Uaru Breeding Tips

[Beetlebug515]

Anyone have any? Trying to figure out a few things like what size they start breeding, ideal water conditions, and tank setup. This information seems to be fairly sparse on the interwebz. I currently have a batch of 6 young in a 60 by themselves along with 2 older ones in my 250. I figure the six should be a large enough group to produce a pair.

 

[Aquanero]

What type of Uaru (species) do you have? Tank breed or wild?

 

[Beetlebug515]

I have uaru amphiacanthoides, and I'm not sure if they are wild caught or tank bred.

 

[Aquanero]

Amps breed like most other cichlids a pair forms and they lay eggs on a hard horizontal surface they clean. They will take turns fanning the eggs pick off any infernal eggs and in about 72 hours the eggs hatch into wigglers. Then the parents moved them into a shallow pit for about a week to ten days until they go free swimming. First time parents sometimes eat the eggs and it might take a few try's to get it right. If you have a dedicated tank the fry should be left with the parents so the fry can feed off skin secretions not to the same extent as Discus but they do, do it. Also an aged tank is good as the fry graze on the algae and other micro organisms in the tank. As the fry grow baby brine shrimp can be feed along with other foods designed for fry.

 

[Beetlebug515]

At what size should they start spawning?

 

[Satanoperca3298]

They will attempt to spawn at around 5 to 6 inch. The first spawn usually fails, mainly due to the male firing blanks. After 2 or 3 goes he should get it right. I've had Uaru a, spawn in the most unusual places, often on bogwood, they are good at protecting eggs, but will often give in to larger or more aggressive species, such as large Geophagines.

I've bred Uaru many times, and found that egg numbers are greater the lower the ph is, and less if the ph is leaning to alkaline.
Bear in mind these fish are mainly herbivore, and love their veg, feed them with cucumber pieces, lettuce etc and they will repay you with looking good and feeding from your hand.

Egg numbers are usually around 200 for first spawn.
If eggs go white, leave it to the parents to pick them out from fertile ones.
Fry will graze, similar to discus, from the flanks of parents.
Good luck
Graham