More Babies

[Baccus]

So happy

not only have my school of Sterbi's bred but the Peppereds have also gone on an egg laying extravaganza and the eggs are already hatching. So far I have found 5 babies some already free swimming and a couple still with the remains of the yolk attached. I have discovered that both lots of Cory's can't be trusted if the eggs are plastered on the glass of the tanks but they all seem to ignore the eggs when they are on/ in the weed. I always try to rescue any eggs I find either way but some are so well hidden I always end up with a couple of babies growing up in the adult tank. Also I have discovered that the Sterbi managed to get their eggs on the underside of leaves on a plant that is barely above the sand while the Peppereds are happy laying eggs the enitre length of any tall clumping weed. Now the waiting game begins to see exactly how many of which type I end up with. I am assuming that the eggs in the other tank are the Peppered and not the Emeralds (only have 3 and they keep trying to breed with the Peppereds

) Or the pygmy's because the two largest I think are females but the 3 new ones are still a bit young I think to breed, plus the eggs were pretty large and so that only leaves the Many Spots which I still only have two of (can't get them up my way easily and have been looking for 3 years

) have never even looked like wanting to breed. And yes once I can get some more Many Spots they will be going in their own tank like the Sterbi's did but I figure its better for them to have some company of the Cory kind rather than just the two of them on their own. The pygmy's are also getting thier own tank soon that they will only have to share with some Cherry Shrimp and maybe some Cardinal or neon tetras. And if I manage to get rid of my husbands 3 tanks of guppies I'll probably even get some more Emeralds (when my local pet shops bother to get them

) and set them up in thier own home.

 

[XFiSh_CichildX]

Luck you lol well done mate hope they hatch ok

 

[Baccus]

The hatching has never really been a problem its the getting them past the first couple of days that is the hardest, but fingers crossed. Thanks for the sentiment.

Just noticed the mesh baby net that the eggs and hatchling fry are in has a small that is big enough for any fry to fall through but not big enough to allow any other of the tank inhbitants in (barring maybe new born cherry shrimp which I don't think will bother anybody). Hopefully if all the Sterbi fry survive to 3cm I most likely have a buyer already so less stress of what do I do with more because I already have 15

and that I think is an ample school. I also hope of the Peppered eggs that they are all high/ long fins as when most people see the adults they really want them. Have to admit I like their banner/ streamer like fins, my male ones actually have the top fin trailing past their tails and when they are swimming around it looks really cool

.

 

[XFiSh_CichildX]

The hatching has never really been a problem its the getting them past the first couple of days that is the hardest, but fingers crossed. Thanks for the sentiment.

Just noticed the mesh baby net that the eggs and hatchling fry are in has a small that is big enough for any fry to fall through but not big enough to allow any other of the tank inhbitants in (barring maybe new born cherry shrimp which I don't think will bother anybody). Hopefully if all the Sterbi fry survive to 3cm I most likely have a buyer already so less stress of what do I do with more because I already have 15

and that I think is an ample school. I also hope of the Peppered eggs that they are all high/ long fins as when most people see the adults they really want them. Have to admit I like their banner/ streamer like fins, my male ones actually have the top fin trailing past their tails and when they are swimming around it looks really cool

.

nice one will you be selling any off them on here ?? how do you hatch them successfully thanks

 

[Baccus]

I usually just put the eggs in a suspended net cage near the filter and let them be. If the eggs are on weed I just snip off the bit of weed they are on and let it float in the net as well. And the net cage stays in the adult tank so no chemical changes/ shocks this thechnique seems to work the best for me and once the babies are past fry (getting sucked up the filter inlet) size I usually let them out with the adults to finish growing that way they have more room, are still in the same water and have access to all the yummy stuff that the adults have. Plus it looks great seeing a school of juvi's cruising in formation. I'm not sure if I would sell them on here as I have never posted fish and I am in Central Queensland so no where near Brisbane or any other capital city

.
Will keep everyone posted on the growth etc of the bubs

 

[XFiSh_CichildX]

good stuff you should add a couple pics of the eggs and the parents i would love to see them

 

[Harlequins]

Congrats on your fry

Its fun watching them grow,my fry tank has a never ending supply in there ,strangely enough i put 2 young bronze juvis in the main tank about 6 weeks ago due to the fact i had new batches hatching and they would've scoffed them and they have double their size since...

Keep us updated

 

[Baccus]

And yet more eggs

The Sterbi are really out doing themselves

Now if only the pygmy's would get the idea I'd be really happy

. I wonder if out of this lot of eggs I'll end up with another white baby that eventually got black patches before finally settling on the traditional Sterbi colouration? I know this is the catfish forum but I just had to add that my Bristle noses have also had a sly couple of clutches of eggs and now I have miniture BN's appearing in one of the tanks.

 

[Baccus]

Well the baby cory's are growing up, they scuttle around their net home like miniture tadpoles, still to small to try and get a good pic of them also when I disturb the net they are prone to hiding in any crevices they can find around the edges. As they mature they will get braver so I should be able to get pics then. Can't wait until they start looking like miniture adults, that is when they are really cute

. And with the recent build up of storms I am expecting another bout of frantic egg laying from not only the cory's but also my bristle noses. Might see if any of my pet shops have any live blood worms as a special treat for the fish, its that or drain my bathtub pond and get some blood worms out of there they are always in there even with the guppies.

 

[Baccus]

Managed to get a pic of one of the babies lastnight, now see if you can spot it

Sadly they do a great job of hiding in an all but empty net cage, and I can only find a couple at any given time I have a sneaky suspicion that some have found their way through the small hole in the bottom of the net and are now living it up in the main tank. Time will tell... I'll know for sure when I see them coming out for food but that will be a while away yet, too many nocks and crannies for them to hide in or under.

 

[Tizer]

I've got a similar holding net, but i decided it worked better if i took out the plastic leg supports as the fry used to hide behind the legs and never move.

 

[Baccus]

And the Sterbi are at it AGAIN

all of them are going ballistic around the tank, hopefully I can rescue all the eggs before their minds shift from "lets breed" to "lets eat the eggs".

 

[Tizer]

stick some sinking pellets in the tank, they will keep them amused for a few hours while the eggs stay safe and you collect them

 

[Joshwainwright]

Congratulations on the breed, I can't wait to see the little fellas grow up

 

[Baccus]

Normally I wouldn't complain....But the Sterbi still haven't stopped laying

I must have collected over 100 eggs so far and even with food in the tanks the Sterbi can't resist the

up. Just wish the Peppered's would also get in the mood, but then if they did I have no idea where I would put all the growing out babies. Already have 3 4ft tanks and 2 2ft and a Nano of 29L but its too small to put any bubs in. A shame "he who must be obeyed (

)" insists NO MORE TANKS.....well there is always the 1000L pond or the old bathtub but coming into Autumn/ winter I don't want to risk putting any young outside to face those extremes. Anyway with the low pressure system hanging around and the high probability of more rain I think the Peppereds should get in the mood pretty soon. Will keep you up dated on the progress from hatching to growing up.