[Tamyu]

So, I have been conditioning my pair, getting live food cultures up and going, and now have everything set up and ready for a spawn attempt...

Wednesday morning, I put my pair in the spawning tank. (Mesh corner for the female.) They didn't seem stressed by it, not unhappy looking at all, acted normal.

They took zero interest in each other. She flared when she saw him in the distance, gave no reaction when he came close. He flared a couple times, but then seemed to confirm that it was a female... And did nothing.

Overnight he did build a bubble nest, like he does every night, so I had a bit of hope.

Yesterday, I let her out of the corner.

Well, they have been in there a day and a half. There has been no fighting, no attempts at mating, and really no interest shown on either side. She is hanging out on the left, he is hanging out on the right. They are perfectly happy to eat side by side and even sleep in the same area of the tank at night.:roll:

I was ready to be disappointed if they started fighting, showing serious aggression, etc... But if I didn't know better, I would think they were happy tank mates. (I am going to take her out tomorrow afternoon whether anything happens or not.)

Is this pair just hopeless? Should I try another month of conditioning and then take the challenge again? Or just give up on them and pick up another girl?

 

[lvandert]

I would try one more time before getting another girl. It certainly doesn't seem like they're getting stressed or injured from it.

 

[AFishTale]

Maybe try simulating a thunderstorm? I've heard that sometimes does the trick. I have a pair in the spawning tank right now, and once I release the female I'm going to play a thunder/rain recording I got online and drip cool water into the tank. Never tried before, but it seems to have worked for other people.

Good luck!

 

[Creat]

I have had luck with stimulating rain either by doing a large water change or by misting the tank. Try not to make the water the exact same temp either a few degrees off is fine. With some super picky non breeders I had luck with a method OFL mentioned. I kept my males in super tiny cups with no water changes for a week but kept feeding super good foods. Then I dumped them in without acclimating them at night. Any healthy fish will be able to withstand the shock. It also got me a really nice spawn. Another thing you can do is add another male floating in the tank. Sometimes at the presence of an "intruder" it might motivate him to spawn.

 

[BeckyFish97]

What colour are the fish?one of them may be infertile, is the female a black melano?

 

[Tamyu]

They are still contentedly swimming around as it nothing is out of the ordinary.

I am starting to think that the female just isn't ready. She is a bit plump, but not to the level of some of the eggy girls I have seen pics of.
They are siblings from the same spawn - the male is white an blue marble, and the female is iridescent blue... (blue wash? I don't know the proper term.)

This is my first attempt at a spawn, so I am prepared for failure... But this was unexpected. :lol:

 

[Creat]

Sometimes certain fish need a kick in the pants I would try adding another male floating in the tank. She should be producing eggs after being introduced to the male as well if she has to many eggs after being introduced she could loose them all being chased.