Uruguayan Fishes During Winter Cool Down

[abarilot]

Here is one of my tanks with some of my Uruguayan fishes I caught in December 2010. Water temperature has ranged from the high 50s to low 60s for the last couple months. Hopefully by spring it warms up a bit and I'll start seeing spawning behavior!

Species List:
Gymnogeophagus sp. "Catalan Grande" (gymnogynes type)
Crenicichla minuano
Cichlasoma sp. "La Palma"
Ancistrus sp. "Lunarejo"
Astyanax sp. "La Palma"

 

[dogofwar]

Nice!

I keep mine as cool as I can in the winter (usually low 60s) by keeping them unheated on the lowest level of my fishroom...and so cold water changes.

While they're a little less active and eat less than at warmer temps, I've seen spawning and all sorts of other activities at these temps!

Matt

 

[abarilot]

Thanks Matt! I'm hoping to get the C. minuanos to spawn this year!

 

[duanes]

So far no spawning activity in my cool down, the temps are just starting to climb a bit into the mid 60s

And it seems to bring out the colors in the alpha male Gymno

They spawn on and off all summer in my pond near the ceibals.

May try the pikes out there this summer.

 

[Dispatch273]

Really nice fish! I've often thought about setting up a Uraguay biotope, just have to find room(and convince hubby another tank won't kill him)!

 

[abarilot]

Really nice fish! I've often thought about setting up a Uraguay biotope, just have to find room(and convince hubby another tank won't kill him)!

Thanks! Good thing with Uruguayan fish is they don't need a heater so you'll save with you electricity bill!

Duanes- My water temps are getting colder as we speak. Come summertime I have to had heaters to get the water temps from the low 70s to the high 70s. I would think with the cool down your pikes will spawn. The Lepidota type pikes from Uruguay are one of the easier pikes to spawn. If you had C. celidochilus I'd put them in your pond and I bet you'd spawn them! One of these years you should go on one of the collecting trips to Uruguay!

 

[duanes]

I definitely want to go with you guys to Uruguay some time.
And celidochiles are high on my list.
Dispatch I totally agree with Armand on the low cost of Uruguayan tanks, I don't use a heater in winter or summer. I have a line of 3 tanks on a north wall, the 125 biotope with the pikes, Gymnos and ceibals,

a 60 gal with grow out Uruguayan balzani, ceibals, Corydorus erhardti, some high elevation Mexican Xenatoca

and a 75 gal to overwinter ornamental carp

the only real filtration is a planted sump where I over winter pond plants.

 

[dogofwar]

I'm planning on going again next March

Matt

 

[tjrcf25]

They look great. Nice photos.

 

[duanes]

I'm planning on going again next March


March 2014? That may be doable for me too, if I'm still vertical.
By the way Matt, no 40s yet, hopefully soon.