Finally Sterbai Eggs

[NEONCORY]

As you can see I am pretty excited about that I see my group of Sterbai are making eggs this morning. Just like any other morning, I feed them some food after the light is on for a while. The light is set to turn on at 7. I probably fed them mixture of flakes and pellets I have in the pepper grinder.(I cleaned of course before use) And came to sit on the couch in front of computer sipping some coffee. This is about 20' away from the Sterbai tank. I noticed that there are more activity of chasing than usual it seems. Although I saw this similar behavior for couples week, morning, afternoon and evening. So I know the males are working hard. So I was not really expecting but decide to take a look anyway. I saw the female holding her vental fins together. And I knew they must be making eggs. So I look around the tank with my eyes. I saw 1 egg on the Anubias leaf near surface. So I sat in front of the tank to see but they sure take time. I saw the female foraging the sand while holding the egg. I sat there for 15~20minutes, finally I saw the T. And I decide to leave them alone so they don't have to worry about me. I just hope the males are mature enough, then again they have been seducing the females for weeks. Anyway, hope they hatch. Well I better not count until I gather the eggs.
I am thinking that I probably look for the egg this evening. I don't know how long they gonna be making eggs but I need to secure some eggs. They female is not really fat or big. And this is first time and all, I don't think it's gonna be big batch but hoping if I can collect 12~20 eggs. We'll see I guess.

I did big water change yesterday. About 6 out of 10G. I will post the water parameter later. The temperature should be around 82F ph ahould be around 7 I don't know the gh since my master test kit doesn't(they call master but don't have the test for hardness) have it. Anyway, I'll post the result with more accuracy.

more

 

[aquamike]

As you can see I am pretty excited about that I see my group of Sterbai are making eggs this morning. Just like any other morning, I feed them some food after the light is on for a while. The light is set to turn on at 7. I probably fed them mixture of flakes and pellets I have in the pepper grinder.(I cleaned of course before use) And came to sit on the couch in front of computer sipping some coffee. This is about 20' away from the Sterbai tank. I noticed that there are more activity of chasing than usual it seems. Although I saw this similar behavior for couples week, morning, afternoon and evening. So I know the males are working hard. So I was not really expecting but decide to take a look anyway. I saw the female holding her vental fins together. And I knew they must be making eggs. So I look around the tank with my eyes. I saw 1 egg on the Anubias leaf near surface. So I sat in front of the tank to see but they sure take time. I saw the female foraging the sand while holding the egg. I sat there for 15~20minutes, finally I saw the T. And I decide to leave them alone so they don't have to worry about me. I just hope the males are mature enough, then again they have been seducing the females for weeks. Anyway, hope they hatch. Well I better not count until I gather the eggs.
I am thinking that I probably look for the egg this evening. I don't know how long they gonna be making eggs but I need to secure some eggs. They female is not really fat or big. And this is first time and all, I don't think it's gonna be big batch but hoping if I can collect 12~20 eggs. We'll see I guess.

I did big water change yesterday. About 6 out of 10G. I will post the water parameter later. The temperature should be around 82F ph ahould be around 7 I don't know the gh since my master test kit doesn't(they call master but don't have the test for hardness) have it. Anyway, I'll post the result with more accuracy.

more

Cool deal!! Good luck with everything. Hopefully, in time my five sterbai will spawn. They are breeding size now.

Keep us updated

Mike

 

[NEONCORY]

Thanks Mike. I will keep you with updates although no pictures that I don't have decent digi camera nor the first comp.
Anyway, what is the Sterbai breeding size anyway. I post this question somewhere and never got the definate answer. And mine are barely over 1 1/2" TL. I have them since November so 4months and some. They must be 4~6 months old at the store, my guess. So they are probably 8~10 months. Unless I raise them myself from the eggs I don't know for sure. Which I may soon be able to do, this is so cool.

 

[NEONCORY]

So avoid the urge to peak them closely and disturb them, I decide to get out the house for few hours. I came back around 3p.m and watch the tank for 5~10 minutes and didn't see any activity of chasing. I decide to collect some eggs.
I found them almost 30 but call it 22 since several were not even egg shape and looks not good enough to develope. Seh really squeezed them out. Or male(s) really drive her. Anyway. I was surprised that the eggs are smaller than Panda's. Also I think some were laid 2, 3 at the same time since they were stuck so close, there are no space in between. I found about 10 on the leaves of Anubias and rest on the leaves of Java fern. Didn't find any on the glass, Moss nor Spawning mop. So it seems she prefered some plant leaves.
I put them in the breeders net and place them near the outlet of powerhead.

Here is the parameter. 83F 6.8ph
10 G tank with powerhead with sponge also small HOB with little peat bag, some bog wood with Java ferns and another with Anubias, some crump of Java/X'mas moss and 2 spawning mop. And black sand as substrate. There are 2 otos(according to the store) but they look more like little pleco. And a single Diamond tetra whose buddies are in the breeding tank at the moment.

