Re: A. striatum

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

Hi Mike,

Michael Schelp wrote:
 > I have a question about the striatum's as well.  I have some Cape
 > Esterias and have had a few successful spawns from them.  However, for
 > the last two months, I have not been able to get any fertile eggs.
 > EVERY egg goes bad in a few hours.  Turns white OR, and this is
 > bizarre, they are pink!  I thought it was the food I was feeding, but
 > I'm not sure.  Whatever, there are no viable eggs being laid, even
 > though I know the pair was fertile.  Any clues???

The questions I ask when confronting that situation are:

1. Are the parents still healthy? A little parasite or other disease can 
cut fertility pretty fast. Look very closely for symptoms.

2. Am I giving them the water they need? That means both chemistry and
pollution must be under control. More changes? Has the basic water changed?

3. Are we fighting a natural cycle? Some fish (but usually not equatorial 
species, like striatum) need a cold spell or other change to trigger 
breeding.

I bombed out with some BIVs because my water was just too cool. OTOH, I 
have always had trouble keeping it cool enough for Diapterons.

4. Am I missing a trace element in their diet? Would a change to new live 
foods trigger a response? Start the fruit flies again, and get the 
Grindals producing.

Don't you just hate it when someone answers a simple question with a whole 
barrage of new ones? :-)

Wright

-- 
     Wright Huntley -- 209 521-0557 -- 731 Loletta Ave, Modesto CA 95351

    "The most dangerous man, to any government, is the man who is able to
think things out for himself...  Almost inevitably, he comes to the
conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and
intolerable."   -- H. L. Mencken

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