Attempting to Breed Sawbwa resplendens (Rummynose Rasbora)

Your sig file say you don't know anything. But you already know a lot more about breeding Sawbwa than most, for what that's worth. I'm enjoying your thread and hoping to learn from it.

GaryE said:

Your sig file say you don't know anything. But you already know a lot more about breeding Sawbwa than most, for what that's worth. I'm enjoying your thread and hoping to learn from it.

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I don't know what it is I've kept Danios, tetra etc before. But these fish always amaze me even now that I'm attempting to breed them I'm still learning new stuff about their behavior and habits

update - last week's eggs did not hatch or were eaten. This week new eggs appeared on floating plants so to reduce the chances of being eaten I put them into a breeding box. still having almost daily breeding activity from the fish

fill the tank up more so there is a bit more swimming room for the adults. just make sure they can't jump out

The (single) Fry Have Arrived! - I had eggs with black dots the other day on the floating plants which was a promising sight, but I woke up this morning and couldn't find them so I assumed the worst. However, I got home before and had a look and there was an eyelash-sized fry in the breeding box! I also picked up a new sponge filter which Is now running in the tank.

I do have dry food for this fry but also wanted to try this method of culturing infusoria posted by KFS -

MattW3344 said:

I've made a few posts about this fish especially on finding females since I only have 1. I was asked in a recent post why I didn't attempt to breed with just that 1 female. I have never attempted to breed fish before so I thought I'd give it a go since the odds of finding a female are slim.

I did some general research on this fish. I mainly used this site and a mini-series on YT from 2017.



These fish breed within floating plant islands in the wild so I used some cuttings from a stem plant and some old java fern from a bucket to create this. I also transferred some floating plants from my main tank to help with filtration. This tank will be left for a day or two to adjust with daily water testing to find any irregularities. I also put a mini sponge filter and ceramic media in my main tank for a few weeks to increase bacteria colonies for when the fish eventually go into the breeding tank.

I have had these fish breed in the main tank before but most of the eggs were eaten by my gourami. So hopefully isolating the eggs in a separate tank from predators will give me better odds of successfully breeding this species.

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A few weeks ago I found mystery fry in my quarantine tank. They’re either rummy nose tetras or dwarf neon rainbows. Now the fry are in a breeder box in the main tank and seem to be doing well. You guessed it - now I want to see if I can encourage breeding.

I placed 1 slim (male I’m pretty sure) and 3 large bellied (supposed to be an indicator of fertile female) rummies in the fishless quarantine tank. I’ll be feeding them protein rich foods such as frozen baby and regular brine shrimp, freeze dried tubifex worms and some all around nutrition with the Co-op’s fry food. There are quite a few stems of pogostemon octopus floating and a large ‘fluffy’ plastic plant, along with a couple of moss balls. I’m using a sponge filter for filtration and no heater - the water’s been 82 - 84 lately.

I have several more rummies in my main tank and they chase each other around regularly. From what I’ve seen it’s more breeding-style than just simple schooling. However, it’s a community tank and my guys are all little piggies so I don’t hold out much hope for any ‘wild born’ fry. I’m hoping it’ll be successful in a more controlled environment.

Suggestions are more than welcome. Wish me luck!

I would bet a fair bit they are M. praecox rainbows, as their fry show up a lot.

Rummy nose tetras are difficult to breed, and the the thread is confused by the use of the trade name - it's on rummy nose rasbora, which are not rasbora and not the common rummy nose. English names for fish cause confusion....

update - the adult pair returned to the main tank 2 days ago. I hadn't had a chance to check on the breeding tank because of work. when checked this morning 8 fertile eggs were found on one floating plant. I also did a small clean on the tank and saw at least 2 free swimming fry scattered amongst the plants. Large amounts of small organisms are also covered across the glass which should be feeding the fry along with my infusoria feed new eggs should hatch soon. hopefully in a few months I hope to have some more females to add to the main tank with any surplus males most likely being sold on or given to my LFS.

This is fun to read.

Too many of us avoid the kick that comes from breeding our own fish, rather than just buying them. I had some fry hatch from one of my lampeyes, and I don't care how long I've kept fish - I felt like a little kid for a moment.

GaryE said:

This is fun to read.

Too many of us avoid the kick that comes from breeding our own fish, rather than just buying them. I had some fry hatch from one of my lampeyes, and I don't care how long I've kept fish - I felt like a little kid for a moment.

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definitely got the kick now If I ever get another display tank lampeyes or forktail rainbows are gonna be the first choice

update - Over 15 fry have been spotted! Slowly convert them onto dry food JBL novo bel & JBL novo prawn (crushed in pestle and mortar). Overall fry developing really well. The Number of fry is surprising compared to others I've seen breed this fish. The only issue is they are in a 34L fluval flex so issues on stocking levels will occur in a few month's time well before the genders can be identified.

Video -

There's too much water movement in the fry tank. They will waste a heap of energy trying to do stuff.

Newly hatched brineshrimp is a better food for fry that size.

200 litre plastic storage containers are cheap and make great rearing containers. Leave the lid on the contain to help stop it bowing outwards.

I see Colin's point, but if you only have dry food, water movement will get it to the fish. If you can slow it a bit, the plant life will have micro-organisms on it that will feed the young if life gets hectic and you miss a feeding. Newly hatched brineshimp are better, but you work with what you have.

I have lampeye fry (Platopochilis) and I raise them in moving water, since their parents were caught in a fast moving wild river. Some species do well in quick water, but if you can turn that down a little, it'll help.

Your Sawbwa fry look healthy and lively. That is very cool to see.

GaryE said:

I see Colin's point, but if you only have dry food, water movement will get it to the fish. If you can slow it a bit, the plant life will have micro-organisms on it that will feed the young if life gets hectic and you miss a feeding. Newly hatched brineshimp are better, but you work with what you have.

I have lampeye fry (Platopochilis) and I raise them in moving water, since their parents were caught in a fast moving wild river. Some species do well in quick water, but if you can turn that down a little, it'll help.

Your Sawbwa fry look healthy and lively. That is very cool to see.

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I have directed the flow as Colin suggested with it facing into the corner now rather than into the middle of the tank. The majority are remaining at the back wall with some of the fry still swimming into the flow. It's hard to tell on camera but all 4 walls of the aquarium are teaming with micro-organisms that they seem to pick at. When it comes to dry feeding I'm still dosing JBL atvitol (multivitamins) with flake foods as well as the infusoria bucket method. Like I've said in previous messages this is my first ever attempt to breed fish so I don't have all the knowledge and tools that I probably should invest in.

The foods can cost. It's easy for me to be a bit cavalier because I have a whole shelf of different fry foods, since I enjoy seeing fry.

When I decided to cut the flow with earlier lampeye groups, the fry simply avoided the still areas. Sometimes silvery fish like to hide in plain view, in water movement and light.