Updates on the ivory montys

[biggun110]

Hi N,

Your story is great. I can see why you like swordtails! You're lucky to have a pond.

Kafuensis can take bbs but I always add green water for 2 days too for smaller fry (females).

I've never seen Chunga so your guess is as good as mine. My Mambova fry sem to be mostly reds like in the article but that is not a great photo of them. My otehr line should hopefully produce more blues. The Kayuni and Nanzhila show better blue.

The high 60's are too low for Nothos. They might live just fine but not spawn much. Also too cool for egg incubation. 73-76 F is perfect. If tanks can warm up in the day and slowly cool at night that would be ok. I'd stay away from small heaters. Maybe well placed incandescent bulbs around tanks during day to heat the immediate area. 60's is too low to hatch shrimp too. You'll need a light/heater on the hatcher to keep it in 70's to 80F. Now Aphyosemions and Austrolebias would love the cool temps.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Got the DvD, but haven't watched it yet.

Incandescent light sounds like a possibility...for the eggs I will probably put a heatpack in the styro I put the eggs in...maybe add water to the styro and then add an aquarium thermometer and float the bags of peat? Also, will those medical heat pads work? I used one for a betta until my mom claimed it used up too much electricity and could start a fire. However, if I can get things warm enough then that may work well-and at least I won't have to worry in the summer!

What kind of aphyoseimon or SA annuals would like my conditions?(ph around 7.5 or so). I heard that They planned to use C. bellotti, C. nigripinnis, or S. whitei in CA for mosquito control.

The bluespots have been moved to winter in the pond, so the 10 gallon that they lived in is empty for now. Dunno if I can make use of it or if the sunnies would be easily viewable in the pond. I'd like them back inside in spring though.

Also, do you put any kind of dark substrate in your killie tanks besides peat?

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

Let me know if the dvd works.

Floating the peat bags in heated water would not be good as it would effect O2 exchange. I think heat packs would cost too much over time. I once built an incubator from a large wood box 2 x 2 x 2. I put an hinged door on it. I put an incandescent light socket in it. I drilled a hole and mounted a little computer fan on the side to pull out extra heat from the bulb (60 watt). I hooked the light and fan to a reptile temperture control that I set at the temperature I wanted so it turned the bulb and fan on and off maintaining the temp. It worked very well and was cheap and easy too build. Just be sure you do the electric right and well. If you use heat packs test it out in the styro before adding eggs to see the temp it holds. Taping it to the top of the styro would be good.

Aphyosemions as a whole would like your temps but hate the 7.5 pH. Gardneri populatiosn would be the best bet. They are the related Fundulopanchax. SAA's like nigripinnis, bellottii, whitei would all work. Any Austrolebias from the Argentina/Uraguay area would work. Nothos will too but the low temp is a problem.

I paint the outside of my tanks flat black on the bottom.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Hmmm, I think I may have an incandescent light hiding somewhere. Dunno how efficient that is. Do nothos display well under incandescent?

Concerning you S. whitei(papilleferus?) would you be able to describe how the breeding males look in life? Look to be similar to C. nigripinnis in colors.

Also, would peat be able to lower ph substantially? Or would that require R.O water?

Thanks!

BTW, would you reccomend the Fish and Egg list as a good source for eggs or young pairs?

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

Nothos look better under flourescent light especially the old aquari-lux bulbs by Penn-Plex -- heavy on red and blue.

The whitei (papilliferus) are an ugly population. They get large but are the grey/brown color line. The pretty whitei are the reddish brown ones. They are gorgeous and have the best fins. I will not keep this line of whitei. I was hoping it was the red form when I got it. They do not look like nigripinnis. A good nigripinnis is beyond beautiful and they love it cool!

Peat can lower the pH/softness of hard alkaline water but it takes very good peat and alot of it. You have to call the manufactor of the peat and ask them what the pH of their peat is. You want one that is around 4.5 pH. Then you must be careful not to use too much too soon as that peat can really drop the pH. I had a friend almost kill his discus doign that. For breeding you would definitely want to boil that a long time in hard alkaline waterand really rinse it. Eggs don't need such acid peat and can melt in it. RO is the best way to go as it gets the conductivity (total disssolved solids)down which is the crucial number for most fish. Low conductivity just goes with soft acid water.

Fish & Egg Listing is a great place to get fish.

I'm expecting some Limia vittata, Micropoecilia picta and some of my old plain big monties soon. Look for your surprise this week. How's the dvd?

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Sounds good! I will keep my eyes peeled for the package.

I heard limia vittata is a very nice fish...the pictures of it are pretty interesting.I heard P. picta was a bit tricky to deal with?

I heard that sometimes peat can be as low as 2.5...which is quite different from the 4.5 you mentioned. Better ask first!

BTW, do you save the blackwater from boiling the peat? I think your Malputta might like it.

I guess the flourescent lights will be just for display.For the coolwater lovers, what happens in summer when my tank temps rise to anywhere from 73-76 degrees(depends on tank, whether it has lights, and how high it is off the ground...my big tank is probably the warmest).

Starting a new thread with new photos! But keep the killifish discussions in one place for easy reference please.

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

Well, cleaned tanks all day. I'm tired. I moved the petenensis to their own 55 gallon and traded off the petenesis x latipinna hybrids -- just no room and the pure species are much prettier. I have 2 males petenensis so far and they are getting the black swords. I have 4 velifera males so far. I sent the 7 petenensis fry they dropped to my Florida friend. I hope he doesn't accidently cross them again!

I sent out some Caudos and the Mulpulatta yesterday. A friend is getting his kretseri to breed so I figured he could use my pair and have a bigger gene pool. I can then get some young ones from him. My caudos are getting weak as a strain which worries me. I hope its just the heat but you never know.

L. vittata is a looker but I know nothing about it. I will put it with my blue gularis as a source of free food. Picta is touchy? I'll have to be careful.

I use peat juice when hatching eggs but just keep peat in the filters in tanks or on the bottom.

Your summer temps sound fine. Just use the incandescent as a heater. Maybe some small clip on light fixures carefully aimed. Taping styro over all 3 sides of a tank helps keep it warm.

My arnoldi are sexing out at barely a half inch! The lacortei are doing great -- so shy. More and more calabarica! I will move the Mambova tonight and see what I have. I think I have extra females. One male Nanzhila is gorgeous. I think it is the prettiest kafuensis.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Sounds Great! I did my waterchanges on Friday night. Not too bad with only 3 tanks up, the fish do repay you thats for sure. After my waterchanges I usually chill in front of the fish tank for some time. Also, 3 gallon buckets work well for curlups...LOL

I know someone on a fish forum that keeps L. vittata and they do well for him apparently. If you want me to ask him I'm sure he has some experience with them.

The article states that Mambova and Nanzhila look similar. From those pictures(though I'm sure Mambova looks better in life) I like Kayuni and Nanzhila. The Chunga pic is nice, but again doesn't appear to do the fish justice.

The styrofoam idea is a pretty good one. I suppose I could also drape a towel over the tank at night? I keep on under the rack to absorb any little spills from dripping nets. I also have some pink stuff that was used to insulate a package...that might work-kinda like cotton.

BTW. do you/have you ever used vinegar eels?

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

I received 2 nice young pairs of blue gularis. They look like a good strain -- excellent color and big finnage. Nothing beats an adult blue gularis for color and simple big stunning presence.

I'm getting a red population of the picta. Look at the photo at <Swampriveraquatics>. They are amazingly beautiful. I cannot believe the color and all from one wild male Armando Pou collected last year. I hope they are easy to breed.

Bobby

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

No, never did the vinegar eels. I tried but they stunk. I like bbs and microworms.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

I agree, some of the photos of blue gularis are absolutely stunning. I refuse to believe they actually look like that sometimes, so impressive it is.

Btw, for the Red picta, a single male? did he then cross it to a CB female?

BTw, what kind of killies/other fish may work in the 46 gallon with the montys? Any suggestions? i've been thinking of getting some C. pygmaeus to play in the java moss, still undecided though.

I will be setting up the incandescent and test running the critter keeper for the nothos to see how it works.

Also, do nothos like fruit flies? I know that the swords probably will, just toyin with the idea of culturing them.

 

[Nflytrap]

Looked at the price listing on BS Direct again, and I was wondering-do you use premium(90%) or economy(70%) hatch eggs? I haven't done the math yet so was wondering what you do. Hmmm...so math actually is useful! LOL


Also, have you ever used decapsulated eggs as fry food? They offer them, but i kinda doubt they are as enticing to the fry as swimming brine shrimp. Do you bother to decap the eggs before hatching?

looked over other stuff, and some of it is pretty interesting-dunno if nothos or other killies will take freeze dried or flakes....even particularly good smelling ones..heheh

http://kinobu.hp.infoseek.co.jp/
The first pic in this link I'm told shows Rivulus xiphidus and is quite stunning. Apparently needs soft and acidic water, as seemingly everything does...LOL

Btw, have you ever kept R. marmoratus yourself? Ugly things they are, they sound quite interesting being able to survive the conditions of mangrove swamps.

