RE: [Killietalk] Hybrids

["Brian R. Watters" <bwatters at sasktel_net>]

J Cox wrote:

>
> > I have, over the years, and on a regular basis, hatched out eggs of N.
> > rachovii KNP and N. orthonotus KNP that have been in storage
> for more than
> > 3
> > years. My record for these two populations is just over 5 years
> incubation
> > for the former and 4 years and 5 months for the latter. That was for
> > batches
> > that I hatched about a year and a half ago. And, in both cases,
> there were
> > still clear, undeveloped eggs in the peat in question. If this
> can happen
> > in captivity I have no doubt that it also does in nature.
>
>  Is the moisture level kept at the point when you bag the
> peat(from reading
> about this it seems to be a hands on feel for the right amount
> left in)?
>

Yes, more or less. I double bag my peat so it dries out in the bags quite
slowly. However, in time it will dry out and one needs to keep an eye on
that because if it gets too dry the eggs will die. I can tell just by
"massaging" the bag if the peat is getting too dry or not (without actually
opening the bag). If it needs more moisture I add that by adding some
relatively wet peat to the peat already in the bag and mix it in. Don't
overwet the peat because increasing the moisture level in this way can also
stimulate the eggs into final development so that is something one also has
to be aware of.

>
> Do you have to store them at a cooler temps ect.?
>

Probably a bit lower than most people use but not especially low - about 75
F.

>
> What makes the best long term storage in general?
>

I am not sure what you are asking; you will have to rephrase that.

>
> Did  you get a descent hatch rate(I would expect 50%
> would be good on a 5 year wait)? Thanks again.
>

I don't count eggs (life's too short for that) so I haven't got a clue about
the percentage hatch. However, that particular hatch (of N. rachovii KNP)
produced about 200 fry which was "decent".

The key to extending incubation times is to allow the fish to spawn in peat
that is confined to a container within the tank so that it does not get
stirred up too much and not to harvest it from the tank very frequently.
This will allow it to become strongly anaerobic which will put the eggs laid
therein into an early resting phase. I never collect peat from my tanks more
frequently than at 6 week intervals and often it is as long as 3 months.
That does not always guarantee long incubation times in every instance but,
on average it will have that effect. Temperature and moisture content,
unless extreme, are relatively unimportant in this regard.
___________________________________________
Brian R. Watters
University of Regina
Regina, Sask. S4S 0A2, Canada
Ph: (306) 584-9161 (home); (306) 585-4663 (work)
Fax: (306) 585-5433
E-mail: bwatters at sasktel_net


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