Ellioti Started Breeding Already!

[rob_cool1]

I got my Ellioti's on Tuesday not knowing the sexing of them and neither did the shop guy. He said that there too small to tell what sex they are and if you wanted to breed them their too young atm. But i've been watching them all morning cleaning a bit of slate and one has now laid a load of eggs on it and the other one swimming very close over them (male planting his seed?)
Their being very protective not letting anything near the corner where the rock is and whenever i get close one starts to swim at the glass telling me to f off haha. i take it he's the male.

Can someone tell me what to do with the eggs? i think il probably leave them for the first few attempts so they get to know what their doing and then take some of them out and put them in a breeding net

Here are some pictures of the progress, the amount of eggs that re in the pics are about half of what they are now, she's still going. il add more pictures later

I dont know why but i flipped the pictures on photobucket so they were the right way round but haven't appeared right on here sorry about having to tilt your head haha.

what can i expect the survival rate to be if i leave them to get on with it. their with, barbs, cories, 3 different plecs, Columbian shark, a krib and a couple of gouramis


Cheers
Rob

 

[star4]

Leave the eggs with the parents, they are terriffic at raising fry, my pair raised fry in a comunity cichlid tank, even kept the pictus cats away, soon as they were free swimming the others would pick the fry off one by one, with the fish you have I would expect they would easily get to free swimming stage allowing you to remove them and grow them on if you wish. That is a very small batch of eggs btw, I used to get around 20-30 free swimmers.

 

[rob_cool1]

Thanks for the tips.
Once they get to free swimming could i not put them into a large breeding box or net until their big enough?
I have an updated pic of the eggs, i estimate around 100. i counted to 40 and it wasn't even half way

She seems to be doing really well, fanning them, protecting them. even dads helping out lol

 

[star4]

Breeding net/boxes would be fine for them

 

[rob_cool1]

Thanks
Have been away since Saturday morning and got back Monday afternoon so i didnt think that the babies would survive. i thought they would've been eaten or didnt have any food so starved
But yeah came back on the Monday and the tank looked like a bomb went off, loads of craters, sand everywhere haha but there are loads of little babies, i cant really count accurately because there so small and their in a big group but i think theres around 20 ish. not bad for their first spawn :L


Baby Ellioti

I dont know how to put the video straight on here so here's a link to it
Its hard to see them because their in the shade but you can kind of make them out. some are jumping already


Rob

 

[star4]

Elliotti are great parents, they will find enough food for the young, I used to watch mine chew up pellets and spit them out for the fry.

 

[rob_cool1]

Just an update.
There are about 15 - 20 babies left about 3 - 4 mm long.
They keep moving them out of a covered pit into the flat open so the little ones are really spreading out which is making it difficult for the parents to look after. in all honesty i think their slacking a bit compared to what they have been. She isnt picking them up and putting them into a group, so some are swimming off.
Does anyone know why they move them quite alot? they moved them 3 times yesterday

The remaining babies seem to be doing really well, some are jumping and are getting good air before coming back down lol.

I think i may get a net soon or for next time they spawn so i can put some in there so they can grow with no threat of being eaten
What do people prefer: Nets or boxes for putting the baby fish in?
I will put some more pictures on here soon

Cheers

 

[rob_cool1]

i have another video of the babies, they are all free swimming and there are still about 20


http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntOsOUQgjyk

The quality isnt that great even though its in 720p but you can still see them haha

Rob

 

[rob_cool1]

Have a bit of a dilemma here.

its been over a week since they layed the eggs, and now they are swimming, i think i estimated there was around 60 -70 eggs and there are around 20 - 30 babies still alive. the parents are doing so well looking after them, none of the other fish try to eat them and the parents are now starting to take them on tours round the tank.

The thing is, they are in a 620T which is fine for them atm as they are only nearly 2" but i dont think the tank will be big enough to house 20 odd baby Ellioti's aswell as my other fish i suppose i could take some of them out but i dont really want too apart from my cherry barbs and my krib.
I dont really have enough money or space to buy another tank to put them in until their big enough to sell, and none of my lfs will take them until their at least an inch.

I have been looking at basic 60l tanks which for lights, heater, pump etc for £89, but ideally i would like something cheaper

Does anyone have any suggestions on what i can do?

Cheers
Rob

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

A good sized plastic tub from a hardare store? I picked up a ~100l tub for ~£13 last year to use as a QT.

 

[rob_cool1]

did you just put in a filter and a heater in and basic lighting on top? i suppose it doesnt have to look amazing if the babies are only growing, the only problem i have is space, my tanks in my room and my parents dont want another tank in the house. i may be able to convince them to get a 3ft but hey where do you put your tub when fish are in it? i was thinking the floor? or a space in the utility room work surface haha

There are about 15 - 20 left, still swimming strong

Rob

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I just added a mature filter and a heater, the tub sits on a chest which gets natural light from the window above it (plus no plants usually in there) so no lighting needed. It certainly isn't pretty but its volume was practical, it has acted as a youngster grow on tank for my Ilyodon xantusi and Steatocranus casuarius mobs at different periods in the last six months.

Sometimes tanks need to be squeezed in wherever they can, but the lower they are to the ground, the harder it is to do manual syphon/bucket water changes.

Just a thought, you might find it easier to move the tankmates, rather than the elloti nursery.