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Re: KillieTalk Digest V2 #158



John M. Burns wrote:

>  The fish store had these fish all set up with floating mops; Baensch says peat
> moss.  I'm betting peat... am I right?

John, you're both right.  I would recommend the bottom mops.  Peat can be a mess
with such a large fish, but it works.  It's hard to maintain cleanliness with peat
and the hatch rate for the blue gularis (SJO)can be pretty low due to infertility
and fungus.  You'll probably increase your chances with the mops.  Pick the mops
once a week and put the eggs into a container of water soaked peat with water
sufficient to flood it and drain into a net, squeeze dry and place the egg laden
peat into a zip lock plastic bag.  Put the bag of eggs in a dark warm (70-75F) for
about five/six weeks.  Flood the peat, pick out any fry and re-dry the peat for
another month and try again.  The first spawns will also probably be low yielding.

> I have easy access to Sphagnum moss from Wisconsin... is that OK?

It's OK, but the milled Canadian is better.  (No, I'm not Canadian, I'm from
Wisconsin.)  There seems to be a lot of trash in the stuff from Wisconsin.  If
you're collecting your own, dry it thoroughly and rub it on a screen and just use
the fines (you may also have to do this with the WI milled moss.  The stuff we get
down here is pretty coarse.).

> What hints can anyone give on breeding?

You may already have problems.  It is unusual for a male to be shy in the presence
of females.  I would immediately separate them and feed them on small chopped
earth worms, or brine shrimp, daphnia etc., preferably live but frozen if
absolutely necessary.  You'll probably not get many eggs (if any) with dry food.
When putting them back together, I would first try with only one or two females at
the most.  Watch for serious fighting.  You can then rotate with the remaining
female every week.

> The more important question is: What do I do for feeding when I'm traveling

How long?  If just for a few days or a week, nothing.  Longer than a week, you'll
need to make some arrangement.  If they eat dry food, an automatic feeder with
some day slots empty so as to feed a minimum amount about every three days works.
They won't be in spawning condition when you get back, but they'll be alive.
Above all, don't try to feed before leaving in volumes to compensate for the days
you aren't there to feed, or you'll come back to a dirty stinking mess with dead
fish.

One final caution.  COVER the tank.  SJO's jump for the shear fun of it.  Usually
first noticed by the killie nut as a dried twist of something on the floor.