Splitting Up A Breeding Pair & Re-Uniting

[star4]

I am contemplating splitting up my Rotkeil severum pair, reason being they spawned on the 8th and I removed the eggs. She was not due to spawn again till at least sunday, but I have discovered in the tank tonight they have spawned again, only 10 days since their last spawning (I think they are fed up with me removing the eggs so have tried to catch me out). Although the female looks really healthy and has good body weight, I am starting to worry that she is going to get really tired out from all this egg laying. I have some fish for sale and am hoping to partially clear out my 300l tank. I was wondering would it be a good idea to seperate her from the male for a month? I am worried about then re-uniting them because as they are they dont fight or squable at all, but seperating them could cause problems.

 

[snowflake311]

Why not just keep the eggs in? Are the parents too aggressive with them?

 

[minxfishy]

I wouldnt seperate them, they may sulk without each other and there is always a possiblity that they wont get along once they are put back together. If she is eating well, has good colour, active, then she is fine, I would move the pair into the 300L once those other fish are sold off, then allow them to raise their fry together, I would even be tempted to put them in a 240 alone if you got one.

 

[kaivalagi]

I agree I would let them raise their babies in their own tank if you can, they'll be so happy that way, but you would need another tank going spare...

Out of curiosity as I have some HRPs breeding, if either yours or my fish were left in their own tank with growing fry would they be likely to continue to spawn regardless?

 

[minxfishy]

After a while, yes they would breed again, its at this point, that you need to be careful as the parents in some cases could see the 1st batch as a danger to the second. My aureus pair after a few weeks, the male wanted to get jiggy again and the female wasnt interested, he didnt harm the babies, but did eventually harrass the female to the death. This doesnt happen in all cases, just something to keep an eye on.

 

[star4]

hmm a 240 might be ok for them on their own, thats interesting to know I may go along that line then rather than the 300, because they would have to have company in the 300 and I would still be worried about the over doing it.

Snowflake, The parents are absolutely fine in the tank they are in, non of the other fish are paying any attention to this spawn, even the big plec is ignoring them now (that took lots of finger wagging lol). I have no problems with aggression I am purely worried about the health of the female with all these eggs she keeps laying.

I suppose she must be happy and healthy to keep spawning, I am just shocked its only been 10 days. I am leaving this batch in with them as I havnt got a hatching tank up and running, wasnt ready for it

 

[minxfishy]

They should be fine just the two of them in a 240, I mean what are they now 6", so thats plenty of space for a breeding pair, I think they would be happier on their own to raise some fry.

 

[star4]

Thats brill, rotties in a 240, acara in 180, keyholes and what ever is left in the oak tank, Seymour, geo's and some Ellioti in the 300, fronts from 300 to 400, texas stay in their 400, leaving the 300 the fronts are in now as a follow on grow out tank for the baby sevs till they have all gone, oooh then what to put in the 300

 

[minxfishy]

Have fun moving that lot around That all sounds good to me. I have an idea for the left over 300......can you guess what?

 

[kaivalagi]

Got to be an Oscar in that 300 when it's spare really Star4...................................

Or get talking to Nelly about the smaller varieties of Snakeheads

edit: I think I beat you to the punch line MinxFishy!

 

[minxfishy]

I think she knows what I was hinting at anyway

 

[meguro]

I think they [festivums] are gorgous, not got any [festivums] but they are on my list

A challenger appears!

 

[kaivalagi]

Could try Oscars and Festivums together

 

[star4]

Toying with the idea of festivums and keyholes together in the oak tank, the 300 not sure yet, its a bit of a way off, but I dont know why I have this feeling I may just end up with an oscar not for wanting one in particular its all the ads of them offered free because their owners cant keep them, I am a sucker for a sad face lol. IF I did go down the line of an oscar I would need to do some research first.

 

[minxfishy]

Not much to do on reasearch, give them a big enough tank 300L being just fine, chuck in lots of food (they are pigs), plenty of clean water and you have one happy very interactive, fast growing bundle of trouble