Nothobranchius breeding set up .

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I just heard from my fellow AKA member that he’s sending my Nothobranchius guentherii Zanzibar this week . I have my 5 gallon all set up with the spawning jar with coconut coir . Any luck and I’ll get eggs soon .

 

[GaryE]

I hope you'll keep us posted. I've decided to try Nothos I haven't kept this Spring, and guentheri Zanzibar is one I'm going to go hunting for.

 

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Did you notice ? No heater . The aquarium is staying 74 degrees without one .

 

[Innesfan]

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the successful results.

As for heaters, I cannot remember when the last time was that the heaters were on in my killie tanks. Temp fluctuates between 68F and 75F and I've had no complaints.

 

[GaryE]

One of the reasons I've decided to go in a Nothobranchius direction this Spring, is fishroom temperature. It's a little warmer than I like over the entire year, and I can't bring it down. With the insulation and the dehumidifier, it stays at 22-23 without the heating coming on, even in a Canadian winter.
A lot of my Aphyosemion killies don't seem to like that. So, I have to adapt to the conditions, and I think some Nothos could be interesting to try. It's a whole different way to keep fish.
But in my past attempts with keeping Nothos, I have noticed they like the kinds of temperatures I can offer. What I read confirms that. My favourite so far has been rubripinnis. I bought eggs from some of the rarer ones 2 years ago, but got no hatches. The mail is a cruel environment, because the person who sent them is absolutely trustworthy, but the eggs were gone - decomposed because of something unknown that happened en route. I've mailed eggs to myself, with Chromaphyosemions, and had the peat arrive empty or 20% hatches - we tend to be overly optimistic about the chances of living eggs surviving. In about 60% of my egg buys, enough have to make it worthwhile though.

I'll see what's on offer his Spring when it's warmer, and there'll be a few of us here to compare notes.

 

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I got the e-mail from my guy this afternoon . Three pairs are in the mail and I should have them Friday . Killie people are the best . This guy only wanted postage and no money for the fish because they’re already seven months old . That CAN be old for a true annual like Nothobranchius but all I need is for one male and one female to feel the need to perpetuate the species and enter my spawning jar . I get eggs and I’m on my way . I’m excited about this !

 

[GaryE]

That's fun! Waste no time, and have a couple of spawning jars ready.

They vary by species, but I have a lonely male rubripinnis whose partner died soon after arrival, before they had spawned. He is over a year now. I thought he was a goner a couple of months ago as he seemed to be fading, but he rallied and is still busy looking for trouble. I doubt he'd be super fertile now, but he's a fish I've come to like a lot.
It isn't good to become too attached to individual annual fish though. As a breeder, I look at fish as projects for several generations, and I try to keep the life flowing. But they are alert, lively little fish.

 

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I’m on pins and needles today . I just checked the USPS tracking and my Nothobranchius are to be delivered today . Last night on Nature on PBS was the episode” The Elephant and The Termite .” A fair amount of the episode showed Nothobranchius breeding and told about their lifecycle in temporary rainy season puddles .

 

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Update : I thought I would go check the mail and they’re here ! Six live Nothobranchius guentheri Zanzibar . Excuse me for a bit while I tend to them .

 

[Innesfan]

Oh, I know the feeling. Just finished the pins-and-needles episode tracking UPS for a shipment from WetSpot--a dozen Pethia setnai--to replenish the remains of my 7-year old tribe. They've been nowhere to be found for a while now. And apparently I wasn't the only one waiting. They sold out in a day. They arrived in great shape and a bit early. Wish you the same.

Not mine, (I take awful pics), but this is what they look like.

P.S. We crossed in the wires. I see they got there. Great!

 

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And now the acclimation process begins .

 

[GaryE]

Do you have fry yet?

 

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Got them bedded down for the night . Check on them first thing in the morning and see if they’re hungry after their travels .

 

[GaryE]

I'll be interested to see how the males cope with each other in a small, bare tank. That's one of my concerns with future annual keeping.

 

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I'll be interested to see how the males cope with each other in a small, bare tank. That's one of my concerns with future annual keeping.

The males are frisky . They spar with each other but not so much that they hurt each other . It seems more like trying to set up a hierarchy amongst themselves . They were hungry and they ate this morning . All six are still alive and looking good . One male entered the spawning jar but no female could be enticed just yet . It’s early days and I expect it to be a week or so before they settle down into a routine in their new home . The guy I got them from said he had over a hundred in a 55 and that’s where these came from . One thing is certainly a fact . These are really pretty fish . The colors are so vivid .