A New Experience For Me!

Let me start out with the background story. I just caught a bunch of eastern banded killifish last night. I had had a couple in the past but they were very small and didnt last. Last night, when I was in the lake I do most of my catching in, I noticed there were many more large killifish than I usually see, and I assumed they were full grown specimens. I decided to catch a bunch and give them a try thinking full grown fish may be better off than ones half their size. So anyway, I took home 9. When I got them in the tank I realized 3 of them looked much more colorful and guessed they must be males. I was a little worried having three males might cause some tension, but they are quite pretty and I just hoped they would get along.

Tonight, actually just a few minutes ago, I gave them their first feeding. Boy was I in for a surprise! Until the feeding they had all been kind of hangin out in the back not doing much. There are 3 small bluegill and 3 small fallfish in the tank as well. The bluegill are new to the tank, but the fallfish have been around for a while so they know whats up when I start dropping in the food. The tank is 30 gallons. When I added the food everyone went crazy. I couldnt tell if the killifish were eating but the colorful ones(the males?) started pairing up next to the others and fluttered their bodies together. Though I have no experince with spawning, I know mating when I see it. So I looked closer and I definately saw a few eggs.

I dont expect that with so many fish in the tank that Ill actually get any fry, but if anyone else has experience with killifish, what advice or experiences can you share with me?

If the killifish are fed well will they continuosly breed?

If I took out the fallfish and bluegill would I get fry, or would the killifish eat them?

Anyway, like I said any comments would be much appreciated!

Well it seems most of what I would have wanted to know I just found in a previous thread here - http://forum.nanfa.o...ding-killifish/ .


But if anyone still has anything to add that would be great thanks!

TonsOfFun5,

I have some experience breeding Western Banded Killifish (Fundulus diaphanus menona). I'm up to my second generation that has been completely born and raised in captivity. If you remove the the non-killifish from the tank, you may be able to get the killies to spawn and have fry live in the tank. I've had that happen to me before. If after about 2 weeks of them spawning, you notice some fry in the tank and the adults aren't eating them, you may be in luck. Otherwise, you'll have to remove the eggs and hatch them out in a separate tank. That's what I'm doing right now. For a spawning medium, you want to put some Java Moss or nylon spawning mops in the adults' tank. Banded Killie eggs are large, about 2 mm, and take a long time to hatch - 11 days at 75*F. With a spawning group your size, I've gotten about 60 eggs per week from the fish. Like I said, if after about 2 weeks you notice fry and the adults aren't eating them, you're good. Otherwise, the easiest way to remove the eggs from the adults' tank would be to swap-out spawning mops. If you can't or don't want to do that, you can pick the eggs from the mops. I use a dark-colored plastic spoon and my finger. I would just use my fingers, but they're too big! To remove the eggs from the mop, I pick through the mop with my hands. When I find an egg, I scoop it gently with the spoon and use my finger to help ease the egg from the spawning mop onto the spoon. Then, I dip the spoon into a shallow Gladware container that I use to hatch out the eggs. When the eggs hatch, I place the fry into a 2.5 gallon tank with a sponge filter. I feed frozen baby brine shrimp, microworms and crushed Tetra Veggie flake. Do they need Veggie flake? I don't know. I just use it because my other fish like it. Anyways, the fry are a little slow growing. I am going to do an experiment to see if I can get them to grow faster, but I haven't tried it yet. I have noticed that fry in the adults' tank seem to grow faster, so if you can do that, that's cool. Anyways, hope this helps and if you have any other questions, just let me know.

Brian

Thanks for the pointers, Brian. I've got some cingulatus and some L. goodei that I hope to spawn. I hate picking mops, so maybe the plastic spoon will make it easier.

My strategy with fundulopanchax is to separate the pairs for a few days. I fill the bottom of a tank with river gravel and then jam the tank full of java moss and plants. I'll turn the heater up to the high 70s, then put in a pair or two. When the females look a little skinnier--sometimes as soon as the next morning, I take the adults out and wait a couple of weeks for the fry.

Well it seems most of what I would have wanted to know I just found in a previous thread here - http://forum.nanfa.o...ding-killifish/ .


But if anyone still has anything to add that would be great thanks!

I think Im just going to let them be and maybe a couple fry will make it in the tank the way it is, but how long will the adults continue to mate? If I decided I wanted to separate some eggs to get some fry in a month is it possible that they would still be in the mood? Could they be kept in breeding mode all year?

You can't stop them from spawning right now. They are peaking but will go all summer.

Alternate ways to collect eggs; Fill tank with "bunch" plants of your choice and swap them out after a week or two into bare tanks. Fry will spontaneously appear.
Or, leave parents in for a week or two and them move them. Let the fry hatch and grow out in their home tank.

They do eat eggs and fry, especially eggs, so the more plants the better.

Next time you visit, sit at the waters edge in a sandy cove and watch the males guard their little clump of weed and flash amazing colors. You gotta see it in sunshine.

I think Im just going to let them be and maybe a couple fry will make it in the tank the way it is, but how long will the adults continue to mate? If I decided I wanted to separate some eggs to get some fry in a month is it possible that they would still be in the mood? Could they be kept in breeding mode all year?

I've got F1 fish that have been breeding for about six months now! If you wanted to separate the eggs in a month, that would be acceptable, but like I said, the eggs hatch about every 11 days, so you might lose some to predation. If that doesn't bother you, then stick with your plan. They might be kept in breeding mode all year. I'll have to see how long my F1s breed and get back to you!

Brian

Fry should be fed food 3-4 times daily if you can possibly manage it. If not, I've noticed that they feed on infusoria that grow on java moss. Make sure to put some java moss in the fry tank so they can have snacks and hide.

I breed mainly live bearers: endlers, platies, ameca splendans.