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Blind Mexican Cavefish Question


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#1 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 10 November 2010 - 08:06 PM

Nick Zarlinga received this on the NANFA question line, so I thought I should post it here if anyone can help Josh.

Hello,

I am a researcher at the Univ of Cincinnati - I have studied a freshwater tetra called the blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) for several years. I am having a good deal of difficulty breeding this species. I was given your organization's name as a potential contact for receiving help in attempting to get my animals to breed. Is there anyone that may have an interest in assisting me and my lab in getting our fishes to breed?

With many thanks,
Josh

Joshua Gross, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati, 816 Rieveschl Hall
312 College Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45221
Email: joshua.gross at uc.edu
Phone: 513-556-9708 Fax: 513-556-5299

#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 10 November 2010 - 11:34 PM

I was under the impression that breeding them was basically the same as it was any other tetra, except for the spawning trigger of a temperature drop. Has that person read this? http://freshaquarium...p/blindcave.htm "To stimulate spawning drop the water temperature to 66-68 degrees."

Edit: They're in Cincinnati. I hate asking something a Ph.D. has probably already considered, but what are their pH and general hardness?

Edit #2: And usually with tetras the issue is not that the fish aren't spawning, it's that you never see any young because they all get eaten. Tank setup and plant density are very important.

Edited by EricaWieser, 10 November 2010 - 11:48 PM.


#3 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 10:58 AM

I concur, while I havent kept that species, I have bred threadfin rainbowfish. Try a marble bottom or a screen material with holes large enough for eggs to pass but not the adults. I dont think in your case, plants were the problem as would other tetra's since your fish are cavedwellers (insufficient light for plant growth). So spawning would be enviromentally stimulated (temp changes from incoming flood/rain waters as opposed to seasonal water temp changes like out native darters/daces).

#4 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 11:27 AM

I concur, while I havent kept that species, I have bred threadfin rainbowfish. Try a marble bottom or a screen material with holes large enough for eggs to pass but not the adults. I dont think in your case, plants were the problem as would other tetra's since your fish are cavedwellers (insufficient light for plant growth). So spawning would be enviromentally stimulated (temp changes from incoming flood/rain waters as opposed to seasonal water temp changes like out native darters/daces).


Mesh is a really great idea. Agreed.

I also once heard of a person spawning zebra danios inside of a plastic breeding separator with the bottom cut out. The parents spawn in the box and their eggs drop through the mesh or fine holes into the main section of the tank.
Like this but with the bottom cut out: http://s3.amazonaws....dard/504672.jpg
Or a mesh model like this: http://ecx.images-am...L500_AA300_.jpg
I constructed such boxes myself using nothing more than a needle, thread, and a $5 spool of fiberglass screen from Home Depot. Very handy.

You can also move the parents to a new tank, let them spawn, and then remove them back to their original tank. The fry can grow up in the second tank.

Edited by EricaWieser, 11 November 2010 - 11:32 AM.


#5 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 12:30 PM

Thanks for your insight to date. But Josh Gross isn't on the Forum, please direct any suggestions for him at his email address.

#6 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 02:21 PM

Thanks for your insight to date. But Josh Gross isn't on the Forum, please direct any suggestions for him at his email address.


I thought non-members could see our forum posts? *is confused*

#7 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 03:02 PM

Josh sent his original query by email to a NANFA member, Nick Zarlinga, who is rarely or never on the Forum. But Nick forwards these questions on the old NANFA e-list which is now rarely used since the inception of the Forum. So we have this information near-disconnect as an artifact of earlier usages. That is our challenge to address, somehow or other. Every step of the development of different internets technology there have been people who couldn't or wouldn't for a variety of reasons move to the new format; things like e-lists were bitterly attacked by many in the early 90's as something not everyone could participate on. Times change, and here we are contemplating another failed 100% migration.




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