Scriptoaphyosemion liberiensis (calabarica)

[maylandi]

Here are a few pics of the Scriptoaphyosemion liberiensis (calabarica) I recieved from Bobby on Monday!!!


Joe said you had alot of background information on these, and some of the other fish you sent, could you expand on that? Joe was saying the Scriptoaphyosemion liberiensis have been in the hobby over 50 years and survived the war?

Thanks Again!!!

Dustin

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

Go to page 3 of this freshwater fish topic page and look at the thread "old new killifish". That tells about the history. The fish look good. One male looks a bit stressed. You have the calabarica in dark bottom tanks with lots of hiding places I hope as they need that. Keep live food for them -- all worms except microworms chopped or whole depending on size, bbs, daphnia, mosquito larvae, adult brine shrimp. I doubt they will eat flake at all. Frozen is good but live is better at least until they settle in.

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Hi Bobby -

Wow now im even more honored.. About how many ppl have this strain in the country now? I wish I knew I needed alot of live foods for this last week.. as the fridge went out and I lost all the blackworms / keepers. Now I can have a new shipment here from CA by friday, but I wont be here friday thru late sunday... Which will mean I really cant have feed them well until next tuesday! I just put in some white worms, hopefully they will chow down on those. I had been putting in micro worms haha, as thats the only live I have abundance of right now, well that and fruit flys, but I doubt they will take those. They seem to set on the bottom all the time, there is little movement. They are in a 10 gal right now, and as you already know im slowly moving them back to soft water from 127tds monday to 117 tds yesterday.. I can probably have them in a 15 gal by end of last week with a dark substrate, do you think the extra five gallons will make a big difference? I could put them in a 55 gal, and will do that if you feel it would help out

Its just waiting to be setup. What if I put a divider in the 55 gal (black acrylic) and then put another softwater killi on the other side for the moment? Would that make a big differece or woudl that be to tall? Ill do whatever you think I should to make this work

That history is very impressive. I now understand why Joes eyes bugged out when I told him what was sent

You say the fish is stressed, you must mean the light colored male in the middle pic?

I just got in some red worms to start a culture today, if i chopped some small ones up, you think they would eat those?

What kind of light do yu keep above the floating plant? I dont want to kill it off, and at the same time dont want to stress the fish...

Thanks!!!!

Dustin

 

[maylandi]

Afterthought --
I know whiteworms are high in fat and should be used sparingly - so what about fruit fly maggots? I have an abundance of those I could throw in.. Hydei more than Melongaster - think they would eat them? My rainbowfish jump at them haha.

Thanks Again

Dustin

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

The 15 gallon is fine. Chop up the white worms if they are big and feed those. The chopped red worms would be good too. I'd be great if you could get a bunch of daphnia to throw in there while you are gone -- any chance of that from local hobbyists? Forget the maggots. They might have eaten the microworms, I'm just not sure. The light colored male looked stressed. Staying on the bottom is normal. They are shy and hide and love cover. I have a single 30 watt flourescent bulb on their 30 gallon tank with a cover of the fern and a ton of loose java moss and java fern on wood. Maybe 30-40 people have the fish now -- maybe. They're a legend. Look in old pre-70's fish books like Sterba's and you will see them.

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Hi Bobby,

Fed them some chopped white worms tonight - one was very happy but they may have been too large, ill cut them better next feeding... will also try finely cut red worms tonight or in the morning. No one around here had daphnia. The nearest serious hobbyist is about an hour away, and they dont have daphnia either... I haev maybe 5 in a starter container, they havent been doing grteat for me.. had green water probs, things are looking up though. I will get htem into a 15 gal next week when I get back, have to get a new one at the meijer. I got the TDS down to 87 tonight, that should help. Walmart doesnt have test kits anymore and my LFS doesnt carry them (yeah really rural area) anyway Ill get one in Indy this weekend.

Thanks for all the advice, as always!

Dustin

 

[maylandi]

Update -

Been feeding them Blackworms / grindals / white worms occasionally. I have the TDS down to 57, is that soft enough, or do they need lower

Thanks!

Dustin

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

57 should be great. Can't wait until I hear you have fry. The adults also like live baby brine. Mine are cranking out the fry again. I'm going to weed out all but the best 10 pair for the next generation. I'm noticing some tiny defects in some of the fish so I want to be more selective for the next generation. How are the other fish doing? Have the nezzies colored up?

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Nezzas have colored up, they are very shy though... Maybe the tank needs more plants.

The Calabarica are doing great, feeding black worms, white worms and brine shrimp! Keeping the water quality about wher it should be. what tds is too low? 40?

THanks@!

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

40 tds would be fine, probably even 30, but tds that are too low cause pH crashes and that can be deadly so the 60 range is a good middle ground.

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Thanks for the update on the tds - Ill keep it around 60...

