Matt V
01-03-2006, 10:55 PM
So, i've been trying to debug the breeding triggers of my Victorians lately and thought I would share some results.
First off, my groups are Hap. limax (2m/5f) Para. chromogynos (2m/4f/2?). Water's pH is 7.7. I keep the tank at 75F.
When I first got them, the limax spawned just about every chance they could for a few weeks. Then it slowed down to about once every two weeks. During that time, my water changes were 25% every 5 days. Then I moved them from the temporary tank they were in to the larger (55g) tank they now share. Eventually I want to put each colony in their own 55g tank. Before the move, spawning seemed to follow water changes by 1-2 days like clockwork. If there was no spawning by the end of day 2, it didn't happen.
After the move, breeding stopped for quite a while (don't worry... it's on again). Now I've noticed that spawning seems to be happening after the fast. I'm on the same water change regime, but before every second change, they fast and the lights stay off the day before.
So, I changed the water change/fast routine so that fasting happens 2 days after every other water change and have noticed the same thing - spawning while the lights are out for a 24 hour period. The chromogynos have especially taken to this 'dancing in the dark' and the poor alpha male that had been trying so desperately for a very long time is suddenly enjoying quite a success with his ladies.
Anybody else notice any triggers for spawning with their Victorians? Care to share some obsessive-compulsive fish watching urban legends about what makes Vics spawn? :wink:
First off, my groups are Hap. limax (2m/5f) Para. chromogynos (2m/4f/2?). Water's pH is 7.7. I keep the tank at 75F.
When I first got them, the limax spawned just about every chance they could for a few weeks. Then it slowed down to about once every two weeks. During that time, my water changes were 25% every 5 days. Then I moved them from the temporary tank they were in to the larger (55g) tank they now share. Eventually I want to put each colony in their own 55g tank. Before the move, spawning seemed to follow water changes by 1-2 days like clockwork. If there was no spawning by the end of day 2, it didn't happen.
After the move, breeding stopped for quite a while (don't worry... it's on again). Now I've noticed that spawning seems to be happening after the fast. I'm on the same water change regime, but before every second change, they fast and the lights stay off the day before.
So, I changed the water change/fast routine so that fasting happens 2 days after every other water change and have noticed the same thing - spawning while the lights are out for a 24 hour period. The chromogynos have especially taken to this 'dancing in the dark' and the poor alpha male that had been trying so desperately for a very long time is suddenly enjoying quite a success with his ladies.
Anybody else notice any triggers for spawning with their Victorians? Care to share some obsessive-compulsive fish watching urban legends about what makes Vics spawn? :wink: