Update on Big Red and Mohawk Jr.

[gwand]

Big Red and Mohawk Jr. each are the kings of their own 20 gallon long tanks. Big Red lives with 10 n. beckfordi and a female cacatuoides. The pair produced their first spawn on July 3 and 15 juveniles still survive.

Mohawk Jr. is a violent chap. He has killed several females without spawning. I guess he is picky as well. Mohawk Jr. lives with 11 Glowlight tetras. I have two female cacatuoides in quarantine. Mohawk Jr. will have one last opportunity to spawn. Can he control his homicidal rage?

 

[gwand]

Big Red and the only surviving daughter of Mohawk Man have fry appearing this morning. Their first spawn was July 3. There are 12 juveniles from that first spawn occupying grow out tanks. In this spawn I see around 35 fry. This number will dwindle since the only thing I offer fry is Bacter AE.

 

[gwand]

 

[anewbie]

When violence is high and death is a result of such from m/f cockatoo the best solution is a larger aquarium - i recommend going from 30x12 to 72x24 and give that a try !

 

[gwand]

Mohawk jr. died today. No apparent cause. In death he maintained his beautiful orange color. I’m devastated. He was born in my tank on December 24, 2024. He looked fine yesterday. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 ppm. Water temperature 77F. GH 125 ppm. Tank mates are 10 Glowlight tetras only. RIP Mohawk jr.
Thursday

Today

 

[Innesfan]

So sorry to hear this.

 

[gwand]

Does anyone want to venture a cause of death? Mohawk jr. looked perfectly fine on Thursday evidenced by his picture but dead on Sunday. I’m perplexed.

 

[Magnum Man]

I started out wanting to do similar, and now have several various females ( bought pairs, had them set up shop, but the males all died )

so this is an interesting thread for me... BTW, your males looked amazing...

one thought I had, in my situation, was Ph... the lowest I've ever been able to maintain is in the mid 6's... perhaps the males succumb to something that the females don't if the Ph isn't low enough???

assuming they probably come from low Ph waters

you don't list how low you are able to maintain... but even with RO base water, wood and plants, almond leaves and etc., I can never maintain a Ph below mid 6's...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

The only thing worse than losing a special fish is not knowing why. I have no ideas. Sorry for your loss.

 

[gwand]

I started out wanting to do similar, and now have several various females ( bought pairs, had them set up shop, but the males all died )

so this is an interesting thread for me... BTW, your males looked amazing...

one thought I had, in my situation, was Ph... the lowest I've ever been able to maintain is in the mid 6's... perhaps the males succumb to something that the females don't if the Ph isn't low enough???

assuming they probably come from low Ph waters

you don't list how low you are able to maintain... but even with RO base water, wood and plants, almond leaves and etc., I can never maintain a Ph below mid 6's...

pH is in mid 6 range. Mohawk jr’s father and mother only lived for 9 months also. I wonder if all the selective breeding to obtain the orange flash phenotype shortened their life span.

 

[Magnum Man]

on one good site, I saw a Ph range of pH: 4.0 – 6.5... I really have to "work it" to get down to a 6.5...

it's just a thought, maybe males really need the lower Ph, to live long???

 

[anewbie]

What is the GH and temperature of the aquarium as well as tank mates. Also was m. jr raised as a fry - i.e, did he live only 9 months from egg hatch? The fishes with him were they recently added or was he with them for full life. Some fishes can be carriers of bacteria which do not impact them.


Domestic are pretty bad and in general 2 years seem the norm (for the ones i've kept) but temp and hardness can have a big impact as well as violent tank mates.

 

[anewbie]

on one good site, I saw a Ph range of pH: 4.0 – 6.5... I really have to "work it" to get down to a 6.5...

it's just a thought, maybe males really need the lower Ph, to live long???

PH is a horrible indicator and i wish people would stop repeating it site after site post after post. hardness matters a lot and if wc ph can imfluence the type of bacteria and fish resistance.

 

[Magnum Man]

I don't personally worry about Ph, at all, since I switched to RO for water changes... but the lower Ph, can effect bacteria's, & on some hard to keep long term fish, it may actually make a difference???

 

[gwand]

What is the GH and temperature of the aquarium as well as tank mates. Also was m. jr raised as a fry - i.e, did he live only 9 months from egg hatch? The fishes with him were they recently added or was he with them for full life. Some fishes can be carriers of bacteria which do not impact them.


Domestic are pretty bad and in general 2 years seem the norm (for the ones i've kept) but temp and hardness can have a big impact as well as violent tank mates.

The GH is 125 ppm. Temperature 78F. Mohawk jr. was raised as a fry, born December 24, 2024. The only other fishes in the tank are 10 Glowlight tetras which were added in June.