All the fish are doing great! Feeding lots of live foods. The Monties have given me 13 fry already!!

Been busy/sick.. sorry for delay in replys

Dustin

 

[maylandi]

Bobby:

Sorry I have been away so long. The group is still in tact 100% and doing great. No spawn yet though. I am finishing up a RO central filtration system, hopefully to keep their tds more constant. Lately it has been around 120, which unless I am wrong, you said they will not spawn at that hardness.

Hope all is well!


Dustin
www.goodeids.com

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

Good to hear. What all did I send you? I have forgotten. Calabarica does not like the harder water. Be sure to feed a few bbs every day whether or not you see fry and floating plants help. They are an official conservation species for the AKA now and I donated 40 pair to the effort. Did I send you any mollies or the orange picta? Did the Phalloceros do well? A full report!

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Hi Bobby,

You sent over some Nezzas, Montazumae, the Calabarica (of course), and the Mollies.

The Nezzas are fry factories! I bet I have 60 fry growing out right now!
The Monties were the same way, I had fry in the first few days, and have had several drops since. The adults you sent are VERY SHY, is this normal? The fry are not as shy, and there are lots!
The Calabaricas are in a 10 gallon right now, with the floating plants you sent, and some hornwart and najas grass. The tank has pea gravel as a substrate, which I believe is the culprit for raising the water hardness each time I get it lowered. I have been ill, and in Indianapolis (still there) for about a week, however when I return (and yeah someone is taking care of the fish while I have been gone ) I will finish a RO central filtered rack, where they will be moved to. Hopefully I will be able to reproduce these in bulk, and donate some tot he AKA, or other AKA members as well.

I tried to do something with N. Foerschi, however I cannot keep females alive for some reason

Thank You again for sending over these fish, I am honored

Last but not least, the Mollies. They have been doing fine, they are PIGS! They hit the water each time I feed. Tearing up BBS, Grindals, anything that hits the water! No spawn from them yet though... I have them in a 29 gallon by themselves, well I take that back. They are in a 29 gallon with a random rainbow that jumped from the neighboring tank. The tank has alot of najas grass and hornwart. Should I be adding salt to this tank?

How did your move go?

(I have been gone awhile

Dustin
www.goodeids.com

 

[Nflytrap]

I think shyness is pretty normal for those guys. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Does make it much more special when they do show themselves.

I've been busy myself but have been checking in as often as possible.

~Joseph

 

[biggun110]

Hi,

Like N said, Monties are a nervous fish. The fry will become so as they grow. The only solution would be 125-200 gallon tanks so there is great space. Nezzies are fry machines. Pick out the early developing males so the big boys that develop later will be your breeders and the size of the strain will stay large and impressive. For the calabarica think bare bottom painted black on the outside or get some of the fiber peat that only Hagen products sells (like filter floss almost but peat!) and soak or boil it just until it sinks and then use that on the bottom in a thin, loose layer so that not too much junk will get trapped in it. Tons of java moss really works. They too are shy.

Did I send the velifera mollies? If so they mature very slowly so it will be a bit longer. The upside is they are strong, long lived and BIG!

The move is still in progress. I have a friend coming to pick up the rest of the mollies this weekend. I still have to send a few fish out. One guy wants to get all my tanks. So, by Xmas I should be finished with that. The move if all goes as planned will be in March. Then I have to restart it all!

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Thanks for all the tips, I will be work with those 50 - 60 tds for the killies right? I am using Marc Weiss RO reconstitution formula..

Someone is comming to get your tanks, to move them or keep them? You buying new and startig over


Dustin

 

[maylandi]

Hi Bobby,

How have you been? I havent seen you around lately... How is everything going? I sent you a christmas card, I hope it got there ok.


Dustin

 

[biggun110]

Hi Dustin,

I sure did get your card and thanks. I am up to my neck in the move right now with some very serious decisions to be made over the next 3 days. Just life's little way of making it all a maddening hell just as you thought it was all set. The fishroom is down and almost sold off. Once i am moved I plan on getting very modern with one rack, water changing devices and the works. Time to move ahead. I hope the fish are all producing. Are the nezzies still little fry machines? Any calabarica fry? Have the mollies sexed out?

Bobby

 

[maylandi]

Hi Bobby!

Wow Keep us updated on the modern fish racks! I am excited for you! Many "old timers" stick to "old methods" Its FANTASTIC to see your restarting with the most modern!!!

The Nezza and monties are both fry machines! The Mollies have sexed out and are HUGE!

No fry though still from the killies, I have them in 56 tds soft water.. 15 gallon tank chuck full of najas and misc plants.. I have been feeding chopped black worms and grindal worms. Anything I can do to trigger a spawn? Still have all 3 pair you sennt..

Thanks!!

Dustin