B. Opercularis spawns

[Gillie]

In the last week and a half my Biotoecus Opercularis male has been a busy guy, all three females have spawned with the first spawn free swimming today. These fish have obviously never heard the stories of how hard they are to keep and spawn. The one thing I have never heard was how small the fry are. I've seen Betta fry bigger than these guys which brings me to a feeding question. Can the fry take microworms or should I keep feeding the APR(artificial plankton and rotifers) and start feeding microworms next week?

 

[oldschool]

It has been a really long time since I had any Biotoecus but I remember I fed mine micro worms and infusoria I made with a banana peel. I think just the micro worms for a couple of days would be fine.

I agree with you! I do not feel that many of the stories of many of our Dwarf Cichlids being difficult to breed are warranted. Biotoecus is no exception mine bred readily in rain water filtered over peat moss. Good luck with your spawns it is a great feeling to have bred a rare fish, I am feeling a little joy of my own with my wild T.candidi.

 

[Gillie]

Thanks, I've never really bred anything that had babies too small to take bbs right away. I'd imagine Taeniacara are just as small.

 

[oldschool]

No T.candidi take bbs right away. Good luck on your 3 spawns have fun!

 

[electric eel]

have you ever tried vineger eels?they are super easy to culture.i usually feed my ram fry these for the first 2 days and have also used them and greenwater to sucessfully raise tiny kili fry to the point that they could take bbs.i often will squirt some into some of my tanks that have a lot of leaves and cover to where i can't see whats going on if i think there has been a spawn.i also supplement my bbs with vinegar eels for my angelfish fry when they are very small.i'd be happy to send you some if you can't get ahold of any.i have 2 gallon jugs full.all i do is feed them a tablespoon of sugar every week or two and have had them going for at least a year.they live indefinitely in a tank as far as i know so they don't die and foul the tank.

 

[oldschool]

Eletric eel,

That's good information on the vineger eels, So you just kept feeding them sugar, I will have to try that. How do you collect your vineger eels? I agree with you they are super easy to culture I always have a culture on hand because they are just so easy to do. My problem is collecting them. Could you share any advice in this regard. I never fuss with them because they are a pain to collect for me.

 

[Gillie]

I was able to move the group of free swimmers to a breeding net lastnight. I got lucky, they were just about ready to leave the tube.

 

[electric eel]

i use a balsamic vinegar bottle old school.you pour the vinegar/water mix until it is up into the bottom of the neck.then stuff in a piece of polyester filter medium like a plug.top off with dechlored clean water.i do it the night before.the eels work their way up into the clean water and i collect them with an eyedropper.there are so many it looks milky.i'm looking for a bigger bottle with an appropriate sized neck so i can harvest more at a time.the sugar thing was a tip from al anderson an old timer from idianapolis,indiana been breeding fish since the mid 60's.still interested in the t.caendidi!

 

[oldschool]

Electric eel,

Thanks wow that sounds pretty easy and much easier to grow then many other live foods. How often do you feed them sugar? Thanks for the tip and I should have plenty of candidi so no problem. Wow I am thinking wine bottles might work well. I have heard of the before but never tried but from your saying that sounds pretty easy. I am going to the grocery store today looking for bottles that will will work Thanks again.

 

[electric eel]

keep in mind i'm feeding a whole gallon but i was giving them a tablespoon every week.i slacked off for a while but still did every two weeks or so.the jugs are full of eels though looks like a cloud floating in there.i was thinking a liquor bottle also but i don't drink. my buddy is going to hook me up.i'm interested in some of the b. opercularis also.