Any Tips For Raising C.similis Fry?

[jollysue]

Why are my Galaxies a different name than yours? Mine are commonly called Galaxy Rasabora, but the correct name is Celestichthys margaritatus. Is that the same fish?

What do you get when you google the similis, NEONCORY. Clearly no one who has spawned these is answering. Although I have no doubt that Ian and Frank have, they are waiting for you to Google, no doubt. I can think of several places where I am sure you would get a prompt answer from someone or other who knows first hand.

But I personally will be glad to learn what's going on with them from you.

It is a fine spring. I have sterbai (the price at the lps for them now is 3 for $27), long fin panda, regular panda, longipinnus, something from the elegans family, long fin bronze, long fin regular and albino peppers, maybe Blacks and melini all in nets and some running loose in the parent tank, because some little guys escaped their nets.

I probably have forgotten something or have something that I don't know about yet. I am very excited finding an egg here and there from who knows who? Then I see little rascals darting around, and I have no idea what they are! lol

I of course now have Falcone guppies too.

I do have fish that will spawn and may be already, but because of the difficulty to harvest them, beause of the size or attachment or placement, I am unable to get them yet.

I have some simulatus that I know have spawned in the past, but the way they are in the tank and the eggs are so tiny and hard to see, I have not been successful in collecting and hatching them. I saw some activity from the green lasers too that I am sure was courting and preparation for spawning, but I found nothing. I have big projects to come to rearrange the tanks to suit the fish. I have a list someplace. LOL

How many shipments have you sent out now? How far and what method/carrier? What have been the results? I have only made the one shipment which was ok. But I am a little hesitant. At the same time the lps is not ideal either. I feel sorry for my hard won babies in those tanks on gravel eating common flake or something and going to who knows what homes?

 

[Coryologist]

Although I have no doubt that Ian and Frank have, they are waiting for you to Google, no doubt. I can think of several places where I am sure you would get a prompt answer from someone or other who knows first hand.

Greetings. I have been spawning C. similis for years. They require nothing special, in any way, at any time to spawn or raise their fry. Sound Cory-keeping skills are all that's required for probably 90% of all Cory species. That's prolly why no one responded to the question.

The others, that require all kinds of special requirements, I don't keep. No fish in my room gets "special" treatment of any kind. None! They are all kept at the same temp, pH, hardness, light, filtration and fed the same wide variety of high quality food. I'm sure someone will say, "that can't be done" because blah, blah, blah. I have only one thing to say to that. Blah yourself!!! Hee-hee.

And yes, Google is your friend. I am more likely to respond to a post that begins with, "I have searched numerous sites and have even Googled my topic, yet I am unable to find the information I need." THAT will get a response, from me, if I'm around. "Does anyone know?," rarely gets a response from me. Sorry, time is precious, regardless of anyone's feeling about that. Let me rephrase that. "MY" time is precious.

Just pulled a bunch of C. similis wigglers out from under the java moss in the spawning tank. Never saw egg, one. lol. Must get better lighting and pay better attention. For sure.

BTW - the new "trade name" for what were commonly called Galaxy Rasboras is Celestial Pearl Danio. - Frank

P.S. Just loaded 24 beautiful C. reynoldsi into a couple of tanks. They are quite nice.

 

[jollysue]

That is a handsome fish, Frank. It looks a bit like my CO96. It's smaller though? Very small. I want some for my melini / skunk community!

Shipping is just too high. I cannot see my way clear until I get some raises.

Where did you get the reynoldsi? Are they wild caught or from breeders?

I feel reassured. I keep all my tanks at about the same temp. Lowering it in the summer and raising it in the winter. They are in the same room, and so they keep the room temp. I do lower the temp for some species a few degrees and raise a bit for some. I certainly don't mess with the ph etc unless I have just recieved tank bred from a breeder who has very soft water--like you! Then I adjust it just until they seem to be adjusting. I learned I must do this after losing so many of your fine babies.

Would you keep the barbatus? I wanted them urgently until I read the temp requirements? I would need a chiller.

 

[Coryologist]

That is a handsome fish, Frank. It looks a bit like my CO96. It's smaller though? Very small. I want some for my melini / skunk community!

Shipping is just too high. I cannot see my way clear until I get some raises.

