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Re: Spawning C. Nigripinnis -- Confused



>> I just got a pair of C. Nigripinnis and the female is, I think, gravid.

That should be a state of being.   ;)

>> While not new to killies -- I had a few 25 years ago -- I have just
established
>> a tank in the last few days.


Welcome back! So much of this hobby is hello, goodbye and hello again!

>> I believe the pair is ready to spawn and in looking through beginner's
guides
>> found Steffen Hellner's idea of a container of peat INSIDE a small tank
>> had merit. But when I tried it the peat poured out of the hole in the
small
>> container into the surrounding tank. Well, it seemed like a good idea
<g>.


    In addition to the good ideas put forward by Wright and Mike.... if you
have one of those old turtle bowls, perhaps 25 cm wide by 15 cm high with
the lip on them, they can be useful too. A variety of odd fish bowls could
be used.

    A ten gallon tank is also needed. Wet peat is left in the bowl and it is
filled until full to the brim. After the peat has completely settled down
the bowl is placed in the bare bottomed tank and water is gradually siphoned
into the larger tank. After things have settled down and the filter (sponge
or box) has run a bit, acclimate your killies to that water. The nice thing
about using a little larger set-up like this is that the male will guard his
bowl more and harass the female (who perhaps is sheltering in plants or
whatever else is given her for refuge) a little less. There is also a little
more flexibility in terms of water quality because of the larger tank.

    Leaving any gravel out of the larger makes siphoning and cleaning
easier. The male isn't so tempted to spawn the female on a bare surface when
he has a bowl of peatmoss.

    If you want to place a small pickle jar in the tank you can place a
day's blackworms in that jar. The worms will stay out of mischief and the
killies can browse on them at their leisure, pretty much safe from
harassment by the other who would probably be outside the bowl. Don't leave
worms that way if you use salt in the tank.

    My experience is not extensive with the annuals, but the Cynolebias will
figure out how to get in and out fairly quickly - unlike a pair of
Nothobranchius guentheri who spent a lot of their time smacking into the
sides of a clear bowl. I have also used those bowls, to be had very
inexpensively at general fish auctions, for feeding worms in larger set-ups
where they work pretty good (except for the Apistos who also kept smacking
into their sides).

    All the best!

        Scott