Wcmm Breeding (please Help)

[ncolberg]

http/s221.photobucket.com/albums/d...nt=cwbreed.jpg
http/s221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ent=wcmmf1.jpg
http/s221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ent=wcmmf2.jpg
http/s221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ent=wccmf3.jpg

(^^^Links for pictures^^^)
Hello, I'm new to breeding WCMM's and i would like to know if i have my tank setup and a couple other details correct so that i can successfully breed these beautiful little fish. I have a 10gallon tank that is kept and 68F with 2 spawning mops and a sponge filter. I put a pair of wcmm's in the tank on Thursday evening. It is now Sunday evening and not much has happened. The male isn't ever showing off really. The female has gotten a slightly larger stomach though so i think that is a good sign. Pictures for the famale and the tank set-up are listed above. I would like to know if my tank is set up correctly, if there is anything i could change in the setup to make the spawning more successful, and if the female is even ready to spawn. Please help, all input is greatly appreciated.






^^updated photos^^

 

[three-fingers]

Cant see any pics, try this :Uploading from photobucket.

Sound's like a good setup, just a matter of time really .

If your not already try feeding them frozen and live food, lot's of people do this to 'condition' the fish to breed. Though WCMM's don't really need anything special to spawn .

edit: Nvm, you fixed it before I finished this post .

Looks good, I'd lay a spawning mop on the bottom though.

 

[ncolberg]

so to get a spawning mop to lay on the bottom i just make one, but don't attach it to the cork is that correct? What would be a good type of food to feed them?

 

[pippoodle]

so to get a spawning mop to lay on the bottom i just make one, but don't attach it to the cork is that correct? What would be a good type of food to feed them?

i've had a few new spawns only got 3 live babies to juveys though cos blooming dragonfly larve got in the tank ate all the fry
just had some spawned again now in breeding tank

here's a thread i did a while ago with some tips on breeding in it

though i would slightly raise the temp in the tank as minnows usually breed when the weather warms up

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...hl=got+wrigglys

good luck Sarah x

 

[ncolberg]

About what should the temperature be at?

 

[pippoodle]

COPY OF POST IN LINK

i set up a spawning tank which was my rena 30

in the tank i have a elite stingray 5 filter (well cycled)- heater set to 20 but the actual tank temp was between 22-24 degrees due to room temp
i purchased some fern made by sera (they sell it at pets at home) got 3 lots so plenty to spawn on
had one real plant in the tank (cabomba) but the minnows preferred the fern
a shallow layer of gravel in case any eggs fall throught the fern
NO LIGHT ON WHILE SPAWNING

Kept all the minnows in the main tank until the males were displaying to each other , the females are not just fat but lumpy when they are ready to mate

removed 4 females and 2 males to the spawning tank , turned off the light , left them for 3 days then removed them (had neons to quarentine so needed the tank)
I usually remove the parents (though i have left them in the past and had some fry) and leave whatever they have spawned on in the spawning tank

i lowered a baby net into the tank and floated the fern into it then transferred it to my main tank 7 days ago

was going to empty the net yesterday as didnt think anything had happened as i couldnt see any babies whenever i looked
hubby looked yesterday and seen all the babies in there so i checked the spawning tank where the neons were quarenteening and found babies in there aswell so kicked the neons out lol

thats all i do throw them in the spawning tank , leave them alone for 3 days (apart from feeds) have a look through and you can see wether they are starting to breed - the male and female wrap there tails round each other , NO LIGHTS , then remove them and you should have some free swimmers in about a week
i think they take 24-48 hours to hatch but a while to swim freely
i never bother to feed until a week after the adults have been removed
then i feed them on crushed brineshrimp, crushed spirulina , crushed bloodworm and crushed algae , crushed flake --- by crushed i mean powdered

you must remember that they are extremly small babies and can be missed as i did lol

as long as the mummys are nice and fat and lumpy just go for it and you should hopefully have free swimming babies in a weeks time

hope makes sense MS brain not good lol

good luck Sarah xxx

 

[ncolberg]

^^^New set-up^^^^

Does this look like it will work? Temp is about 72F

 

[black angel]

you would need to remove parents after the spawn...though they dont take much interest in eating the young they will the eggs.

you need about 3 females to 1 male to encourage him to breed.

and yeah they are minute...no bigger than | and they lie at the top, so just a sponge filter

 

[ncolberg]

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3B2XJX7fUs

Video of what i believe is my wcmm's spawning. Please let me know if i am correct.

 

[black angel]

was hard to tell but didnt look like it to me..and both looked female lol...dunno maybe my eyesight.

as soon as theyre spawned the eggs can get eaten so a base of either gravel or marbles will help the eggs not be seen by parents.

 

[ncolberg]

^^^female^^^

^^^male^^^

those are the two fish from the video. Are they both female?

 

[black angel]

well bottom one does look like a male now..

 

[ncolberg]

i added one more female to the tank yesterday that looked like she was in breeding condition. Was that a bad thing to do? Should I remove her from the tank?

 

[pippoodle]

cant really see clearly from the video but if they are wrapping their bodies around each other then they are spawning - as for adding another female to the tank dont worry i just transfer all 8 minnows to my breeding tank and wayhay a week later i got fry

 

[ncolberg]

ok =-] sounds good. Hopefully I will have some fry soon =-]. I will keep you updated =-]