[Killietalk] Pachypanchax update

["George Davis" <george at fishroom_net>]

    This is an update on my original posting on Pachypanchax sakaramyi.
Only two more fry appeared, probably within a week of taking out the
12 fry on 10/2.  These last two were moved out 10/30/06.  I will
probably move the trio back in, to see if any fry pop up in the 20
gallon.
    Darrell had an interesting point about soft water in his response.  I
use rain water almost exclusively for my water changes or tank refill.
 By sheer coincidence, the 10 gallon tank the trio was in originally
has a couple of inch substrate of crushed coral (aragonite?).  I
didn?t do that on purpose, the tank was available when I needed to put
the pachys somewhere.  So maybe by dumb luck, they have done well in
water that is probably buffered.  On the other hand, the juvies that I
have lost have been in smaller containers, with no substrate at all. 
It is easy to speculate that the pH probably went acidic, and may have
resulted in ich or velvet to the weakened fish.  Right after Darrell?s
response, I added powdered eggshells to my fry rearing containers.  At
this point, I have not lost any fry.
    So thank you Darrell, and I hope I can get an even bigger pachy
population.
                                      George Davis
                                      Wilmington, Del
This was the response from Darrell:
Hi George,
This is a reply to your message on killie talk.  I have been keeping  this
sp. for about 10 years.

I do not know what your water is like, but I have found that this sp. gets
ich very easy in soft water,  Any chance your water might have dropped in  ph
over time ?

As far as moving the adults to get fry goes.  I just mop spawn  them.  I pick
eggs and raise them that way like most Aphy.  I just use  my tap water that
is 220 ppm TDS and ph 7.6 I have no problems.

There is a Pachy. sac conservation group within the AKA .  The leader  is
Donna Recktenwalt in Ohio.  I know she has the Jofferyville  population. 
She may
be a source for a female if you need one.

Best Wishes
Darrell

This was my original post:
   I have had a pair of Pachypanchax sakaramyi Joffreville LM-94 (from
Larry Tagrin in 2003)for several years in a 10 gallon tank.  I used to
take fry out and thought everything was going well, then had two
crashes of the inch and 1/2 juvies.  Was down to the pair and an
unsexed 1" juvie in the tank.  Since new fry production was low, I
suspected the juvie of snacking on the little ones.  My concern was
growing because I haven't seen these fish recently and like them.
   So on October 2nd I moved the two adult fish plus the juvie to a 20
gallon high.  For some reason, the juvie now colored up to be a male,
bummer.  Even more reason to fear for the continuation of my line of
pachy's.
   Today I checked the 10 gallon and found and removed 12 decent fry, a
couple pretty good size!!!  Make my day!  The fry have been paired up
in six different containers.  Now let's hope not to have the teenager
crashes.
   I intend at this point to move the three fish back and forth between
the two tanks to be able to harvest fry.  Any suggestions for the
rotation period?
Four weeks?  Six weeks, more?
   Thanks,  George in rainy Wilmington, DE




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