Breeding Senegals

[GobyMaster]

Hello everyone, I've just purchased a 30 gallon long (48 x 12½ x 13") aquarium off the internet, and I was planning on putting a few Senegal Bichirs in it and hope to breed them.
I've read CFC's care sheet, and I know that it is rare but possible to breed them, but I want to attempt it.
I plan of putting 3 in it, (1 Male, 2 Females), and have it have lots of bogwood, plants, and caves.
The only other fish in it would be a pair of Bristlenose Plecostomus for algae control.
Anyone have any tips on how I might possibly breed the Senegals?
Cheers,
GobyMaster

 

[beblondie]

You won't do it in the described tank.the eggs will get eaten as fast as they get deposited.

 

[GobyMaster]

I've thought that out. I'd have a 10 gallon for rearing the fry, and it would have a breeding trap, similar to the ones used for the guppies and other livebearers. When a female gets pregnant (and close to releasing eggs), I'll transfer it to the breeding trap, so she'll lay the eggs and they'll float down to the bottom of the 10 gallon.
It's a far-fetched idea, but it might work.
Cheers,
GobyMaster

 

[the_evil_duboisi]

Since they live in tropical African rivers, how about a rain simulation? Like, feed them well(Live foods will be even better), slowly increase the temperature, and make a cool water change. The water should be soft(Driftwood or blackwater extract, because they live in those waters?), and if you have a external canister filter, it could really simulate rain.

Yeah, and do it in a big tank, cause they are big, and they could jump as part of the breeding frenzy. Check that, ALWAYS cover the tank because they can jump. I think the depth isnb't important, maybe a shallower tank might be good because they can easily breathe.

Until now was my theory. Now I'll say what I REALLY know. You need lots of busy plants(Such as moss or hornwort) because they're egg-scatterers. And maybe no bottom would be best to find out all the eggs. When they spawning is done, remove them. Because they're cannibals, it's best to put them in thier own seperate containers. From what I heard, the fry don't swim around actively, so baby brine shrimp might be tricky. Maybe tubifex or whiteworms(Or microworns) could work.

I hope this has been help to you

 

[beblondie]

Breeding trap won't work.fertilization is external not internal as the female releases the eggs the male uses his anal fin to catch the eggs
he then fertilizes them and releases them.Smaller species as senegals are also tend to eat their eggs as would the plecos.

 

[GobyMaster]

Then maybe I should just catch the pregnant female and the male and (if they aren't too big), put both of them in the 10 gallon I'll use to raise the babies? It would only be until the eggs are lain, then I'll catch both of them and transport them back to the bigger tank.
Or would that stress them too much?

Since they live in tropical African rivers, how about a rain simulation? Like, feed them well(Live foods will be even better), slowly increase the temperature, and make a cool water change. The water should be soft(Driftwood or blackwater extract, because they live in those waters?), and if you have a external canister filter, it could really simulate rain.

Yeah, and do it in a big tank, cause they are big, and they could jump as part of the breeding frenzy. Check that, ALWAYS cover the tank because they can jump. I think the depth isnb't important, maybe a shallower tank might be good because they can easily breathe.

Until now was my theory. Now I'll say what I REALLY know. You need lots of busy plants(Such as moss or hornwort) because they're egg-scatterers. And maybe no bottom would be best to find out all the eggs. When they spawning is done, remove them. Because they're cannibals, it's best to put them in thier own seperate containers. From what I heard, the fry don't swim around actively, so baby brine shrimp might be tricky. Maybe tubifex or whiteworms(Or microworns) could work.

I hope this has been help to you

Thanks, the_evil_duboisi! That's a good idea, to increase the temperature then make a cooler water change. I wonder if it would work???
Yep, as a Senegal keeper myself, I know that the tank needs to be covered. About a month ago, my Senegal jumped out of her 30 gallon. Luckily, she's all safe and sound. She's even grown another inch!
In the main thank, the breeding one, I planned on having carpets of riccia fluitians and dwarf riccia all over the place. I even wanted to, especially in the baby tank, try to raise the carpets, so that there could be laberinths underneath. That would be really cool. There would be bogwood and floating plants, and tons and tons of plants!
Anyone know how many fry typically are born during a single mating? Because I want to make sure a 10 gallon is large enough. I plan on selling them when they get to 3 inches long.

Smaller species as senegals are also tend to eat their eggs as would the plecos.

Really? Do you have any ideas for an algae eater that wouldn't eat the eggs? Maybe like 2 or 3 ottos or something?

Thanks for all the help so far!
Cheers,
GobyMaster

 

[Fella]

breeding of any fish is almost always best done in a species tank.

 

[GobyMaster]

Fine by me. So, do you suggest just a 55 gallon that is densely planted and has bogwood and caves everywhere, and just 3 Senegals?
I guess I'll just use an algae scraper to get rid of the algae, then.
Do you think raising the 3 Senegals that I buy on frozen krill and shrimp and then suddenly switching to live shrimp might work to make them breed?
Thanks for all the information so far!
GobyMaster

 

[beblondie]

Anyone know how many fry typically are born during a single mating? Up to 300 eggs have been recorded of course some will not be fertile and there will be some loss of fry as theygrow.
I plan on selling them when they get to 3 inches long. It'll cost you more to raise the fry than you'll ever see in return since senegals are mostly farm raised now days and retail for $6-7.00 wholesale cost is likely $2-3.00 at the most.Really i'm not trying to rain on your parade just being honest with you-Anne

 

[GobyMaster]

300 eggs? About how many of those would hatch?
If it's even over 15 it's too much for a 10 gallon
Maybe I should get a bigger tank. . . . .
Use the 10 as a small community. . . .
Do you think I should get a bigger tank (anywhere between 10 and 75 gallon is within my budget)?
Cheers,
GobyMaster

 

[invader]

In my opinion, I think that you should try a smaller species of oddball to breed that is more uncommon than a sengal. The cost of raising the fry (if you can get them not to eat the eggs) will be much higher than the money you would get back and it might even be more rewarding to breed something that is not as common, for it may be much more difficult.

But it's all up to you.

 

[dwarfgourami]

There is a general point about breeding egglayers that I think we need to make from time to time and that is that they need the space/comfort to go through the courting procedure if any offspring are to result. As the egglaying and sperm ejection has to be synchronised, it usually takes much more coordination/cooperation than with the common livebearers who just need the room to swing a gonopodium around. Not that I have any experience of breeding bichirs, but I'd be surprised if a 10 gallon allowed them room for mating behaviour.