Where did you get the reynoldsi? Are they wild caught or from breeders?

They are wild caught.

I feel reassured. I keep all my tanks at about the same temp. Lowering it in the summer and raising it in the winter. They are in the same room, and so they keep the room temp. I do lower the temp for some species a few degrees and raise a bit for some. I certainly don't mess with the ph etc unless I have just recieved tank bred from a breeder who has very soft water--like you! Then I adjust it just until they seem to be adjusting. I learned I must do this after losing so many of your fine babies.

I don't know where you got the idea that I have soft water. It is well water and quite hard.

Would you keep the barbatus? I wanted them urgently until I read the temp requirements? I would need a chiller.

I keep and spawn S. barbatus and S. kronei, regularly - again, in the same conditions as every other tank. I also keep S. macropterus and have only lost one - a jumper.

Frank

 

[jollysue]

Frank, sorry, I am such a noob. I equate hardness and ph. I have a higher ph. I have never tested the hardness, although Fresno's water is from underground wells. And it tests at and above 7.8 ph in the tanks. At water changes I had to drip water for the little prionotos and still lost them at every water change. I have a breeding group from all the fish I got from you but the prionotos.

In the summer the fish would have to be around 75 degrees as it is sometimes above 100 degrees for weeks and weeks at a time here in the summer and stays over eighty even at night. I keep most of my tanks around 73-75 degrees. Even that will take keeping the air conditioner running full blast 24/7 for 3 months of the year.

 

[NEONCORY]

Why are my Galaxies a different name than yours? Mine are commonly called Galaxy Rasabora, but the correct name is Celestichthys margaritatus. Is that the same fish?

I think they went 3 name changes. Although "Galaxy Rasbora" is the most known name and that was then the first time they showed up. And that was back then, most people admire them at their picture on the magazine or at the local store since they were marked pretty high. I remember when they first showed up at my neck of wood, they were marked whopping $25 a piece for this tiny 1" or less fish. Since then, they went throught about the threat of extinction because of the over fishing at their native habitat. And then, everybody find out that they actually habitat bigger area than first they thought. Also they find that they are pretty easy to breed.
Anyway, I figure "Celestial Pearl Danio" must be the current and correct name since the forum solely dedicated use CPD and haven't changed.
So I'm sure we have same fish and talk about the same fish.

What do you get when you google the similis, NEONCORY. Clearly no one who has spawned these is answering. Although I have no doubt that Ian and Frank have, they are waiting for you to Google, no doubt. I can think of several places where I am sure you would get a prompt answer from someone or other who knows first hand.

Well usually I get same kind of information when I google them. They usually just give you some same info and nothing specific about. Maybe one of these days I need to join the pay site with detailed spawning record. But I just do not have any extra money.
So I figure I ask and see if anyone who come to this forum bred them before and willing to share some pointer.


But I personally will be glad to learn what's going on with them from you.

Beside I figure we could use few more new posts to read about.

It is a fine spring. I have sterbai (the price at the lps for them now is 3 for $27), long fin panda, regular panda, longipinnus, something from the elegans family, long fin bronze, long fin regular and albino peppers, maybe Blacks and melini all in nets and some running loose in the parent tank, because some little guys escaped their nets.

Sounds like fine Spring indeed. What do you mean 3 for $27? Is that the price they sell at the local store ? Or that is the price they give you?

I probably have forgotten something or have something that I don't know about yet. I am very excited finding an egg here and there from who knows who? Then I see little rascals darting around, and I have no idea what they are! lol

Sometime it is more fun that you don't know which fish it is until they grow and start to show the coloration of the adults.

I of course now have Falcone guppies too.

Yeah, I don't have the "name" fish but I did got into other fish also. More tanks.

I do have fish that will spawn and may be already, but because of the difficulty to harvest them, beause of the size or attachment or placement, I am unable to get them yet.

My worst one is the C.Paleatus. They just keep recycling them. Their mouth is quicker than my fingers. Then again, I don't collect them right the way. The shell is too soft. So I only manage to collect the lucky eggs that the adults missed to recycle. I should probably tinker the ratio of the sex as I hear the female is more likely to eat the eggs. And I think I got 4 females and 2 males in the tank. So it might be better if I remove few females out but I just haven't done that. But whatever the eggs I managed to collect have good hatch rate and frys seem easy to grow.

