What are these Nannostomus beckfordi doing?

[rebe]

Awesome, thanks Adora

 

[GaryE]

I look at their bellies. As they become rounder, in females, that's eggs If they become rounder in males, that's beer and chips.

I never really timed it out, but when they bred in a maintenance tank, I had young of different sizes around a week or two apart.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

You're most welcome! Wishing you all the luck, and please do update us (with photos too!) if you decide to go ahead and try to breed them - or if they do it successfully in the main tank! Would love to follow the progress, and others can chip in with advice if you need it.

But don't feel pressured to breed them right now just because they're spawning. If they've spawned once, they can do it again, and you can try to do the breeding tank thing at a later point. Don't feel rushed or pressured to do it now, if it's not a good time for you to worry about raising fry or setting up a breeding tank. There's no rush.

 

[Colin_T]

Brilliant, thanks for the knowledge @AdoraBelle Dearheart @GaryE @Mr Limpet

I might try spawning them in the small tank if I can get my hands on a good amount of java moss or fine leaved plant! The fry could grow in the 18L until they're big enough to go back in with the parents.

Does anybody have any idea as to the "breeding cycle" of pencilfish? Say if one female spawned around now, and layed all of her eggs, how long it would roughly be until she was ready to spawn again?

Normally one week if they are in good condition and well fed. However, most breeders give them two weeks between spawnings.