Hopefully, some would hatch in few days. I better cross my fingers and toes.

more

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

Keep us updated.. and try to post pictures at regular intervals!

 

[jollysue]

Congratulations! Looking forward to hear.

 

[Bozza]

Im very interested to see the progress. Im going trying to get my sterbai to spawn. When i get the numbers up. Pics are always good

 

[NEONCORY]

Thanks Jollysue, as you can see I am pretty .
And Fishkeeper2006, Bozza, I'm sorry to tell you this but I don't have good digi camera nor fast big capacity comp so don't wait for the pics. Sorry. But I'm sure you all hear about them. I'll try to describe as best as I can. Like I said, I am hoping they would hatch in few days. Probably quicker than Pandas since they are in the warmer temperature. And for now, I will keep the parents keep fed well. So another female can do the same. I'm pretty sure I have 3 females and 2 males and I think these eggs came from 1 female.

 

[jollysue]

I am surprised that they are so high temp. I just moved mine to a higher temp and they are much happier and more active. Maybe mine will get too

 

[NEONCORY]

I don't mean tp advertise other site but here is the link for it. The article about breeding Sterbai. And temperature of 82F was quoted pret~ty famous person so I tried. And it seem worked.

http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...rassterbai.html

P.S. Some of the eggs I collected yesterday looks pretty good. They darkened a bit. And I know that is a good sign from the experience from the Panda eggs. Although they are probably another 2~3 days away. I can't wait.

 

[Bozza]

Thanks for the link neon

 

[NEONCORY]

No problem, Bozza

I found it useful to read many articles from someone have done breeding certain species and there are many fish I am interested in breeding. So I tried with Sterbais and it seemed worked.
Also, I think they grow little farster after I raised the temperature to 82F from around 77~78. I guess higher temperature higher metabolism.

 

[NEONCORY]

I have a good and a bad news.
The bad news is those quick, pesky and cunning eggs broke the jail. I kept them in the breeder net I thought but found all escaped but the slow crumsy 3. No more breeder net to keep Sterbai eggs for me.
The good news is I saw a female holding her vental fins together this morning not long after I fed them. They seem to do it after breakfast. And I saw like 7 eggs were placed on the front glass near the top corner. Not far from the water from the powerhead outlet hit. I came home this afternoon and lock them up in the maximum security plastic container(no more minimum security breeder net. Apparently they are small enough to escape) I found 18 total 11 on the top corner front glass 6 more on the Java fern leaf on the driftwood near the surface and 1 on the Anubias leaf which also on the wood near the surface. So it seems to me, at least this female really prefer the high part of the tank.
I just need to shuffle thing(mostly outlet situation) and put airhose in the egg container.
So over all, this wasn't bad. Now I know they can lay eggs frequently enough. All they need is good breakfast.(although I just fed them dry food this morning)
And weather is pretty nice today around here. And I didn't do any water change last night . So I can't think anything special this time. But why ask why. I'm happy that I got some eggs. Hopefully, they will hatch.
more

 

[jollysue]

I don't think there is any problem from the admin linking to articles. It is when the articles are attached to a forum that it becomes a problem.

So another interesting read from NEON! We are looking forward to the news.

BTW I vote that you spend some of your windfall fry money on a digital camera.

 

[Alps]

So avoid the urge to peak them closely and disturb them, I decide to get out the house for few hours. I came back around 3p.m and watch the tank for 5~10 minutes and didn't see any activity of chasing. I decide to collect some eggs.
I found them almost 30 but call it 22 since several were not even egg shape and looks not good enough to develope. Seh really squeezed them out. Or male(s) really drive her. Anyway. I was surprised that the eggs are smaller than Panda's. Also I think some were laid 2, 3 at the same time since they were stuck so close, there are no space in between. I found about 10 on the leaves of Anubias and rest on the leaves of Java fern. Didn't find any on the glass, Moss nor Spawning mop. So it seems she prefered some plant leaves.
I put them in the breeders net and place them near the outlet of powerhead.

Here is the parameter. 83F 6.8ph
10 G tank with powerhead with sponge also small HOB with little peat bag, some bog wood with Java ferns and another with Anubias, some crump of Java/X'mas moss and 2 spawning mop. And black sand as substrate. There are 2 otos(according to the store) but they look more like little pleco. And a single Diamond tetra whose buddies are in the breeding tank at the moment.

Hopefully, some would hatch in few days. I better cross my fingers and toes.

more

whoaa!! they finally decided to spawn.
- do you think the peat bag helps a lot (in making them more comfortable)? How are you making your bags?
- also how do you manage to get 6.8ph without co2 in our area?