools

[mummymonkey]

Provided the chosen species can be got and isn't expensive or large then I'm in.

[grokefish]

Most certainly, that is more than I could ask for Jools, I was going to do this on an xcell spreadsheet myself, breeding catfish is vital (as is other fish in "danger" in their natural habitat) and the first challenge was an attempt to get people investigating and learning about catfish they maybe would not have otherwise. As I feel that this worked, the "What am I?" thread has been on the homepage virtually non stop since I started it, I decided to start the next challenge, to entice people into the idea of actually breeding catfish, especially some of the younger less experienced members.
By making it a challenge hopefully a good dialogue will ensue, between experienced and less experienced alike.
Successes like Haavard, Racoll and others, (especially Phoxinus however accidental) have had are inspirations but may seem out of reach to the inexperienced.
This challenge is about getting these guys to have a go, and feel they are supported along the way.

I have been attempting to breed

Agamyxis Pectinifrons

for many years now, and it has been a dream of mine since very young when I first started keeping cats (Aged about 12ish) and cannot express how delighted I was that someone had bred

Platydoras armatulus

. some would have got jealous or noidy in such a situation but it just pushed me back to my aim, which I had been neglecting of late.

So hopefully some of the core members will get in on this, where their knowledge and experience will be of direct benefit not only to inexperienced keepers but the natural world itself.

Thats the idea in a long winded kind of way.

Matt

[grokefish]

Provided the chosen species can be got and isn't expensive or large then I'm in.

Thats the plan!
And the spirit!

Matt

[MatsP]

Is there not a risk that although some participants succeed in breeding, it may take a LONG time to get all participants to breed the species.

Subject to availability and space in tanks, I'm in.

--
Mats

[L number Banana]

mummymonkey wrote:Provided the chosen species can be got and isn't expensive or large then I'm in.

I'm in! Great idea

Maybe an out clause if there's just no way the person can find the fish in question?

[nvcichlids]

As others have said, I may be in, depending on availability around me (if its something I can find, I will be in, if its not, I will just say "not participating in this one")

[grokefish]

Cool.
Thats 3 then, let us begin.

The first species will be any from the following list.

Megalechis thoracata

Hoplosternum littorale

Hoplosternum magdalenae

Hoplosternum punctatum

Lepthoplosternum pectorale

Megalechis picta

As can be seen they are all similar species and should require similar parameters and have similar breeding habits.
They also grow pretty fast so if you get juveniles then they shouldn't take long to mature.
Some of this list are usually very cheap.
everyone happy with this choice?
Discuss alternatives.


Remember this is a long term challenge so anyone that wants to join in feel free, maybe you already have some suitable specimens or have seen some recently or may see some in the not to distant future.
Or maybe you have bred them before and can leave some advice/experience here, this is an information gathering exercise.
i know there is plenty of info on breeding some of these species, but it's the first round so we want to get younger catfish enthusiasts into the breeding habit.

Matt

[TP]

Its something I would quite like to try, anything that has bred for me in the past has been by accident, and in community tanks, so trying to breed something specifically would be interesting and this is a challenge is good reason to attempt it. My only concern is that I would not want to be holding everybody else up one year down the line if I can't get what you suggest to breed!! I'd also like to contribute to the CSG's breeding program so for me this could kill two birds with one stone. Now I will just have to explain that I might need to set up another tank....

Tony

[grokefish]

mummymonkey wrote:Provided the chosen species can be got and isn't expensive or large then I'm in.

I'm in! Great idea

Maybe an out clause if there's just no way the person can find the fish in question?

Well, if this is successful then hopefully there will be available fish to donate to someone that cannot get them and they can have a go at the previous challenge. I am certainly willing to donate any offspring to anyone in the UK for free if I am successful.

To the "maybe" people, you can pick and choose as you like, as every challenge is posted, all you have to do is post "I'm in!" and off we go. This can happen at any stage of the challenge, as some of the earlier species will be basic and not very challenging to experienced breeders.

Matt

[MatsP]

I already have a group of M. thoracata - but a group of three females doesn't bode well for any breeding success. Need to find a male. Anyone for a swapsy?

--
Mats

[TP]

I must have posted at the same time as you put the list up. Now I've seen it I'm definitely in!!

I have 5 littorale which have spawned once for me in a tank with synos and lima shovelnoses so it didn't end well and only last week i was thinking about moving them to another tank on their own and giving it a proper go. This is the perfect reason to actually do it rather than just think about it. I think they are the coolest fish as well and I don't see them around too often so thats another good reason!

Matt, I think this is a very good idea!

Mats - I also have 11/12 mature M thoracata, every single one a female, sometimes I wonder why this is as by the law of averages you would expect a male at least

[grokefish]

Is there not a risk that although some participants succeed in breeding, it may take a LONG time to get all participants to breed the species.

Subject to availability and space in tanks, I'm in.

--
Mats

Yes it could go that way, but if so that is the way of it.
Breeding fish, I believe, is all about getting the conditions right, get the conditions right and viola the fish get on with it.
If someone is having trouble then the other participating members must do their utmost to help solve the situation, then maybe we can get a troubleshooting information section for each species, which will make it easier for future breeding projects.
Mats, this is gonna be a long challenge, so a few months extra won't be too significant.
If someone is clearly losing interest (as in not responding to posted suggestions, not posting for a long time) then we will tackle that situation and get a majority vote on whether to continue to the next species.

