How to Induce Central Americans to Breed

[Brettnewell4454]

I just have the one parrot. No interest really in breeding it. Just enjoy the body shape and he has a great personality. Him and the leopard leaf fish go back and forth chasing each other around basically playing tag. Then they sleep together behind a plant.

 

[duanes]

Without a male in the tank, eggs will not be put down, a male must be there within seconds to fertilize them, or they become impermeable, and will be infertile.
When I wanted certain new world cichlids to spawn, I would add cooler rain water to the tank, mimicking the rainy season.
Removing other fish (other than the pair) is also a good idea, especially places and catfish, that will eat the eggs while the cichlids are sleeping.

 

[fishblahblah]

Without a male in the tank, eggs will not be put down, a male must be there within seconds to fertilize them, or they become impermeable, and will be infertile.
When I wanted certain new world cichlids to spawn, I would add cooler rain water to the tank, mimicking the rainy season.
Removing other fish (other than the pair) is also a good idea, especially places and catfish, that will eat the eggs while the cichlids are sleeping.

Ok, great. I’ll try that on my other tanks along with more patience. Lol. One of my female blood parrots finally laid today but paired with another blood parrot. I’m expecting these eggs to turn white and be eaten but at least I know she’ll lay. After these eggs are removed I may remove the male and try a different type of cichlid with her.

 

[fishblahblah]

I just have the one parrot. No interest really in breeding it. Just enjoy the body shape and he has a great personality. Him and the leopard leaf fish go back and forth chasing each other around basically playing tag. Then they sleep together behind a plant.

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That’s a nice looking leaf fish. I was just checking some out at a store recently. Really interesting looking fish.

 

[JuniorMonsterKeeper]

Without a male in the tank, eggs will not be put down, a male must be there within seconds to fertilize them, or they become impermeable, and will be infertile.
When I wanted certain new world cichlids to spawn, I would add cooler rain water to the tank, mimicking the rainy season.
Removing other fish (other than the pair) is also a good idea, especially places and catfish, that will eat the eggs while the cichlids are sleeping.

When you say rainwater do you mean actual rain water or just cooler water from tap ?

 

[duanes]

I used actual rain water.
I catch it in barrels, the first barrel allows any solids and other junk to settle out, to the bottom before cleaner rain water spills into the 2nd lower barrel, which is the water I use, usually mixed with about 50% tap water. During heavy rains which overwhelm the barrels, it overflows to my pond.


I also soak logs in the barrels which give off tannins, which I find are antibacterial, and help certain species go into breeding condition.

 

[JuniorMonsterKeeper]

Wow !! I wish I could do this but I live in an apartment which renders it impossible for me to collect rain water on my balcony. It would be useful especially giving the added info on the soaking wood and tannins as I never knew that. I have a large colony of L128s and L200s that I feel this would be a great additive to the system I’m trying to settup for breeding them. I don’t pay a water bill so I have basically a limitless supply of fresh water and if I could utilize rain water which I know is a great source of fresh water I feel it could be really beneficial. Thank you. I ve notices a lot about them in the few weekends I ve had them which is much different that other plecos who don’t come from similar regions or biotopes. I did a water change one day and usually I switch my pythons drain switch on when I’m done with a tank and turn off the tap and on this occasion the siphon reversed and pulled out 50% of the water while
I wasn’t looking forcing me to have to refill it. While doing that I noticed they were super active and all out hanging enjoying the flow from the python.

Hate to drag on the convo just an observation that suggests large water changes with fresh water is something they like and that this could b where i bring the rainwater in as I m goin to keep doin double water changes on their system moving forward. But won’t mske them all 50% changes just to be safe.

 

[JuniorMonsterKeeper]

Got another question or 2 ! Do you have any sort of filtration media in there to help seperate undesirables ? And what about birds ? What do you do about birds that may use your bucket as a bath ?

 

[duanes]

Water falling into the 1st barrel separates grit from the roof, leaves, and other stuff by gravity, before overflowing into the 2nd one.
Birds drink, but because the barrel is @ 4ft deep, they usually avoid the deep water.
The few that don't, sometimes drown unless I noticed them.
I also grow gammarus shrimp, and seed the barrels with daphnia as live food in spring, these eat anything organic that overflows from the primary separator barrel, and the algae that blooms in mid to late summer.