Conditioning/Spawning Tip

[MrVampire181]

So here's my set up. I got an unexpected spawn today but I thought it was worthy of posting as a tip.

Set up:

16 quart plastic tub filled halfway
cave
one umbrella plant
heater
lid for the nest
plastic cup with holes

The Pair:
The male was allowed to swim freely in the tub. The female was placed in the plastic cup. They were fed Hikari Pellets and frozen bloodworms for 3 days.

The Release:
I didn't release my female..she jumped. But if I had I would've done this. Within a few days the male should've begun a bubblenest. When it's a good size you now need to focus on the female. I feed them a lot. Once she looks nice and fat and displays breeding bars (light colored females won't) release her. My pair was spawning within a minuet (I think I looked and she was still in the cup, I looked a minuet later and see them embracing). Sometimes they may get right into spawning...sometimes they don't. A lot of aggression can come out of certain pairs.

Pics/Vids:
The conditioning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgiKKqnxipE

The spawning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hno6Rt8Eueg

The Male Defending His Nest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hno6Rt8Eueg

Overhead view of spawning tub:

[vilmarisv]

Wao! That's lighting fast spawning!
My latest was a total failure :(
Everything was set and they behaved like they should the first few days but then they lost interest and the male attacked the female.
She's ok, just some fin damage.
I'm going to give them a week in separate tanks and try again next week. I was so excited about my pair bu maybe my hunch was accurate and my male might be a tad young.
Might try your method next time :P

[Learn To Fly]

I was about to PM you and ask how you conditioned XD. My pair is not paying any attention to each other any more and I think I may take them out and recondition them. I think I'm going to rearrange the tank and recondition them using your way...except I had an interesting idea. I don't really have any big plastic cups but I had leftover plastic mesh from my dividers. I made a little box out of it for the female but I'm not sure it's see through enough. I might just get a cup from somewhere lol.

And 16 quarts in 4 gallons right? Mine is about that size actually.

[luv2run21]

wow thats fast spawning
I think Im going to try your method next time

[MrVampire181]

Originally Posted by vilmarisv

Wao! That's lighting fast spawning!
My latest was a total failure :(
Everything was set and they behaved like they should the first few days but then they lost interest and the male attacked the female.
She's ok, just some fin damage.
I'm going to give them a week in separate tanks and try again next week. I was so excited about my pair bu maybe my hunch was accurate and my male might be a tad young.
Might try your method next time :P

Yeah young males are too hyper and aggressive. I try to get fish at aobut 4 months of age. This pair didn't hurt each other last time or this time.

Originally Posted by Learn To Fly

I was about to PM you and ask how you conditioned XD. My pair is not paying any attention to each other any more and I think I may take them out and recondition them. I think I'm going to rearrange the tank and recondition them using your way...except I had an interesting idea. I don't really have any big plastic cups but I had leftover plastic mesh from my dividers. I made a little box out of it for the female but I'm not sure it's see through enough. I might just get a cup from somewhere lol.

And 16 quarts in 4 gallons right? Mine is about that size actually.

Yup 16 quarts is 4 gallons. I just used 16 oz cups with holes. It's a little small but the holes provide clean water and release pheramones.

Originally Posted by luv2run21

wow thats fast spawning
I think Im going to try your method next time

Yup it's a really good method. Just stuff the pair with a lot of good food and keep them super clean.

[Learn To Fly]

Do you think my mesh box would work? If not I can go get cups.

[MrVampire181]

Yeah it should. This same female was on the other side of a divider when I planned to spawn her with a different male and she dropped eggs the next day.

[Learn To Fly]

Okay, thanks.