Everyone happy with that?

Matt

[grokefish]

I havn't even got one yet! You guys are already ahead
This is exactly the way this challenge should go

All we need now is some more participants...........

Matt

[sidguppy]

I already bred some on that list, but if anyone wants to challenge me into trying to breed Gogo, Ancharius, Arius madagascariensis or Chrysichthys sianenna; i'm all for it ;)

breeding Amphilius would also be beyond cool; now, lety's find us some breeding stock

[grokefish]

I already bred some on that list, but if anyone wants to challenge me into trying to breed Gogo, Ancharius, Arius madagascariensis or Chrysichthys sianenna; i'm all for it ;)

breeding Amphilius would also be beyond cool; now, lety's find us some breeding stock

then you will be perfect for this challenge Sid, get in on it and you could be of help

Matt

[L number Banana]

I'll need to get you guys to positively ID them. They don't look like the 'Hoplo' cats at the store...
I'll call around today and post pics in the ID section when I get some.
Good choice!

[Birger]

I would like to be in on this at the very least just to tag along with the posts....but I do know where there is a tank full of

Hoplosternum littorale

but they would have to be grown out yet.

And I have been looking for either Megalechis species anyway...


Birger

[nvcichlids]

I'm game, just will take a week to get them in my possession.

[grokefish]

Awesome!

MAtt

[L number Banana]

A bit of advice?

It looks like I can order some on Tuesday. Think I have the M/F thing okay with regards to looking for the space between the bones.

Any recommendations on which ones would be best with my community tank or should I start a new 15 gal? - Won't be cycled by the time they arrive
My community is 1 small H.syno, P.maccus, Twigs that have a separate feeding area, Cherry Barbs, corys. Temp 24.
Another tank already set up has danios only.

Some say peaceful except when feeding but others are blank in the 'tankmates' area. Some experienced keepers might know a bit more in this regards?
Thanks

[Birger]

A bit of advice?

It looks like I can order some on Tuesday. Think I have the M/F thing okay with regards to looking for the space between the bones.

Any recommendations on which ones would be best with my community tank or should I start a new 15 gal? - Won't be cycled by the time they arrive
My community is 1 small H.syno, P.maccus, Twigs that have a separate feeding area, Cherry Barbs, corys. Temp 24.
Another tank already set up has danios only.

Some say peaceful except when feeding but others are blank in the 'tankmates' area. Some experienced keepers might know a bit more in this regards?
Thanks

Does a brand new thread start this or is it going to go from this one....this would be the time to decide before the questions really start.
Each challenge should maybe have its own title something along the lines of "PC Hoplo challenge" or something more imaginative.

Hey Banana's...I would be looking at the size first and try to get a smaller species for the size of tank you have mentioned, if you can go a little bigger...still the same fooprint but at least next size up would be more manageable.
I think all these species are fairly peaceful but just very active feeders.

Birger

[L number Banana]

Thanks Birger,
Sorry for the confusion, the danio tank is 15gal, empty tank is 15 gal and the community cat tank is 33 gal (36x12x12) but I think sticking with the smaller fish is good for a newbie

Does a brand new thread start this or is it going to go from this one....this would be the time to decide before the questions really start.
Each challenge should maybe have its own title something along the lines of "PC Hoplo challenge" or something more imaginative.

Wondered the same thing.

[grokefish]

Does a brand new thread start this or is it going to go from this one....this would be the time to decide before the questions really start.
Each challenge should maybe have its own title something along the lines of "PC Hoplo challenge" or something more imaginative.


Birger

What does everyone think, Birger may have a point here, that could solve the problem Mats came up with, however it may complicate matters, or worse, people that have bred the first species may not bother with that species thread anymore defeating the object of the challenge.
On the other hand it may make searches easier.
Could everyone involved so far put their point forward on this.

Any way I now have 6

Megalechis thoracata

bought from e-bay coming £1.20 for 6, yes thats correct read it again £1.20 for six of them! I hope they have been ID properly and don't arrive dead
So I am off to a somewhat slower start than some others.

Matt

[worton[pl]]

Well,

great idea. I'm in .

[Birger]

What does everyone think, Birger may have a point here, that could solve the problem Mats came up with, however it may complicate matters, or worse, people that have bred the first species may not bother with that species thread anymore defeating the object of the challenge.
On the other hand it may make searches easier.
Could everyone involved so far put their point forward on this.

Might want to wait until after the weekend before deciding much as a there are a few people who will be involved presently caught up in the action of the convention.

Birger

[Jools]

I agree with Birger, and also this will be discussed properly (e.g. with beer) over the weekend too. I'd say that running a "governing" topic (e.g. this one) and one per challenge is a good idea and would also allow the one per challenge topic to be placed in the appropriate husbandry forum.

For my part, I am putting some serious thought into how we might have some of this endeavour added to an new part of the my cats/my aquaria section.

Jools

[grokefish]

How thouroughly exciting!

Beer.

Matt

[L number Banana]

For my part, I am putting some serious thought into how we might have some of this endeavour added to an new part of the my cats/my aquaria section.

Good idea