Yep, I've decided on what fish I'll rear in a colony - pygmy killifish! I wouldn't have even dreamed of breeding them were it not for Brian Zimmerman, though, so kudos to him for giving me important information on breeding these killifish (which he currently has in stock).
Anyhow, I have been asking Zimmerman over the past few days about these killifish and (before I describe my setup) will reveal some details he gave that may be enlightening to the forum. Zimmerman stated that he bred the fish in a pond of 8-8.5 PH (he has given both figures for the PH of his ponds) with bantam sunfish in one pond, and banded and gulf coast pygmy sunfish in the other. Both saw the pygmy killifish breed successfully, and Zimmerman (as well as myself) believe that the key to breeding these fish is to keep them warm. So, I have come up with a possible setup!
Items I am needing:
- A 5 gallon tank with supplies and decor (I.E plants and leaves)
- A smaller tank with supplies and decor (again plants and leaves)
- A heater for the 5 gallon
- A moina culture? (Need to get parental permission)
- Airpump with multiple nozzles (for moina cultures, one of my other tanks, and the fry tank)
Plan:
1: During half of year (May to October?) bump temperature in 5 gallon up to 78 degrees
2: Put spawning mop in tank
3: Some time later (1-2 weeks?) remove spawning mop to smaller tank
4: Fry will initially feed on infusoria generated by the decay of leaves in the smaller tank. Moina culture will feed them when they grow larger. Not sure what I'll do if the moina culture is prohibited...
5: Once fry are large enough not to get eaten, move to 5 gallon. Repeat?
6: Once summer is over, reduce tank temperature to 70 degrees. (May or may not due depending on whether or not spawning constantly would kill the fish faster).
What do you all think of this setup? Should I alter the planned time that
Have decided on pygmy killifish and even have the setup (mostly) down!
Started by
Guest_Joshaeus_*
, Aug 16 2013 05:52 PM
7 replies to this topic
#4
Guest_Joshaeus_*
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 16 August 2013 - 09:07 PM
Oh yes, I forgot a possible step 7...eventually sell some of the fry.
Now that I'm at it, how do you ship fish? Where would you get those special breeder bags fish need to be shipped in?
And since I'll probably be buying the pygmy killifish online, how would they arrive? Are they delivered in a box at one's door, as I've heard, and you need to be there as soon as they arrive?
Now that I'm at it, how do you ship fish? Where would you get those special breeder bags fish need to be shipped in?
And since I'll probably be buying the pygmy killifish online, how would they arrive? Are they delivered in a box at one's door, as I've heard, and you need to be there as soon as they arrive?
Edited by Joshaeus, 16 August 2013 - 09:10 PM.
#5
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 16 August 2013 - 09:20 PM
Whew! Quite a few questions with long answers. Many have been addressed here before. Try the search function, quite a few threads on shipping fish. Aquabid is a good place to find shipping supplies. Usually fish are delivered to your door, but I have always alerted my post office of their arrival, and had them hold them so that I could pick them up there, to avoid sun baked, or frozen fish.
#7
Guest_Joshaeus_*
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 18 August 2013 - 05:20 PM
Out of curiousity, but will L. ommata fry eat any of the commercial fry foods? I will definitely be hatching brine shrimp for them (and yes the brine shrimp will get a heater!) and they will have infusoria from the leaves to snack on, but will they also take commercial fry foods?
#8
littlen
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- NANFA Member
- Washington, D.C.
Posted 20 August 2013 - 03:25 PM
I think you're going to have the best luck with live foods right off the bat. A lot of fry respond to the way a potential food item moves, not just the way it smells. This prey-movement instinctively triggers a feeding response.
Nick L.
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