[Killietalk] Ntui hard to breed, Suggestions on solutions

["Monty R. lehmann" <worf at visi_net>]

  Hi Lorraine!

   You wrote the following:

  " The Elberti N'tui is hard to breed, mine haven?t laid eggs
   in 6 months and they were never very generous with them.
   They like super clean water, so daily water changes 
   I believe are what they like. Mine will either lay eggs 
   in their current set up or I shall pass them on to
    someone with the water resources to provide daily changes."

   This has not been my experience. I have bred this fish in 
    fairly large quantities many different times. I do not
    change water that often on these fish. My standard water
    changing regimen is 70% every two weeks. They thrive with
    that water changing schedule and the following conditions:
    Water: Ph 5.8 to 6.6.  Hardness 30ppm to 60 ppm , they do
    not like real bright illumination, so plenty of cover
    should be provided. Foods, Baby brine shrimp, black worms,
    frozen blood worms, daphnia or most other live foods. You
    need to feed twice a day for best results. Remove any uneaten
    food once a day.
    For maximum egg production separate the male and female for
    one week, feed heavily, put together after a water change in
    the tank. The mop must be checked twice a day, once in the
    morning and once in the evening. This is because some pairs
    (or usually the female) can be an egg eater, finding and
    eating the eggs laid just a few hours earlier. Feeding twice
    a day and checking for eggs twice a day greatly reduces the
    effects of this behavior. In difficult cases put two rubber
    bands around the mop. One at the bottom, and one at the top.
    The pair can still wiggle in the mop to lay their eggs, but
    this makes finding the eggs easily a difficult task. Result:
    more eggs.
    In rare cases, the male sometimes is just not interested. If
    the one week separation does not crank him up, at worst try
    a different male. But usually if the pair is in prime condition
    they will be ready to breed.

    Try these suggestions and let me know how it goes!

              My Best regards,

             Monty Lehmann
             2003 AKA Killie Hobbyist of the Year
             AKA BOT 2004-2006
    
  

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