Spawning Attempt 1: Gabriel x Ruby

[DefyingGravity]

This evening I decided to start getting things ready for spawning. I still have a few questions; so I'll be using this thread to not only note my progress, but also for asking questions etc, so please keep returning .

Anyway, for spawn attempt number one I will be using the following two fish:



Ruby; Orange Female Crown Tail from spidermanbettas in Thailand.



Gabriel; Pink/White (please tell me what colour he is, lol) Male Veil Tail from a LFS. (Picture taken by my brothers friend Lisa)

I have started setting up the tank, and this is what it looks like currently:



I have a sponge filter on the left hand side, which is currently running, a piece of bubblewrap for Gabriel to use for his bubble nest, and a silk plant.

I will be adding a 50watt heater by Monday, along with a floating live plant and a styrofome cup so Gabriel has a few choices for his bubble nest.

I will most likely be using a two litre Coca-Cola with the bottom, and top cut off for Ruby to be in until I am ready to release her.

I will be using the light that sits on Gabriel & Chucks tank as the light for spawning, and replace theirs with a desk lamp.

This leads me to my first question. Do I leave the light on 24/7 when attempting to spawn, and when the fry have been laid, and are first free swimming, or do I just continue with my usual 8 hour a day light scheme.

I have also read conflicting information about the filters (not to turn it on until after the fry are free swimming, and have it on all the time). What do you guys do?

Next Wednesday (pay day) I am going to pick up some live brine shrimp for Gabriel and Ruby, and also see what I can find for fry food, I think a LFS has brine shrimp hatcheries, so I might look into that.

[dramaqueen]

I would add maybe one more plant or a cave for the female to have an extra hiding spot. It looks great!! Does the tank have a lid?

[HopeInHeart]

Nice tank! Perhaps maybe a little more hiding spots for the female?

And, one thing I would do different if I spawn again would be to order a microworm culture online---they are sooo much easier than hatching bbs all the time, although once the fry are too big for the microworms you'll still have to hatch the bbs. You can get microworms off of ebay for just a few bucks.

[HopeInHeart]

Oh, nvm DQ already said that about more hiding spots.

[DefyingGravity]

Lol, I've already mentioned I'm adding another plant ;)

I will be adding a 50watt heater by Monday, along with a floating live plant

I'm debating about a cave. I was thinking I could steal Gabriel's bowl seeing he won't need it while he is in the breeding tank. Otherwise I'm just going to stick to more plants. Silk plants are nice and cheap at a local store (only $1.50 each instead of the $5 + at pet stores)

Like I said, tank is still a work in progress :)

Negative on the lid, but it will have something on it. I've heard cling wrap is good to use (I think in America you call it saran (sp?) wrap?). Opinions? I need to get more glass lids cut, so if need be I can do that.

I don't think microworms will be on the Australian eBay but seeing I'm going to need brine shrimp anyway, I might as well start off with that, but like I said, I'm going to see what LFS have.

Has anyone got answers to my questions re lights & filters?


And just a reminder, I'm in Australia so I don't have access to things such as petco, wallmart etc :P

[dramaqueen]

We call it both, saran or cling. :)

[Lethbridge]

Okay first off let me say i would recommend using the bubblewrap as your nest anchor as this will hold the bubbles together the best. Also when you use the coke bottle poke holes in the side so the hormones and chemicals can be taken in by the female.
About the lights it is different for everyone, but for me once the female is added to the breeding tank, i leave the lights on 24/7 till the fry are old enough to be moved to their own quarters.
As for the sponge filter i have a gang valve so i can control the air flow, so i run my filter at about 3 bubbles per second, then after a ever week, i turn it up just a little bit till it is running at full capacity.
And just like some of the others have said, add more hiding spots so if you are going to get more silk plants get alot, and just crowd the left had corner with your heater, sponge filter, and all those plants and on the right have your nest anchor, and you should be good!

[DefyingGravity]

Thank you very much for answering my questions :)

I've heard both good and bad things about bubble wrap, so I thought I'd give Gabriel the choice. He's not picky though, A piece of my hair fell in his tank once, and he started a bubble nest around that lol.

So you leave the filter on the whole time? I'm not sure if I can turn mine down, will get my brother to look at it.

I'm getting some live plants this week, along with a few more silks. I did have a few more, but then Ruby got here quicker than I thought, so I put one in her tank etc.

[DefyingGravity]

Have pretty much finished the spawning tank.

I picked up a thermometer, heater and some more silk plants over the last few days. I have cultures of Vinegar Eels & Microworms coming in soon. I'm next week I'll probably pick up a brine shrimp one, but not sure. I'm going to pick up some live brine shrimp soon for conditioning.

Once the VE & MW cultures are in I'll put Gabriel into the tank so he can suss it out a bit, and maybe start his nest. I'm going to hold off on Ruby for a little bit, but condition her in her tank. I may move her tank next to the spawning tank.

I will be conditioning Sawyer at the same time, just incase Gabriel isn't interested. I don't have another girl that I want to put with these two currently, so here's hoping that Ruby does her job :P

Here are some current photos of the setup:


The new plants. There is about 6 there. Will that be enough cover for her?


Coke bottle for Ruby


Full view of tank


Looking into the tank

[dramaqueen]

Nice set up!