pulchra in hibernation

[bathawk]

my pulchra tank is now down to 17 c and he has been in his cave for 2 days not come out to eat he probualy ventures out when lights out so I presume this is the way subtropical channas behave during the winter months

 

[-DC-]

You are correct , the winter cold/dry season they retreat into hiding . Males tend to prefer cave life while females tend to be a bit more active.


With my breeding pair of auranti the male retreated into his cave every November and wouldn’t come out until the first big water change in April

 

[bathawk]

wow and didn't die of starvation ? well I my one must be male he has been in his cave for 3 days normaly when I walk past the tank he jump's out and begs for food at the moment he is curled up in the cave

 

[-DC-]

No they didn’t starve ! It’s part of their natural cycle .

I kept my auranti at ~ 12-14c in the winters . Female ate very little male ate almost nothing. They would breed year after year with nice big meals in the spring pre breeding and again in the summer/ fall after the male released the fry to prep
Them for the next winter.

Cheers

 

[bathawk]

wish I had a pair but don't see many pulchra's my regular store will have single ones every now and then .He did come out for food last night did the dance in front the glass fed him a super worm he then went back into his cave

 

[TomatoandEgg]

I havent a cave in my new tank. Is this a barrier to breeding aurantis?

 

[bathawk]

I am no expert but with my pulchra he was making his own caves by trying to burrow under some amazon swords and schredding his tail at the same time so I put some pieces of bog wood in a corner of the tank and he has made a cave out of it I think if the substrate is deep enough and there are a lot of plants they will try to make a cave of some sort