Thanks for all the bristlenose breeding tips

[cathyhill]

I found a shell with a 2 inch opening and put it in there on Wednesday. The male was very happy and fit into it nicely with room to spare.

I came into the office this morning and was greeted by a male bristlenose with a shell full of eggs. There are quite a few of them and dad is happily fanning them. How long does it take for them to hatch? When and what should I start feeding them?

The eggs are a lot larger than I expected.

[barramundi]

Congrat's amigo! :dance:

I feed mine pieces of lightly steamed (so just soft) carrot, brocoli stalk, chinese cabbage leaf and I've heard of people using zucchini spilt down the middle with the seeds scraped out but the flesh still on. I use those veggie clips. The veggies I use as a suppliment to spirulina algae flakes which are their staple 2x per day. The veggies I leave in 2 days then remove. Giveit 2 days, then put another piece of veg in. Meanwhile algae wafers daily. I get a good solid growth & less than 5% attrition. I do a wayer change of 10% bi-weekly if I'm growing out for sale.

I'm glad they came through for you at last!!! New the shellie-queen would crack their code eventually. :rofl:

Now we can call you the "bristley-queen", or is that the "Nosey-queen".... hmmm something tells me I'm in trouble either way.....:nervous:

:sygypsy:

[cathyhill]

Originally posted by barramundi
Now we can call you the "bristley-queen", or is that the "Nosey-queen".... hmmm something tells me I'm in trouble either way.....:nervous:

:sygypsy:

Hey Now...Watch It! I still have to raise some of them before you can brand me with a new name.:D

[barramundi]

Just teasing! :D

[cathyhill]

No problem barra. Just remember what goes around, comes around. ;)


I had to move the shell and dad today because the fry are starting to hatch. Watched as dad was moving his tail back and forth and sent one of the newly hatched airborn only to land where one of my brevis immediately attacked and ate it. Dad and babies are now safe with a divider seperating them from the other tank mates. He sent another one airborn and it landed near the wood with algae and latched on to the log. Is this the way it's usually done or is my male just inexperienced in the baby area?

[barramundi]

"No problem barra. Just remember what goes around, comes around. ;)"

Wouldn't be much of man if I couldn't get as good as I give!!:D


Just inexperience I'd say. I lost an entire batch cos I had 2 clown loaches in the tank to try & control the snail problem. They decided they'd hide in his cave & he went absolutely psycho! Drove them out but also washed the egg clutch out too. I tried putting them back but he wouldn't have anything coming into his shell & just kept shoving them out. Ended up with half a dozen survivors from 50odd. Not happy! But as they grow they'll start coming out more & more till they're all over the place. Especially the suction cups for your filters & heaters & your airline hoses. & any bogwood will be cleaned very effectively. Just watch the poop build up, they're poop-machines even as babies.

Congrats again by the way!

[cathyhill]

Good news. I have about 20 new baby bristlenose. All of them are albino like the parents. They are moving about the tank and eating some algae in the tank. Forgot the camera today but will try and get some pictures up shortly.

Dad is back in the shell and all the babies are out. Is it safe to add him back to the tank with the female or does he still need stay in with the fry for some reason?

[barramundi]

Give him a coupole of days with good feedings & then he can go straight back in with Mum & they'll probably go again. Because he eats sparlingly during the guard stage it's wise to give him a couple of days to get his food intake back up. Keeps him in good condition. Congrat's again by the way! :ok:

[cathyhill]

Ok Barramundi, I need help again.

The bristlenose babies started dying one after the other last week. I moved some into the other tank. Don't know if any survived but noticed that dad is busy fanning a new batch of eggs. I want to get some survivors this time. Last time they ate the algae on the side of the glass in my multi tank. I dropped in an algae tablet but I think it rotted in the tank and maybe that was the cause of them dying. I removed it and it did not affect the multi's at all.

Any other suggestions to have a better survival rate this time?

1st batch = 100 % failure!!!!
2nd batch = ?

[punkypuffer]

sorry to hear cathy! hopefully the next batch does better :) keep your chin up!

[barramundi]

Wow, sorry to hear amigo. I've found it vital to keep fresh food in there for them, for example a blanched cabbage leaf, softened brocoli stalk, Zuccini, cooked carrot, etc. I have 1 of the above in the tank constantly for the first 3 months, I replace it with fresh stuff every 3rd day (every 2nd if I use Zuccini but I've gone off it cos it's so messy). I also feed alga pellets at a rate of 5 pellets per 20 fish per day. I vaccuum the tank 2x per week but only to max of 25% of total water volume to prevent shock when topping it back up.

I'd recommend a small (20g-ish) tank just for your fry so you can control their environment. My multi's killed a couple of my juvie b/nose I put in their tank to clean it up a bit, so they maybe a cuplrit for a couple of them maybe?

Most commonly they starve to death though cos they're eating (& pooping) machines for the first 6months IME. the key I have found has been the constant (then regular when they get older) availability of fresh veggies IMO.

Sorry again to hear of the losses.

Oh, also they're very very susceptible to chemicals at that age. I lost 3/4 of a batch after using airfreshner one day in an adjoining room. Zero losses in any tank barr the baby bristlenose. I'd figured (wrongly) that they were far enough away, but apparently not.

Good luck with the second batch amigo!

[cathyhill]

Thanks again barra. I'm going to try the daily vegies in the tank. Someone wrote an article and said that they use the french style green beans and the babies eat everything but the bean skin. I'm going to try those also. I'll let you know if I have better luck with this batch.

Also, what kind of water current do you have in the tank?

[barramundi]

Sounds good. Most greens are ideal IME.

Re the current, I have it pretty strong, 1 powerhead, 1internal filter whose output I direct through an undergravel hose with numerous outlets & the primary filter. The water needs to be well oxygenated & moving steadily. I'm forever seeing babies in the output pipe off the powerhead & they're flapping in the current like a flag. They seem to love it. I believe they come from fast flowing streams so a steady currents a good thing. Obviously not blowing them around the tank, but steady. Keeps the poop build-up down too cos it's blown around & grabbed out by the filter.

Oh, definitely use a sponge or something over the filter inlet (can't remember if I've already said that) or you'll lose them into the filter the silly little sods.

HTH

[cathyhill]

Thanks barra,

I have also read up about the fast moving current and figured that might have been part of the problem. Guess I'm going to have to order a powerhead to put in the tank.

You don't happen to have a picture of your current set up, do you?

[barramundi]

Not at work but I've got some at home, I'll upload them tonight & post it here. :ok:

[agez]

i hear pupkin and zuccini are GREAT!!! my lfs breeds ancistrus (sp) blanch them first in a cup of hot water/microwave until their semi cooked/half to two thirds boiled then feed!!! try it youll be amazed at how mental they are for pumkin n ESPECIALLY zuccini!!! peas and beans are better for adults from what i seen? softer n smaller makes more sence anyways

[cathyhill]

Thank you agez for the other suggestions. How often do they change out the food that is "semi" cooked? Pumpkin would also make sence since mine are albino's. Bet they'd put on some nice orange coloring.

[barramundi]

The fresh & semi-cooked food I pull out after 48 hours. Much longer & it starts to break down into the tank & makes a mess. :ok: