Sure enough, the gardneri are turning out to be the next success. The pair is now putting out lots of eggs(in my view...I've collected 30+ viable ones in less than a week). They'd better, as I've been feeding them like royalty...some live adult brine shrimp, lots of daphnia, mosquito larvae, blackworms, cut up redworms...flakes on the occasion but they've been spoiled now. Since they are part of a SMP not all will be mine to play with but I will also be getting some new stock in soon from someone else. If things go really well I plan to take a few males to one of the LFS here so they can have some "real" killies to show and maybe interest someone else in killies...
As for the eggs, I am currently playing with a method one guy mentioned for australe on killitalk...keeping the eggs in chlorinated(tap)water and changing often. I figure once the eggs have set I will put them into the fry container.
The breeding males(I've got a reverse trio) switched places today. I couldn't resist letting them have at it for a while...
The challenger. 1st shot off the camera boy I was surprised. The camera still fails to catch the deep blue on this big guy.
Home court advantage for this guy? For those who've watched these and other killies he is currently doing that shimmying move which seems to demonstrate the fish's strength.
So far everyone is playing by the rules which makes for lots of nice photos...
Then frustration sets in...despite being rather uneven neither fish is willing to back down. It doesn't help that the female has come along over to see what the commotion is all about. Seeing the photo oppurtunities are drawing to a close I get the net ready to remove the smaller guy so the bigger one can has his turn in the breeding tank...
Ok guys get over it!
I think the order of operations in a male Fp. gardneri mind goes like this.
1. Females 2. eliminating other males 3. food
They've got their priorities straight!