Just an update (multiple simultaneous spawns)...

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

terd ferguson

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2007
1,659
20
38
Concord, NC
I just thought I'd let you all in on what's been going on in the big tank over the last month or so. I have three simultaneous spawns with the loisellis, motas, and jags. The motas were the first and their fry have been free swimming now for over two weeks. There are still around 200. This is a pleasant surprise for me. I've been hoping to be able to get some fry to make it all the way without being eaten. Previous spawns have barely managed a week with their numbers being cut in half daily. These mota fry are not dwindling down from predation and are getting bigger.

The jag fry are also free swimming as of yesterday. I'm hoping that they will last longer this time as well. Time will tell. The loiselli eggs are now hatching. I've never had a batch of loiselli eggs result in fry. The female always eats the eggs.

You can check my tank and stock list in my sig line. I still don't have any aggression problems even with something as rediculous as three breeding pairs of Parachromis at the same time in the same tank.

In case you don't know the back story, my original goal was to have large predatory aggressive Americans together successfully. I started several in a 55g. I then upgraded to a 190g and added more fishes. That setup lasted over a year with zero murders. One of my other goals (having kept them together without murders) was to allow breeding. I had two pairs breeding regularly in the 190g with no problems other than the fry being eaten over the course of a week.

Fast forward to now. All these guys have been in the 360g for a couple of months now. My current goal is to have fry survive to adulthood without being eaten. With this current crop of mota fry, I'm very optomistic that this can happen. Beyond this, my future short term goals include the addition of a male dovii and then later down the line a female dovii. My ultimate goal is to have all the Parachromis (males and females of each) living together, spawning and rasing fry successfully all without murders. Given my experiences so far, I think it is definately possible. I just have to find the right dovii specimen to give me the best chance at success.

Thanks for looking and thanks for this great forum. None of what I've accomplished would have been possible were it not for this forum and the awesome members here. Thank you. ;)
 
Pic's? heheh we all would love to see updated pic's of the 360g.
 
Good to see you back TF. I was wondering when you were going to update us....except I was hoping you would have a Dovii when you did lol.
 
ProblEmZ;2270335; said:
Pic's? heheh we all would love to see updated pic's of the 360g.

I took a couple today. There's some reflections though because of daylight and all. I'll try and get some better ones at night when it's dark.

Spaz said:
Terd i don't know how you do it!! That's awsome congrats!!

Me neither, thanks.:D

balton777 said:
Good to see you back TF. I was wondering when you were going to update us....except I was hoping you would have a Dovii when you did lol.

Thanks. Life has been keeping me busy lately. I am still on the hunt for the right dovii though.

Here's some photos I took today to tide you guys over til I can get some better ones.



Mota female and some of her fry...
DSCF3506.jpg


Death for fry is never far away...
DSCF3524.jpg


A tiny fraction of current jag fry...
DSCF3507.jpg


You can barely make it out, but there are about 1,000 more in this pot. The female jag is splitting them up into two groups this time. Perhaps this is to ensure better survival for the majority (in the pot)...
DSCF3515.jpg


Loiselli and/or Freddy male (in one photo, he looks like a freddy and in the next, a loiselli. I give up! :D), father of the current loiselli fry...
DSCF3523.jpg


Same guy again...
DSCF3512.jpg


Monster Convict, for reference, the smaller one just under and to the right of the big one is 4"...
DSCF3519.jpg


And finally, my retarded synodontis, Corky. Notice how his mouth and barbels are on the side of his face?:ROFL:
DSCF3516.jpg


Thanks again for looking.;)
 
Nice collection. How about some full tank shots? When life is not taking a toll on you of course.
 
good job man. looks nice. personally i dont think any fry would survive until adulthood but it would be awesome if they did. good luck and post some more pics of the tank. looks good
 
LemonHead;2271384; said:
Nice collection. How about some full tank shots? When life is not taking a toll on you of course.

Here's one I took a month or so ago. It's pretty much the same except the fishes dug up the big swords so I moved them more towards the front where they are out of the pairs' spawning spots....
DSCF3406.jpg



Davey_8313 said:
Looks good man, definitely keep us updated on them. I want to see a full tank shot also...

Thanks. See above for the tank shot.:)

fishguts said:
good job man. looks nice. personally i dont think any fry would survive until adulthood but it would be awesome if they did. good luck and post some more pics of the tank. looks good

Thanks. Given my past experience, I would say fry surviving long term would be a long shot at best. The new batch of mota fry is taking a different route however. Even if this batch doesn't make it, the fry are lasting longer and longer with each spawn. And really, I've only got to get the fry to about 2" for them to be safe. Once they get to that size, they'll have enough smarts to get away from potential predators. Time will tell is all I can say.

Aphilophus said:
nice fish good luck

Thanks.:)
 
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