16 replies to this topic

[jungleexplorer]

I live in Central Texas close to a tributary to the Brazos River.  The Red Shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) is native to this river system and I capture out of the river to keep in my 55 gallon aquarium, because they are so beautiful. I have both males and females living in my aquarium and they are very happy.  I would like to try to see if I can successfully breed them.  I have looked online to find a guide about how to do this, but have not really found anything that I would consider authoritative on the subject.  I am hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.  Much thanks in advance.

[Knyghtryder]

Most shiners are egg scatterers that exhibit little parental care. Emphasis little. Generally they search cobble and riffle to spawn over. These stony rocky areas have crevices which stops their eggs from being eaten.To mimic this in an aquarium use an even sand substrate or dirt or bare bottom and add a bowl or plastic dish of pebbles or gravel. They will naturally spawn over the stones in the dish then just remove the bowl. The challenge in an aquarium will be providing enough temp fluctuation to seasonally condition them. Many smaller temperate/coldwater fish have short life spans basically under 5 years. Which means they have one or two chances to breed period. A fish that lives 3 years will need at least one year as a juvie before being of breeding age. Then they only have ~1 more years to go. A fish that lives 4 years would only have ~2 etc. Even bullfrogs spend over ~1 as tadpole juveniles. The good news is that red shiners arent from paticularly cold waters and are highly adaptable and hardy. Good luck

Edited by Knyghtryder, 17 October 2019 - 11:28 PM.

[siem]

I am also trying to breed red shiners, they are very rare in Europe especially the females. I have a male and a couple of females they are great fish active and hardy. When the temperature gets above ±68 the females get fat and I see them trying to spawn all through the summer though I have never actually seen eggs. They are in a bare tank with plants and a bowl with coarse gravel.

I suppose the trick is to get the bowl out (if they use that..) after spawning but I have read it's not easy to raise the fry, I wonder why that is when they're so widespread and adaptable? Has anyone done this?

What do the eggs look like, how big are they and what color? 

[gerald]

The Cyprinella genus of shiners (including red shiner) spawn in cracks or crevices in bedrock or logs -- not in loose gravel like most other shiners.  Use a stack of ceramic tiles, slate, clay flowerpot saucers, etc with spacers to hold them apart 2 to 3 mm.  Pleated filter cartridges will also work.

[siem]

Use a stack of ceramic tiles, slate, clay flowerpot saucers, etc with spacers to hold them apart 2 to 3 mm.

 

Can you please post a picture of what you mean, I have a hard time imagining this?

[Michael Wolfe]

Literally just take the saucers from under a flowerpot and stack four or five. You think there is no room for eggs in there but the females have been shown to actually shoot their eggs several inches into very small cracks. And the make is there fertilizing as she does.

[Matt DeLaVega]

http://forum.nanfa.o...nella-whipplei/

 

This is about C. whipplei but C. lutrensis is similar. Good luck!

[siem]

Thanks this is very helpful. Until now, everything I've heard/read about breeding red shiners was always gravel, mops, plants (they have a lot of plants/root systems as well). I'm going to try this and hope to have fry this summer... they're into their 3rd year now and it's very hard to get more stock.

[gerald]

Maybe the information you read before was about a different species of "red" shiner: redfin shiner, scarlet shiner, rainbow shiner, etc.

[siem]

I did make a stack of tiles and it worked ! They just laid eggs between them. Though I haven't thought this through, when I take the stack out the eggs will flow out or are they sticking to the tiles? My plan was to remove the stack, not the fish.

 

Anyway how long for the fry gets free swimming? I read they are difficult to raise, anything particular that I need to feed them?

[Matt DeLaVega]

I did make a stack of tiles and it worked ! They just laid eggs between them. Though I haven't thought this through, when I take the stack out the eggs will flow out or are they sticking to the tiles? My plan was to remove the stack, not the fish.

 

Anyway how long for the fry gets free swimming? I read they are difficult to raise, anything particular that I need to feed them?

The answers to your questions are covered pretty well in the link I provided above. Glad you had some good success.

[siem]

Matt thanks for reminding me ! I remember now why I just put that stack in.

I think I will put half of them in a tank and the other half in a tub I have in the garden. They're pretty rare here, and I love to have more of them. 

Still any recommendations for food when they hatch?

[Matt DeLaVega]

Brian said rotifers on down in the thread.

[siem]

Unfortunately most eggs got fungus before I could even take them out...

[siem]

I saved a couple of eggs, put them in a small tank with an air stone next to it. 

[siem]

Yesterday I had about 15 eggs left, amber colored with 2 tiny black dots in it so I took it they were fertilized. Today I can only find 2 of them, but no fry. Though there is a large hump of Egeria and green hair algae in the tank, so I'm not sure if they're hiding, or didn't make it. How big are they, and are they free swimming at this stage?

[siem]

Found a couple of them, they are tiny for sure  and my green water isn't ready yet