Getting Eggs

[Biulu]

Some people here know that it is very difficult for me to get anything here in Mexico, so when I am abroad for business or pleasure, I try to lay my hands on some fish.I have raised some killifish before from eggs, but I had to leave them with a friend due to business abroad and they died during my absence. This time I have found a more reliable fish partner. A woman that breeds bettas, so I am sure that she will do a better job taking care of my fish when I am away.

This time I went to Canada for a wedding, and in Aquabid I found a Vancouver based killifish breeder.I noticed that he had A. australe and striatum. So I asked him if he could send me eggs from these fish to my temporary address in Calgary. He answered me positively, and had also Fp. gardneri Udi Mountain.

So in 1 week when I come from my business trip to Calgary again, there will be eggs from A. australe orange, A. striatum lambarene and Fp. gardneri Udi mountain waiting for me.

I already prepared myself before my trip and ordered 6 tanks of 20 liters with a glass cover which only leaves a little hole for the airline tube of my sponge filter. This hole I will seal with tape.I also still have enough BS eggs and aquarium salt to hatch them.

Further I have seen that somebody in mercadolibre (Mexico's EBay) is selling worm cultures. So I will order these too, and then I think that I am all set. The only thing missing is peat, but somebody told me I can get that in Mexico city at the flower market. Otherwise I will use water from my 46 gallon tank which is softer as it has a lot of bogwood in it.

One more week to go before I get them. I can hardly wait...

 

[BigC]

Hi Biulu,
Here comes that MTS that all us Killifish fanatics succumb to sooner or later.
Best pick up a large tin of Brineshrimp cysts whilst your up in Canada. BS nauplii are better than microworm for feeding fry but mix the feeding up.
Just a couple of pointers here, all the fish you mention are top spawners or mop spawners, you should not need peat except for trying to lower the pH.
Are you able to collect unpolluted rainwater on occasions, given your geographical location. If so purchasing a Reverse Osmosis unit would be a good acquisition as you will be able to (with some adjustments) obtain the water chemistry you wish to achieve.
Keep us informed of your progress
Regards
C

 

[Biulu]

Jajaja, yes, you are completely right about the MTS!

Thanks for the tipps Colin! Rain water is hard to get by as it rains only 3 months a year... I did plan on buying peat to soften the water, not so much for spawning. I had already planned on making spawning mops.

Regarding the cysts; I see what I can do as I am currently in China and will only arrive in Calgary in the afternoon and then have to continue to Mexico the following morning.

 

[BigC]

Your such a globetrotter
Have you got time for fish LOL
With your climate I would be inclined to employ natural spawing methods of Nothobranchius or South American annual sp.
Dig a pond in your garden with plenty of substrate matter and let their lifecycle evolve naturally around this
Worth a try alongside the other aspects you plan on doing.
Good Luck
Regards
Colin

 

[Biulu]

The good thing of my job is that I work only about 5 months a year on average. So in between my (consultancy) missions in development projects I spend quite some time at home. My next mission is in october so I have enough time to raise these fish.

And for my community tank I have an automatic feeder. Since the tank is heavily planted I can get away with not doing water changes for a month.

The pond would be a good idea if I had a garden... But thinking about it, I might do something similar in a large pot and put it in my patio or on the terrace. I am only a bit worried about evaporation, but then I could connect it to the water supply of my washing machine in a trickle mode...

Which rivulus species would you recommend to me?

 

[BigC]

I was thinking more along the lines of Austrolebias sp.
Of which I would recommend nigripinnis. They live and die in the pond, true annuals.
The pond dries out and the eggs rest in the earth until the rains come again, may be a worthy project for you providing you have live foods on hand.
Regards
C

 

[Biulu]

I was thinking more along the lines of Austrolebias sp.
Of which I would recommend nigripinnis. They live and die in the pond, true annuals.
The pond dries out and the eggs rest in the earth until the rains come again, may be a worthy project for you providing you have live foods on hand.
Regards
C

Sounds good. Normally in the rainy season we have more than enough insects. I am planning to have start my own cultures though, so I should be ok. I am not too sure about the species though as it requires quite low temperatures... Where I live it easily gets to over 30 degrees and if the water is standing and not flowing, the temperature will go up considerably...

 

[Biulu]

So far so good; I got my eggs, but there was no hatching date on the packages. It only said incubate in water, so I will contact the breeder to ask him around which date I would be able to hatch these eggs.

 

[BigC]

Just do as it says B
All species eggs mentioned will take from 18 - 28 days water incubated.
(marg tub 60mm aged water)
transfer to another marg tub once hatched and begin feeding.
keep the tubs clean and waterchange 10% Daily.
Regards
C

 

[Biulu]

Thanks Colin. Karl answered me and gave me the exact times for each species. I find water incubation more difficult than the 'peat' methods, but anyway.

Do I need to do regular water changes while incubating? I am thinking of adding some Esha2000 to the water as a precaution against fungus. What do you say?

 

[BigC]

I used to add anti fungal agents years ago but now I dont tend to bother. Peat water is a good anti fungal treatment but I personally believe it can harden the egg casings so as fry find it hard to hatch without help. I just check the eggs daily and discard any that are not viable.
Egg hatching times will be different from species to species but not much for the three you describe. Its down to the water parameters and temps which decide, the figures I give you above were just a guideline.
Regards
C

 

[Biulu]

Thanks Colin. I have put the eggs in water in the mean time. Do I have to do water changes during the incubation period?

 

[BigC]

Do I have to do water changes during the incubation period?

No need but keep checking the eggs and discard white or fungus eggs immediately.
Regards
C

 

[Biulu]

No need but keep checking the eggs and discard white or fungus eggs immediately.
Regards
C

Jajaja, I hope I will recognise the eggs! They came with peat, and so far I have not been able to spot even one

 

[BigC]

So far I have not been able to spot even one

Purchase a little hand held magnifying glass & a small torch, that will help you a lot.
Regards
C