I have some simulatus that I know have spawned in the past, but the way they are in the tank and the eggs are so tiny and hard to see, I have not been successful in collecting and hatching them. I saw some activity from the green lasers too that I am sure was courting and preparation for spawning, but I found nothing. I have big projects to come to rearrange the tanks to suit the fish. I have a list someplace. LOL

Yeah, me too. I am TRY to put the double decker shelves instead of one in my bedroom but I do want to place in the same spot that the full tank is lined up. So you know how it is. Moving the not empty tank to an inch is not so easy to do unless empty them and reset them. Also while I empty some of the tank, I decide to paint the bottom and possibly back also since now I keep some tank as bare. Not many but I figure you want get many chance to paint the tank since they don't get empty that often.

How many shipments have you sent out now? How far and what method/carrier? What have been the results? I have only made the one shipment which was ok. But I am a little hesitant. At the same time the lps is not ideal either. I feel sorry for my hard won babies in those tanks on gravel eating common flake or something and going to who knows what homes?

I think I shipped out 20~30. I think the furthest I shipped is either NY or DE. And I only use USPS Priority or Express. And I didn't shipped Express until few days ago. Since most of the fish I ship is not expensive $10 or more fish but more like less than $5. And I don't see people want to pay more money on shipping than the price of the fish.
And I find that the delivery time is not always co-relate to the distance. It usually accessibility(how far from the main airport or post office) of the delivery location affect the delivery time more than the distance. As a matter fact the one took longest is not the furthest located. The one took longest was the one I sent to CA, and it took 4 days with Priority.
And one and only total DOA was the closest location I sent. And same day I sent the same fish and packed same way to MI I think. And they both delivered in 2 days. And one is all dead and the other all made it. I sent one box to within the state(WA) and she told me that all the fish is dead although I clearly state on the auction that she need to send me some picture and she didn't. But she had good enough feedbacks so I took her word and re-shipped it. They made it fine the 2nd time.
So it is sometime the unfortunate does happen no matter how you ship it or which shipping company or speed you use. Of course, the faster shipping usually carry the guarantee delivery time but not guarantee alive arrival. So shipping live animal is always some risk involve unless you hand deliver them yourself.

So all I do is prepare them as well as I can, and pack them as well as I can. Since you never know how the people handle them treat the box. And use the right shipping conditioner(bag buddies or ship right or whatever) and pack with right sized bag and the thickness of the bag. Have right water/air ratio.,etc.
I know where you can read and see the good tutorial of shipping fish if you want. I just don't want to post it here since posting another forum or link can be troublesome. But if you want, I can send you e-mail or something.

Yeah I sold few times to local store and they are not always treated right. More than not, they get kept in not so ideal condition with the not so ideal tankmates and God knows how they get fed. And you never know how long they gonna be there before someone buy them.
And especially my area, they almost never pay me cash but store credit. Yes, I can use some but store credit just does not pay my electricity.
Also since I ship to the other people who want that particular fish and you know whoever pay for them will take care of them better than the local store would. And I also like to hear that the person who receive them usually really happy about getting them. Yes, it is a risk and it also takes more of your time to prep and pack the fish than take them to the local store but I met few people over this shipping transaction. And I think it is worth it. I received some new fish for trade. Heck, I got some antolope and deer meat from the person I met over the forum who lives in WY. And I never tasted those meat before.

So anyway, DOA does happen but I think in a long run. Most fish that made to the new home would be better off than the one end up at the most local store I believe. And I almost always make sure to have the replacement fish before sell them. Just in case. And always make sure that the buyer knows the some risk involve about shipping. Yes, slower shipping method may have higher risk than the faster shipping. But it may not be as much different as people believe I think. And I like the flat rate that I do not need to worry about the weight of the box. And I think I am pretty content with them, it is not perfect but it usually get the job done.

So my first choice of the new home for them is sell or trade or auction at the local aquarium society. And 2nd will be shipping out to fellow fishaholic who are willing to give them good home. And then, the local store. But I learned that I should not sell them more fish than they can sell in a week. It is sad to see the fish you grew in the same tank after a month or 2. And they don't look so good.

