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RE: A. bivitattum

I'll add the following:

A. volcanum (a BIV type) was one of my first killies (came from Ed Warner).  Several valuable things came from keeping this fish:

1) I agree with the reclusive part.  I never saw this fish unless I herded them out of the plants.  Ever.  Occassionally I would spot the male in the plants, looking really good, but most of the time they were in "color down" mode.

2) This was the first killie I ever got fry from.  This was after I learned:

3) Killies jump.  Count on it.  I had a 1" strip at the back of the tank that was uncovered and within a month, both were found laying under the stand on the carpet, dried up.

4) Killie fry don't need to be fed to survive if in a heavily planted tank.  I found fry at 1/4" in that tank a month after the parents jumped.  I never fed the tank after I found the bodies.  (I've found similar results with BIT fry)

Since then, the only BIV I've kept (currently) is A. loenbergi (I believe this is a BIV complex fish?).  I never see them.  They hide in the mops.  They're  not even breeding at the moment and all eggs I've pulled in the past have been fragile, infertile, or fungused.  I've tried everything but seperating them out and short term breeding them, which is my next strategy.  When I catch them in the flashlight, the males are a rather pleasant sky blue color.  Other than that, they're dull.  I think they'd look nice over a dark substrate with blacked-out walls (diapteron tank).

Now, on the other hand, I have a similar fish in BIT.  They're also shy and reclusive, but my, what a nice fish.   Great finnage, my 10 gallon planted grow-out tank has probably 5 pair in it and the males are usually always out and about, showing off in front of each other.  I never see the breeders in the 2.5, though.  

Other things:  BIT will learn to take flake, with relish.  At least in my experience, they will.  BIT Benin City (when I had these) took flake with ease and so will these BIT CI00's I have (the F0's would also take flake, so...)  I'm feeding them Omega? flakes, but I only do that as a stop gap measure when I'm short on baby brine.  I've heard that BIV are similar in their food tastes.

Just my .02.  Adjust for inflation accordingly.

-Shane



-----Original Message-----
From: "Tranquility Base" <TranquilityBase at NetZero_Net>
Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2002 15:54:34 -0500
To:  <killietalk at aka_org>
Subject: RE: A. bivitattum


> Hi Jacqueline,
> 
> I do not necessarily agree with Catherine's comments regarding the
> difficulty involved in caring for BIV's. A 5 gal tank or larger with lots of
> java moss water sprite and riccia is all you need to get started.  You will
> also need live foods to condition the fish. Do your water changes and fry
> will appear in a few months.
> 
> I also tend to believe that if you really like a particular fish you are
> more likely to care for it properly when you get it.  The fish Catherine
> recommends do have much more outgoing personalities. They also maintain
> their brilliant colors all of the time. They are good choices to start with.
> But that does not mean that they are right for you. I fell in love with
> Nothos and started there, despite advise similar to what Catherine is giving
> you. It was not an auspicious start, but as I really wanted the fish so I
> learned what I needed to know and kept at it.
> 
> On the other hand, Catherine makes a good point, that as spectacular as
> these fish can be in photos, they are often reclusive.  Most Chroma's also
> have the ability to color up and down. When they are not in happy mode they
> are not nearly as nice as they appear in the photos. I have a tank of BIT
> which I rarely see. And when I do see them they are rarely in good color.
> When they are in good color and they come out I am reminded that they are
> worth the work and aggravation.
> 
> Peace,
> 
> ~RJ~
> 

-- 

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