Spotted raphael egg laying possibility

[kabaltah]

Hello, I have 8 agamyxis pectinifrons ranges in size 3" to 4+½". I know they can have very large bellies when they eat much, but last night I noticed that one of them, the biggest one, was really very rounded like a ball.
I came home at the evening today and noticed all my hoplos and cories were trying to enter the artifical cave which is the hideout of 4 of my spotted raphaels, It was unusual because I havent seen any of the other fish getting inside that cave other than raphaels. But I couldnt check if what happened, I had to get out again. Half an hour ago I gave the fish some food and all raphaels came out of their hideouts and I noticed that the fish that I mentioned above has a flat belly, it was even changed shape compared to last night.
Is it possible that the fish has laid eggs into the cave today and the other fishes were trying to eat them when I saw them trying to enter the cave.
I'm keeping raphaels for about 2 years , I have seen them in the shape of baloons with fins and mouth when I overfeed them. But I'm not overfeeding them for a long time. What can you say about this situation?

***sorry I opened the topic into wrong section, will be pleased if it is carried to the right one.

[Richard B]

Radical changes to belly shape/size in a very small time period together with the behavior of the other fish in your tank rings true to some sort of spawning activity. as this is similar to something i've witnessed in the past with liosomadoras oncinus, & i suspect would be similar in many other circumstances.

That said i haven't a clue about spawning behaviour in agamyxis, cave spawner?, bubblenester is suggested in cat-e-log although it points out info is sketchy

[kabaltah]

I know that they are suspected to be bubblenest builders but heard about no case that any one saw them building bubblenests in aquarium.
Do you know any one who really tried breeding spotted raphaels, in a perfect biotop aquarium or what else?
Spotted raphaels are my number one fish which I want to try breeding seriously in the future.
Next time if I see one of them being rounded unnaturally, I'll take it to a seperate aquarium with a possible male one. Decorated with caves and and floating plants. Although I dont believe that if I can breed them but worth to try.

[Richard B]

My personal opinion is you CAN breed them! (you've got to be positive haven't you!)

So many fish haven't been bred 'cos no-one has kept them in a group! I kept this species at home previously but it was a single specimen amongst a group of other doradids not a chance obviously!

A dedicated set-up like yours & perhaps some planned attempts, should prove fruitful in some way or other

[kabaltah]

Thanks for encouraging me. I'm keeping them in a catfish only setup with hoplos and sterbai cories, it is bare bottom at the moment decorated with plastic plants, artifical caves and stone caves. I'm planning to add some live plants, bog wood and perhaps substrate, but I really do like bare bottom tanks, so not sure about the substrate.

[Richard B]

Personally i am not a fan of bare bottomed tanks - sand is my substrate of choice. As for decor, it's a matter of personal taste & some fish will breed anywhere!

[apistomaster]

I prefer even a very thin layer of sand to a bare bottom for most fish but especially catfish. I just use about >1/4 inch of FloraBase in all my tanks.
It still allows for the simplicity of maintenance that bare bottom tanks have but most fish enjoy picking through some sand. My fry survival rates among catfish are noticeably better with a thin sand layer than in bare glass.

I believe these Cats have been bred using artificial techniques and hormone injections but only if we try, will any of the fish not yet bred in captivity naturally will we ever succeed. You seem to have the prerequisite group of potential breeders which is where everything begins.
Sounds like a worthy project to me.

[grokefish]

I have been trying for years, your situation sounds promising.
Bubble nesters my arse.
Good luck!

Matt

[fishguy1978]

I realize this is a very old thread, 13yrs old. I was perusing an online distributors site and saw tank raised Agamyxis pectinifrons available. Has anyone successfully spawned them? Are hormones the being used by some? I currently have 2 (100mm ish) and one very well could be a female as it occasionally has the golf ball belly and I know it's not over fed.

[aquaholic]

I've been breeding these periodically for many years. Hormone induced and dry fertilised (hand stripped) so I may not be able to offer you much insight.

The fish still need to be kept in favourable conditions and well conditioned and like all fish production, the spawning/fertilising of eggs is the easiest part.