 

[NEONCORY]

Greetings. I have been spawning C. similis for years. They require nothing special, in any way, at any time to spawn or raise their fry. Sound Cory-keeping skills are all that's required for probably 90% of all Cory species. That's prolly why no one responded to the question.

The others, that require all kinds of special requirements, I don't keep. No fish in my room gets "special" treatment of any kind. None! They are all kept at the same temp, pH, hardness, light, filtration and fed the same wide variety of high quality food. I'm sure someone will say, "that can't be done" because blah, blah, blah. I have only one thing to say to that. Blah yourself!!! Hee-hee.

And yes, Google is your friend. I am more likely to respond to a post that begins with, "I have searched numerous sites and have even Googled my topic, yet I am unable to find the information I need." THAT will get a response, from me, if I'm around. "Does anyone know?," rarely gets a response from me. Sorry, time is precious, regardless of anyone's feeling about that. Let me rephrase that. "MY" time is precious.

Just pulled a bunch of C. similis wigglers out from under the java moss in the spawning tank. Never saw egg, one. lol. Must get better lighting and pay better attention. For sure.

BTW - the new "trade name" for what were commonly called Galaxy Rasboras is Celestial Pearl Danio. - Frank

P.S. Just loaded 24 beautiful C. reynoldsi into a couple of tanks. They are quite nice.

Thanks for your tip Frank,

It is nice to know that they are not the finicky kind. I guess I'll do my best to take care of them and see what happen.
I did notice one of the Female is carrying the eggs this evening. I guess I'll collect them before go to bed.
It must be the raining weather outside and the new water they got in the morning.
So hopefully I get some miniature Similis in few month.

And thanks again for spending your precious time to answer.

 

[Coryologist]

And thanks again for spending your precious time to answer.

Spoken like someone in their teens, who has never been sick a day in their life. I do believe that after a total of 8 coronary procedures and a heart functioning at 12% efficiency, I have earned the right to look upon my time as not just precious, but extremely precious.

Rest assured that I won't be spending a "precious" second of it responding to any of your questions, after your snide remark. No one, I repeat, no one like a weisenheimer. - Frank

P.S. And don't pull any of that BS about how you REALLY were trying to show your appreciation. Try that line on some other kid.

 

[NEONCORY]

Frank,

I am sorry whenever(yes the similar thing happened before although I don't remember exactly what it was. But I did apologize and we made up) I thank you, you think I am making some snide remark(?). I don't know why you think that. Is my wording on the screen cause this. I mean I don't think you would take as "snide remark" if you are here and you hear the same words/sentence come out of my mouth and hear with your own ears.
I don't know but I think same words or sentence can be not snide remark if the way spoken or tone of the voice is different?

Because I too getting older everyday and although I don't have any major health problems nor any operation or nothing like that. But I do know that we all have limited time on our hand. And see and feel the mortality of any life forms. And I totally agree with the preciousness of the time we have on this Earth. We don't know exactly how much time each of us have left. But we know it is limited no matter how you see it. Like the old saying that "the time wait no one". Or you should live the day like it is the last day you have or something like that.
Unfortunately not always I can say I live the day like the last one I have. But I do know our mortality and I feel and think about the end of the life as I get older.

Anyway this maybe more philosophy discussion than the fish talk. But my point is I agree with you on the concept of time is precious. Although not everyone realize it or act as is. But nobody live forever.
So I would not make any snide comment about someone say that his/her time is precious.

And I don't even know what the weisenheimer is.
And you think I am BS if I say "how you REALLY were trying to show your appreciation". So no purpose of saying that well typing that.

Anyway I am sorry that you think or feel that I am someone who BS and make some snide remark but I really am not. But I do try and thank the people who try to help me answer my question or share their knowledge or teach me something. And I do try not to forget to thank them as I can't say I do always remember to do so.

I don't know if you will change your mind or you still think I am some kind of BS and made the snide comment about your post.

And if you do change you mind about me and help me with the answer of the questions I have in the future or knowledge you have to share would be appreciated.
But if you still think, I am some snide remark making BS. Oh well. what can I say. I don't think I can change your mind over the computer. Unless I meet you face to face someday and you see me in person or something. It is too bad but I don't think I can change your mind no matter how much I type on the screen. So I just drop this and get back to talk about the fish.