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

I have used the 70% eggs but prefer the 90% which just means that 90% of the eggs will hatch in 24 hours at 80F. The lower grades take longer to hatch and do not give as many bbs from the eggs. They are certainly good though so if cost is an issue try the cheaper ones. You can always quickly upgrade if you just buy like a 4 oz size to experiment.

I use decapped cysts for 2 + week old livebearer fry. Most killies don't like them alot but some do. Nothos probably wouldn't eat them -- or flakes, freezed dried or fruit flies. Blue Gularis would love flies.

I do not decap before hatching. I think I gave you may hatching method in an earlier post.

R. xiphidus is even prettier than that picture. It likes it hot but soft and acid. Gorgeous fish.

I have seem R marmarotus. It sure is drab. My friend Dr. Bruce Turner keeps 1500 isolated individuals in his lab at the U of West Virginia. He has a site devoted to them. He raised a bucketful of grindal worms to feed them.

Yes, single male red picta bred to normal females from the location. Then they selected for the trait and presto. I am getting red fry and normal fry from the same location.

Blue Gularis would be nice with your swords but would eat the fry -- as would most killies. Gold Australe is a lovely fish and hardy. Gardneri is simple to keep and some locations like harder water but its a baby sword eater. Aphy. striatum is easy and a stunner. Killies are little predators. The pygmy corys will be great. Maybe a second livebearer species? Maybe Apistos? Peacock Gudgeons? Lampeyes?

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Some of the possibilities you mentioned are pretty interesting. I have considered apistos, but haven't taken the plunge as they(little double or triple red caucatoides) cost around 5 bucks here. I've also seen "WC" A. cacautoides, which looked to be very large males too old to bother breeding. I suspect they are fun fish however. Whatever it is, it shouldn't mind cool water.

What second livebearer species would you reccomend? I have heterandria formosa, and while I suspect they would do well they would probably end up taking over. I doubt that I would keep any other Xiphophorus due to hybridization risk. Goodeids sound like a possibility, but seem hard to come by and many get to around 4-5 inches. I would like to try Ameca splendens in my ponds to make that hair algae useful.

Lampeyes are something I know little about-appear to be delicately beautiful, yet delicate, fish. Also said to have short life spans and require consistent breeding to keep them around(so not much room for failures?).


Peacock gudgeons seem to be next to impossible to find. I know that at least 2 people I know have kept them, and they seldom show on aquabid at affordable price and it seems everyone wants them. On the interesting note, have you been observing the "Goo Obo Gudgeon" Auctions? My attention was pricked after noticing that people would pay 100 dollars for a single pair, now it is down to 65 dollars for 6 juvies. Still far off my price range though, esp. if you add in shipping. Also, I would think gudgeons would be predators(or are they very unefficient ones?). At least on aquabid, these 2 are almost equal in price.

One possibility I've considered is Notropis hypselopterus(sailfin shiner) gets to around 2 inches, and I suspect they may be a bit like either tetras or perhaps danios. Dunno if they will try to eat fry or not though.

I have added insulation and a black background to the intended notho tank. Time to pull the incandescent from the garage.

BTw, when will I receive the surprise package? I'm still rather clueless to what could be in it and won't bother guessing to spoil the fun  

A few pics of n. hypselopterus so you can get an idea of what(I think....hard tell from pics) it is.

http://cars.er.usgs.gov/pics/db_native0391.jpg

http://www.nativefish.org/Gallery/Notropis-hypselopterus-2.jpg

 

[Nflytrap]

According to Timebomb, N. foerschi and N. korthausae are able to take 10 C...thats pretty cold, dunno if they get that in the wild or not.

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

A friend is sending the surprise package so I am not sure. I thought it would be there by now. I think you will be surprised and a bit overwhelmed

. I moved the kafuensis Mambova's today. All are the red form and are very pretty. It's a good sex ratio. After you get your surprise let me know if you want 2 pair.

Cacautoides would be a great Apisto as it like hard alkaline water.

