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growth=red algae?
Posted: 06 Mar 2004, 23:07
by Tom
All my Tanganyikan Synos are extremely slow growers. A person told me they eat red algae in the wild. Is this commercially available and does anyone know if this will speed up growth? Otherwise is anyone had success in faster growth and if so what are you feeding?
Take care,
Tom
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 05:30
by DeepFriedIctalurus
All I can offer you is the fast that all Synos from Tanganyika grow very slowly, if that's any consolation. I've never heard anything about red algae helping in this department but I seriously doubt it would make a big difference if it does at all.
Anyhow something like this is available frozen or dried to be sold as saltwater fish food, worth a try I guess?
Tyler
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 12:13
by Southcoaster
Sorry to jump in but how slow is slow! I have 5 Petricola at 1", how long does it take for them to reach 4" which I believe is adult size.
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 12:16
by Silurus
Anyhow something like this is available frozen or dried to be sold as saltwater fish food
Isn't marine red algae completely different from the freshwater variety? I don't think it would be wise to feed marine fish food to freshwater fish.
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 15:52
by Barbie
I purchased 9 1" petricola 4 years ago and they are just starting to spawn now, if that gives you any idea. Mine were moved around the country a bit, which could have slowed them down, but spent 2.5 years of that time on an all you can eat blackworm buffet at least twice a week. Like other tanganyikan fish, their growth is definitely far from noticable.
I wouldn't worry about feeding sw algaes to them. You can do it, and they seem to enjoy nori sheets, or at least tear hell out of them and make a mess everywhere. I didn't notice any growth surge when mine were getting it though. I feed it occasionally to the young ancistrus I'm growing out.
Barbie
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 16:08
by Southcoaster
Thanks Barbie, I didn't realise it was that slow, explains the high adult prices though.
No worries, I also keep Altolamprologus Calvus cichlids and they take an age to put on any real growth as well so I am used to it.
Posted: 08 Mar 2004, 16:13
by Barbie
Exactly 
I've grown 1" calvus out to spawning size in less than 2 years though. The petricolas might actually have been capable of spawning here for 6 months or so, but probably not longer than that.
Barbie