 

[NEONCORY]

So I did look for the eggs last night before I went bed since I knew the female was laying eggs yesterday afternoon/evening. I did find 46 eggs and I must say I have to look all over the place. Some on the moss tied to the rock, some on the plastic of the power head but most were on the leaves of the Java Fern.
And I did notice that they look kind of pinkish tinted when I put them in the white cup.

Anyway, I believe this is their 3rd batch. And so far it is like once a week they spawn. Although I know I have 2 females so it might be not the same females laying eggs every time.
I remember first time I got like 100 eggs so it most likely that both females laid those eggs at first time.

I really should make the room and grow them separately from other frys. I just don't have room to separate them by each species, it end up in the Cory fry tank. And hopefully some will survive and grow with other frys. And I can see the tiny C.Similis in few months.

 

[jollysue]

Hey!

I had wanted to butt in here, but had a DR.'s appointment.

I am actually pretty confidant that NEONCORY is as straight arrow as he seems and never means any insult. Mostly he just does his best to get across what he wants to say. Although I am notoriously naive at times and easily dupped, I don't think that is what NC is doing.

I know that Frank is in the process of recieving and rehoming maybe a 100 new and hard to obtain Corys for his collection. The end of every week is also always a difficult time for him. Maybe Frank charges abruptly to take the beachhead at times. Hopefully this doesn't sound patronizing. I value Frank's comradie more than I could probably convince him of.

After all we are all Cory affecionados.

So play nice boys!

I just went to find out what I got for my babies and there was not much consideration for the quality. MY F1/F2 pandas got $1.33 a piece store credit. They gave me more for the LF aeneus than my precious pandas. $2.00 a piece for the aeneus which is not bad considering. So if those sell well I will be willing to take the aeneus in. I am pretty sure they sold some out already, and I didn't get to count them. The guppies were stolen from me.

The sterbai are 3 for $27 dollars for sale in the lps. I asked why, and he didn't know off hand. They were very nice, though.

The manager that I had done business with in the past, left and the owner's son has taken management of the fish department. He's a young fellow. So I am starting my relationship all over there. And I doubt that I will do very much more business with him unless he cares more about the quality of the fish. He said none had died of the ones I brought in last Monday and some were sold already even with a hold on them. We shall see.

I got some Japonica shrimp. I hope the cockatoos and CPD don't eat them.

 

[NEONCORY]

jollysue

That's too bad that your local store doesn't give you much for your fish. But I guess that is the way with most store. I tried few my local store also but it is pretty much same. It's just business. And they do not much care about the quality of the fish but size and number and how fast they can sell. And of course it is business so buy low and sell high.

So that is why I start to ship to other hobbyists who would appreciate more. Even it takes time to prep the fish to ship and I sell for about the same price as the credit I would get from the store. And I am proud to say that I made few people happy and I met few friends over the shipping fish. And I even trade some fish I wanted for the fish I don't mind parting with. Also I didn't realize but people living in some of the remote area of the Country does not have access to the decent fish store and the getting fish in the mail is the only way to get the fish they want. If you happen to have the fish these people want, they do REALLY appreciate you.
It is funny but sometime the fish so common in one area is so rare in another area.
Yes, I know shipping fish is a risk no matter what shipping company or speed you use. They do lose or mishandle or takes longer than suppose to deliver sometime. And end up some fish do not make the trip. But I know some fish do not make at the store either if they didn't cared well enough or stayed way to long or crowded in the tank with wrong tankmates., etc.

This is my opinion but I do hope you do ship your fish since you got some RARE fish I don't mind getting them.
Oh by the way, I did sent you the tutorial shipping link you can look. I think it is really helpful.

But if you still do not want to ship much, you can always try your local Aquarium society or club. Sometime people willing to buy or trade. I always have enough people in the club when it comes to C.Panda . And I have not had any to ship. Also they usually have yearly or bi-yearly auction you can sell your extra fish stuff although probably member is the only one can sell and the club take the potion of the sale. Some even have small auction at the every meeting. But to me it is usually worth the membership of your local aquarium society/club. I find enough bargain as well as meeting some other fishaholic that you have some common interest.

