Breeding Hemiancistrus subviridis

[Haavard Stoere]

This morning I found a new clutch of L200 eggs. They were quickly transferred to the 20 liter glass tank with methylene blue. I can`t count the eggs, but the clutch looks similar in size to the last one. This time I use a small powerhead with diffusor to aerate the eggs. My only airpump is being used for another purpose. As they hatch in 5 says I will count them, and I will count all losses up to that point so that I can calculate the total number of eggs.

The previous brood is being fed with crushed Tetra Pro Vegetable flakes, Crushed Tetra Min flakes, Earthworm sticks, Artemia Sticks and Crushed canned peas. I have had a small number of losses (At least two, but probably more) due to bloat (probably internal bacteria), but I expect to get a large number to survive these few critical weeks. They will all be counted for the record in a few weeks.

Just an off topic observation..... L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis are the most shy pleco I have ever kept. They never eat during day unless food falls into their shelter. They hate the light so much that food along the front glass don`t get eaten at night because of small amounts of "moonlight" from another tank in the room. My L200 tank have no tetras or shrimps, so visitors assume the tank is empty despite of 14 adults and 17 juveniles.

[Cristoffer Forssander]

It almost seems that L200 isn't a breeding challenge any more... just like a normal Ancistrus sp. breeding...

My L200s isn't shy at all. Quite the oposit.
They are always in front of the aquarium and are always very quick to find the bottom tabs. I find them the least shy among my catfishes. Perhaps it's has do do with lightning in the aquarium? I have a regular amarature lightning in that aquarium.

You just have to breed them some more and you will have so many L200 that it will be impossible, not to se any of them!

Whats the total count of you're L200 breedings? You well over 200 specimens now?


Cheers
Cristoffer

[Haavard Stoere]

Whats the total count of you're L200 breedings? You well over 200 specimens now?

My total at the moment from my first two successful attempts is around 20-30. My last one was 72. With the expected losses I think the number for the last one will be 50-60. I belive in time I will be able to produce 40-60 in each brood. Remember I breed them in a colony of 13 mostly adult fish. The females probably take turns with the alpha male. Later this season I plan to break up the group and put pairs/trios in smaller tanks with a central filtration system to increase productivity.

[Haavard Stoere]

Whats the total count of you're L200 breedings? You well over 200 specimens now?

Yes! Now I have more than 200.

Because I have enough fry to sell I will attempt to let the next few (2-3) breedings occur naturally. I am adding Cattapa leave extract to the tank and will let the male do his thing naturally next time. Also I will stop all feeding when I see the eggs to prevent high levels of bacteria in the tank.

[Haavard Stoere]

Should I consider UV?

[DJ-don]

Should I consider UV?

it never hurts to try
i use UV in my cory and bn breeding tank to remove any fungus spores

[Bas Pels]

Personally I would not

You managed to get 200 fry without UV, so it is not essential. But using UV will result in not expoosing your fish to biohazards they will meet later in life - in your buyers tank

Both from a fish welfare point of view and a commercial point of view, this is not good

I do realize, however, some fish need UV. Fish which breed as high upstream as possible, will spawn in a place where the water is too young to carry much fungi, bacteria or other threats - and the eggs will therefore not be able to cope with such

UV will allow you to have a tank with acceptable wate for them, but if not essential, I would not use it

[Haavard Stoere]

I was not thinking of using UV permanently, but rather switching it on when I see breeding behaviour and swithing it of when fry are ready to leave the cave.

[Farid]

hi there,
i never used UV on my L200 fry...neither for eggs ...

farid

[Haavard Stoere]

Also it is rather expensive, so I will attempt without UV to start with.

[Farid]

UPDATE:
my couple is busy at the moment after a very long time of nothing...i got now 11 animals in the tank since about 5 months.

farid

[Farid]

update

[krazyGeoff]

Go Farid

[Farid]

...the eggs were unfertilized...in the next day al of them were bright yellow...after 5 times this is the first time they messed it up.

next time ....

[andywoolloo]

next time.