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learning curve.

I only started killies about a year ago, though I have been in the aquarium
hobby for about 21 years.  I have done an immense amount of reading and have
a mountain left.  I have only received easy killies for free and even then
only about three types.    The rest I have purchased at auctions, most were
attainable, only one was not (as far as success in breeding).   I'm going to
make a point so bear with the off-topic fish please.   I have been breeding
African Rift Lake Cichlids for a while now.  Malawi Cichlids, for the most
part are easy.  Tanganyikan cichlids are a bit more difficult, and some
almost impossible, but you can do it if you are willing to take the time.
A couple of points are:  1- Patience can make up for ignorance sometimes.
2- Good sources for information are necessary for breeding difficult
species.  3- Failure breeds success if you concentrate.  4- if you let
people discourage you, you will not breed killies for long.

When I started into killies I was told I would not be allowed to keep our
local species maintenance fish because it was difficult to keep.  I was a
little put off at first, but didn't let it keep me down.  When I went to the
AKA convention I bought a pair of Fn. (A.) fallax CI-98 (looked like the
Muanko strain)  They were beautiful fish and very healthy.  I had heard that
Aphyosemion were easy to breed, so I was off.  Not to far down the road I
found out they were pretty tough.  With the help of a couple of people and a
stack of literature, I bred them in peat during a period that I put them
together, as keeping them together produced a broken jaw on the female.  I
got N'sukka and hey these fish were easy now that I had worked so hard on
the fallax.  What I didn't know is, you don't get rid of the first couple of
batches of eggs (like I did with the fallax).  I did and so had nothing to
speak of when I auctioned the fish off.  I have been hitting the books hard.
I suggest this to anyone.  If you combine book learning and a mentor that
has been in the hobby for a while you will invariably come out much farther
ahead than you would by keeping and killing killifish.  I now have 9
different varieties, genus' and difficulties of fish, and have fry from
them, too.  I didn't give up.  When people doubted my ability, I didn't let
it bring me down or offend me, I just let is drive me harder.  It worked and
so I'm hooked.

Hope I didn't lose anyone in my ramblings.  These fish do take some time to
get to know, I think they're worth it.  (So are new hobbyists.)


Boat
Tampa, FL
TBAS, SKS, AKA



Second - I feel that the New Killie-keepers misunderstand the points several
Old-Timers are trying to make.  Its not that we are Elitist - its that we
have spent a great deal of time learning the skills we bring to the hobby
and when we have a Challenging species which may be uncommon,  particularly
one which we have only a few pairs available, we are hesitant to just hand
it to someone that has not demonstrated some skill in breeding more
difficult killies.  Our intent is not to deny, but instead to protect the
animals from being lost or killed through inexperience.  It is not a desire
to remain elite - but a caring for what may be perceived as protection of
the species itself -


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