That's good. If you fish sell so quick, they should want more and you should be able to negotiate better price perhaps.

I don't know which one is Japonica but maybe Amano or Yamato. I never kept neither of them. As a matter fact, I only kept Cherry. And they do populate quick and easy to care for and they end up spread to many of my tank because of the limited tank space. And I have some with CPD. Although I cannot say for sure and usually there are more shrimps than I care to count. And even few get killed, I probably would not notice.

But here is the tip for you about the shrimps. They do need some shelter especially when they molt. And most fish or even other shrimp may kill the one molting. And I think the tiny shrimps may got eaten by even Corys I suspect if they happened to be end up in the mouth of Cory. I'm sure they will not hunt them down or nothing but if the shrimps end up in the mouth I'm sure they would be glad to eat the surprise food. But I do have many Cherry with my Corys and they seem multiply fast enough. They pretty much in all my tanks except Angel tanks. Since I know Angel would eat them for sure.
But they usually quick enough to get out of the danger and I'm sure some of the many shrimplet would survive. But hiding place and well planted tank would be increase their survival rate.
But if you have the expensive shrimps or seriously want to breed them, you ought to make the shrimp only tank. Oh you have to be careful about mixing more than 1 species of shrimps also. Since some do hybrid pretty easy.

 

[Cory_Dad]

In the summer the fish would have to be around 75 degrees as it is sometimes above 100 degrees for weeks and weeks at a time here in the summer and stays over eighty even at night. I keep most of my tanks around 73-75 degrees. Even that will take keeping the air conditioner running full blast 24/7 for 3 months of the year.

What if you left the cover off the tanks, turned off the tank lights and pointed a simple fan at the water surface? Wouldn't the water evaporating lower the temperature? Of course, it would be humid as a swamp.

My tanks are all in the basement and because we have central air it gets quite cool.

Even in the wild I'm sure the water temperature gets into the 80's so I don't think a short stretch of it isn't going to harm em too much.

But that's just a guess on my part.

 

[jollysue]

Yes! a swamp! There is a ceiling fan in the fish room, and as the temps are reaching into the mid 70's already I am using it.

I have a 60 usg goldie tank on the patio. I keep a fan on all the time blowing across it after the temps start to reach 80 at night. I also float frozen gel packs several times a day. The first summer they were outside the tank reached the 90's and still climbing. So I have a summer routine now.

It doesn't cool off at night some summers, and I can't safely keep windows open enough to get breezes. But at least the whole apartment will not be battling to stay cool with 700 usg of 75 + degree water heating the rooms. I don't have to use much room heating at least in the winter. LOL

I will do some experimenting this summer to find what works.

The shrimp I got breed in brackish water, but the manager said he got some volunteers from them in tanks with thick moss. They are suppose to prefer the green algae that gets hard on the tank walls (slime algae I think) and also hair algae. So we shall see. how they do. I got 11 (1 was free) and put 4 in the CPD tank with lots of moss and a big drift wood, and I put 7 in the 100 usg community tank. It also has lots of wood and nooks and cranies. My only real concern is the dwarf cockatoo apisto pair. But I think the shrimp will do ok. I may go back and get more.

caridina japonica yes the common names appear to be Amano and Yamoto

 

[NEONCORY]

Well they left me 35 more eggs yesterday. And many different places. And their eggs are kind of pretty. They have little pinkish hue to it. Of course, you probably won't see it if you have the eggs in anything but some white container( I pick eggs and put in the styro coffee cup while I look for more).
I am planning to give them their own tank and set up some easier to harvest eggs but for now they are in the tank with few other fish. Since I read that they could act different if you move them.
And I want to make sure I get some frys growing before I do move the adults. Just in case, they don't like the new set up and stop producing eggs. After all, they seem to leave me some eggs like once a week in there.

And I have no idea if I have any fry growing the tank with other frys. I think I have some Sterbai, Paleatus and Panda in there as well. Obviously the Panda is easy to tell them apart from the rest and Pepper I can tell once they hit certain size but Since I never seen the Similis grow yet I don't know what they suppose to look. And what kind of the fry coloration and marking they go through.

But hopefully I can see some miniature Similis in few months.