L204 spawning project...

[Mazzi]

Tonight have my four L204 got their own 100l tank and I hope the will spawn in the future. I`m not sure about how many males or femals I have. Two of them ar to smal to sex I think, the other two is adult. One have odontodes on the body so I think thats a male. Som pictures...

[Mazzi]

Male?

[MatsP]

I'm pretty sure that the last fish is male.

The others are very hard to say if they are juvenile or female (or even subdominant males).

--
Mats

[jac]

Something I have learned from looking at my own fish:

Males have rounded and broad pectorial fins. Females have longer and pointed pectorial fins.

So that makes your second fish a female to me They others are male.

[Mazzi]

Something I have learned from looking at my own fish:

Males have rounded and broad pectorial fins. Females have longer and pointed pectorial fins.

So that makes your second fish a female to me They others are male.

Thanks, I hope you be right

[Simon86]

I think your L204 are a bit too small.
I have 8 of them arround 14cm and they are so easy to sex.
The 4 males have quite hard odontodes all over the body and the females have almost none.
Also the headshape is very different comparing males to female.

With smaller L204 it always worked for me to take them out of the tank and feel the tail with your hand.
If you feel some "spikes" they are male.
Of corse the females also have some. But you'll feel the difference.

Greets Simon

[Simon86]

Again...

Found some good pictures!

Big male:


2 female about same size:


You can see a huge different regarding odontodes, head and bodyshape.

[Mazzi]

Thanks for the pictures, it`s easy to se the different! maybe I have to feed them upp a little.

[Mazzi]

To day my L204 shows breeding behavior. The male let the female came in to his cave and after a while he let her out again. The have doing like this whole day. Yesterday was the female trapped whole day so I thought the already spawned.

Her is a movie, unfortunately it´s a bit dark. Is it possible to light it up?


/Mats

[ridout]

i started a thread about a month a go on 204 breeding, i had some great help and responses from people which i was very greatful for. have a look and you may get some helpful hints yourself. http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =5&t=31860
Have a look at the Link that Farid put up. A must for all the 204 fans


Good Luck with your 204's. Keep us informed of your progress.

Ridout

[Mazzi]

The cave I use for my L204 is not that big, only 3,8cm x 20cm. The male and the female was in it together so I hope it´s good enough for them.

They showed breeding behavior for two days but no eggs

What can I do to get them in the mood again? Is this a common behavior?

/Mats

[apistomaster]

Most seemed too young to sex let alone breed save the one obvious male.

[ridout]

I think you will have to be patient with them. Good things come to those who wait.

Good luck.

[Mazzi]

I've taken a break with my breeding of catfish because my daughter needed a single room I moved my L204 to my 400l tank with some other catfishes, I bought a 720l tank instead of the breedingtanks and today I moved all the fish from the 400l to my 720l. Suddenly, when I had moved most of the fish I saw an eggshell come floating. One of the females lock thin so I took up the rootcave again where my L204 male use to be and I saw a lot of yellow eggs in the end of the cave . I moved him back to my 400l tank and I hope that there wasn't too much for him. He has been kicked out two eggs to night that I have put in a net instead.

I am so happy that they finally spawned, just a little ironic that it happened under these conditions

/Mats

[Mazzi]

The eggs

[lzebra]

Congrats on getting your L204s to breed.
I'm interested to know what size cave did you use. What was the length and opening size?

[Mazzi]

Congrats on getting your L204s to breed.
I'm interested to know what size cave did you use. What was the length and opening size?

The cave is 3,8 x 20 cm.

Unfortunately the male left the cave and a L28 took over it. But hopefully they will breed again soon

The two I save is groving well, here is a picture.

/Mats

[Mazzi]

Now they begin to resemble their parents

/Mats

[lzebra]

this definately gives me some hope for mine.

[krazyGeoff]

Congratulations.

I am interested in the cave opening shape.

Any chances of a picture?

Thanks in advance
Geoff

[Mazzi]

It is the Y-shaped cave they used.

/Mats

[krazyGeoff]

It is the Y-shaped cave they used.

/Mats

Thanks

Geoff

[lzebra]

hey Mats
Just wondering what your feeding regime is? I feed mine Zuchinni/Vegies everyday and i'd throw in some discus granules and/or bloodworms every 2nd day. Funny thing is, on the days I give them animal protein, they hardly tough their zuchinis.

[Mazzi]

I give my different kind of tablets, for example Sera Plankton tabs, Sera O-nip, JBL Novo Pleco, JBL Novo Tab and Tropical Carnivore. Sometimes they get bloodworms and sometimes zuchinni. Maybe not the best diet for L204 but it worked for me. And a few times a month I give them no food at all a few days so they must eat wood instead.

/Mats

[lzebra]

Its widely accepted that the L204 are wood eaters and veg diet, however when I put in zuchini and pellets/granules/bloodworms, they always always go for the meaty foods first and leave the vegies til it rots. Do you actually feed yours daily on meaty foods? or alternate days with vegie and protein?

I've just seen one of the males fanning halfway in his cave. Now I just need to plump up the females and get them gravid

[Mazzi]

I try to vary the food, but yes my get most meaty food. And they eat a lot of wood. I have the same experience that you have with vegetables, they're not so interested of it.

I forgot spirulina tabs or granular in my last post.

Good luck with your`s

/Mats

[Mazzi]

I've had my suspicions about my L204 has been spawning again and today I got it confirmed

/Mats

[OlePaulsen]

Congratulation! Heeeia søtabror! Can we see a article in next GOC?
Looking forward to next photosession

[Skägget]

Yes an article in Malbiten would be great! Seems like you are an good breeder. Have you had some more success with L030 as well?

[Mazzi]

Thanks

It would be fun to write an article ... we'll see. I have sold my L30, I only have some brood left.

/Mats