I would avoid the goodieds. They will eat all your plants and baby swords. Maybe you'd like some of these Limias or picta if I get them going. I'd do blue gularis once you have a good sword colony going.

Nothos can take the cold but the eggs won't develop or even die and the adults won't breed. They live longer cool! You can keep them at 72-74F and breed a bit warmer.

Your 46 looks great. Makes me wish I had one show tank.

Several Florida farms raise peacock gudgeons -- Ek-Will, 5D. See if your LFS can order from them.

Many lampeyes are long lived and hardy plus they like harder water. They just need it clean and lots of O2. Do some research. I believe there is a lampeye group on yahoo run by an AKA guy. There are so many species.

The shiners are nice.

I have 4 male petenensis and 8 females! Still only 4 male velifera out of 24. The dominate male is blue with an orange head forming. He is only 6 months old. The fin keeps growing until age 2.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Biggun: Wow, didn't expect that! I'm guessing it is a few bags of eggs, but am unsure of exactly what...

Great to know about the kafuensis! If you cross red and blue, would you get the wild type intermediate form? I think a mixed strain(providing locations are the same) would be interesting in that you would never quite know what you would get. Also, is there only 1 Mambova collection of N. kafuensis?

I found apistogramma.com and they suggested A. borelli as a possible cooler water apisto. I would really like to be able to see a harem of em. Also, today at the petstore I saw Apistogramma ortmanni(or that was what it was labeled). No specific distinctive thing about them besides they were apistos, but there were quite a few dead on the bottom so I assume they may be WC but didn't speak with the employees...I also saw, among other things, crenicichla, "Mountain gobys", sterbai corys(drool...), clown plecos, and, much to my amazement, Paratilapia polleni(at 8.98 apiece). They were, as I suspected, quite similar to the bluespots only they were darker(pitch black as opposed to a purple black) and maintained that coloration even in the LFS. My only guess is some local aquarist managed to spawn them, then was bored and raised them to 2-3 inches, and dropped them off. There were 2 black ones(one cowering in the bottom corner) and a few light brownish ones which I assumed were females(again, quite similar to bluespotteds if that is the case). My plan is to sell some juvies or pond plants to get store credit and do things with it I wouldn't do with real money(since there food and othe items are pretty expensive)...LOL I saved around 100 dollars in store credit from fry growouts but used some to by food, a heater from Grandma, and the rest pitched in over half the cash for the lights. I will definetly ask the LFS on gudgeons...they order all kinds of weird stuff.

    Definelty look into lampeyes.

Edit: I know someone who is raising Oryzias javanicus. Dunno if that would count as a lampeye but to my eyes they look quite similar. I remember a book a read in like 2nd grade by the name of "killifishes" that showed these fish thorought the book. I was a bit puzzled to say the least that I couldn't find anything similar and that all mind had gonopodiums...(mosquitofish ahem...)

The pertensis ratio looks perfect! Velifera ratio is good and there are probably a few late bloomers hiding(if not, you can produce a whole bunch of fry really fast at least). Definetly impressive fish, but I won't have the space anytime soon.

 

[Spectabilis73]

man... theres enough info here to make a book!!

 

[biggun110]

Hi N,

I thought your surprise would be there by now. I'm not sending it so I guess my buddy got behind. It will get there.

I think I have all red Mambova babies maybe an intermediate but no blue. These were Bob's eggs. My own eggs are due to hatch in December and it's a bunch so hopefully I will have all forms then. These are so nice though -- intense color. Nothos are the prettiest freshwater fish on earth bar none and they do not hide much! There is only one location of Mambova. Boy, my main male Nanzhila is a stunner -- such big fins and so much blue and bright white.

I'm hatching some N. symoensi tonight. So far it looks good. The little guys are beginning to appear. Symoensi is so pretty. Purple tinted orange bodies.

Oryzias javanicus is not really a lampeyes and the medakas have been taken out of the killie families and put back in a few times. I'm not sure where they stand now. Look at the west African lampeyes especially the P. notaenia (spelling?)

Pygmy croaking gouramis (sparkling gouramis) would be very nice in the tank. Get about 10. They are small but dazzling.

Bobby

 

[Nflytrap]

Sounds good!

For the DvD...my comp apparently cannot open whatever file is on there...in fact it doesn't know the format it is in. Think I need a special program to open it? There is a compaq DVD player but this still can't recognize the file.

Great to here on the Mambova! If your friends package is manageable I may jump for them. Again, assuming they are eggs.