I have a school of Nematobrycon lacortei coming... any reason to believe there will be problems with the Nematobrycon palmeri already in this tank???

[Magnum Man]

I've always wanted the lacortei ( another bucket list fish )... thoughts???

lacortei...

palmeri

of coarse both pictures are male centerfold models, my results may vary...

 

[Sir Guppy]

Thats cool. I’ve never come across fish with purple-transparent fins like that.

 

[anewbie]

In general i try to avoid mixing fishes of the same genus for fear they might cross breed. While i know more about tetra and cory and what is generally consider close enough to cross breed; i'm not sure if the rules are the same for tetra as i rarely put them in an environment where they can breed; though that might change given my love for n. epesi and their extremely high cost.

 

[Magnum Man]

@anewbie .... if this is the fish you're talking about, that one is deserved as a bucket list fish... I've never kept any of the pencil fish varieties...

 

[Innesfan]

i rarely put them in an environment where they can breed; though that might change given my love for n. epesi and their extremely high cost.

No species of Nannostomus will interbreed with another Nannostomus species, least of all N. espei which has the most unique traits in the genus. As a matter of fact, I have different populations of the same species--forms of N. marginatus, N. unifasciatus, N. beckfordi-- that keep to themselves and do not associate with conspecifics from different locales.

That said, I am not suggesting that the same is true of Nematobrycon, though I suspect it is. I've never heard of a hybrid characin.

 

[CassCats]

Hybridization is possible.... BUT

Given that most tetra fry are eaten immediately in community settings, I wouldn't be too concerned. The odds are higher that you'd win the lottery big time than having a hybrid fry actually surviving in a community setup where it wasn't eaten by your larger fish not impossible, but extremely unlikely. Most tetras are best spawned in a separate tank where the adults are removed after spawning, for any success.

As far as I know about Nematobrycon lacortei is that they tend to be a little more spicy than Nematobrycon palmeri. This shouldn't be too big of an issue, in most cases, as long as you provide the proper numbers and gender ratios. You'll want more females than males for sure.

They're a fantastic bucket list tetra! Take lots of photos!

 

[anewbie]

No species of Nannostomus will interbreed with another Nannostomus species, least of all N. espei which has the most unique traits in the genus. As a matter of fact, I have different populations of the same species--forms of N. marginatus, N. unifasciatus, N. beckfordi-- that keep to themselves and do not associate with conspecifics from different locales.

That said, I am not suggesting that the same is true of Nematobrycon, though I suspect it is. I've never heard of a hybrid characin.

I was told that certain closely related Nannostomus species can in fact cross breed by someone who is knowledgeable on the matter; i was not suggesting that n. epesi might cross breed but rather it might be the first one that i own that would be worth breeding

Btw my Hemigrammus sp. morse code and n. marilynae freely intermix though they are far apart genetically making interbreeding impossible (i think). Still i find it amusing that they will gladly school with each other.

Another fish i find i own and find stunning in dark waters are brevibora dorsiocellata. Their eyes shine like emeralds when all else is hidden.

 

[anewbie]

@anewbie .... if this is the fish you're talking about, that one is deserved as a bucket list fish... I've never kept any of the pencil fish varieties...
View attachment 365601

Yes those lovely gems - i have a nice size group:

 

[Innesfan]

I was told that certain closely related Nannostomus species can in fact cross breed by someone who is knowledgeable on the matter; i was not suggesting that n. epesi might cross breed but rather it might be the first one that i own that would be worth breeding

Btw my Hemigrammus sp. morse code and n. marilynae freely intermix though they are far apart genetically making interbreeding impossible (i think). Still i find it amusing that they will gladly school with each other.

Another fish i find i own and find stunning in dark waters are brevibora dorsiocellata. Their eyes shine like emeralds when all else is hidden.

I've been studying Nannostomus since the 1970s. The late Dr. Stan Weitzman of The Smithsonian, who described several of the 'newer' species (among them, your N. marilynae, which he named for his wife who is also an ichthyologist) and wrote two revisions of the genus over the years was my friend and mentor. We swapped Nannostomus fry--I sent him N. espei and N. digrammus and he sent me N. mortenthaleri and N. rubrocaudatus before they were described. Trust me, Nannostomus species cannot interbreed. Your source is mistaken. And there is certainly no chance of N. marilynae interbreeding with a Hemigrammus.

I too love B. dorsiocellata. I have a school of 30 that are endlessly fascinating.

 

[Magnum Man]

a dozen lacortei arrived today...

 

[Magnum Man]

well, they went right to the shoal of juvinal palmeri... looks like one big school now, until they start maturing

 

[Magnum Man]

and a bonus... I ordered a couple nana's for the 30 gallon I'm setting up, and one was flowering...

 

[Magnum Man]

has anyone else noticed that Nematobrycon, don't shoal as much as other tetras??? my mature palmeri are very independent, and the juvinals shoaled loosely with the other tetras, but now with a dozen 1 inch lacortei, that look a lot like the palmeri at that age, they are swimming all over the tank, not necessarily as a group... they are like baby lions, getting into trouble... and the lone spotted silver dollar, like a male lion... the lacortei, all seem to want to be near it, and the dollar doesn't like them in it's space, and gives them a half hearted chase for a couple inches, like a grumpy old lion... ironically if the dollar would give more of a chase, the lacortei, may school up, but it's a heavily planted tank, with lots to explore... looks like all the lacortei, look to have made it through the night... they came in between an inch and inch and a half, same size as my juvinal palmeri... I am seeing a little male coloration, on a couple, but they are really too small to color up fully

 

[Magnum Man]

they are too active in this very shaded tank, to get a good picture, but the one in the center here is slightly larger, and seems to be exhibiting some male traits... but he's still 1/3 the size of the mature male palneri

 

[Magnum Man]

once the 250 gallon is set up, the angel and dollar combo will be moved to that tank, and this 55 gallon, will only be tetras, with a couple Cory's and a few tetra compatible fish... ( maybe a good time to try a few pencil fish??? ) I'd like to add a shoal of cardinals again, but the angel eats them, unless they are of jumbo size... it doesn't bother any other tetras, but the bright color, and smaller size must say "eat me" to the angel...