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Thread: Electric Blue Acaras

  1. #31
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    The problem would be more about getting the fry out of the tank with any degree of success if my timing is off at all. The parents are doing a great job right now, but I'd be disappointed if I woke up to no eggs in the AM when I could have easily taken them out. I'll give it some more thought this evening. They are in a 120 with a big group of very aggressive eaters which concerns me --5 very large piggish berdmorei loaches, angels, severums, t bar cichlids, leopard ctenopoma, dwarf pike and 6 other acaras. It's looking like I have another pair setting up shop on the other side of the tank. These are both Electric Blues. The one I assume to be female has got an interesting color change going on. Ryan, on a totally unrelated issue-do you know anything about Gymnogeophagus Gymno. Yerbalitos? I was just going to PM you, but might as well ask here. My LFS guy contacts me when he gets in fish that he thinks might interest me and he just got some of these.
    Joan

  2. #32
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    The Yerbalitos are a pretty fish, but like most Gymnos they require a cool-down period in the winter or they will waste away. They need a few months of an unheated tank down into the 60s or so. I'm told they are also prone to HITH, even with good water quality.

    I actually removed my EB acaras from my 150 community and put them in a 55 for a few weeks to let them calm down and pair off in a more quiet tank. Then I moved the rest back to the 150.

    Dwarf pikes definitely love wrigglers/free-swimming fry for snacks. Better pull the spawn after all if you can. The nice thing about acaras is that they'll spawn frequently from now until the end of time, now that they've paired. So if this doesn't work out, there'll be more soon.

  3. #33
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Thanks so much for the info, I appreciate it. I thought that about the Gymnos and the cooling down period. Not good about the HITH.

    I think I'll pull the spawn and see how it goes. You're right about there being more later I'm sure. One thing I know is that if these hatch/work out, I could go broke feeding them eventually. I'll need to buy a pallet of FDBWs from Al. I don't think I've seen any other fish eat them as aggressively as my acaras do. They practically come out of the water.

    You'll be in good shape with yours being already set up in their own tank.
    Joan

  4. #34
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Mine are doing a good job parenting but I honestly don't think they would have settled down in the 150. Way too much excitement and the larger fish made them nervous. They constantly swim around with their fins flared trying to make themselves look larger to the Atabapo severum pair. Lol

    Acaras are my favorite type of cichlid. I have a soft spot for all of them (Andinoacara, Cichlasoma, Krobia, Laetacara, etc.).

    Btw, don't go broke feeding them FDBW -- they'll do fine on a staple of pellets. Mine get FDBW or frozen bloodworms as treats but they gladly eat NLS pellets 90% of the time. I start three week old fry on finely crushed pellets and then up the pellet size as they grow. Works great!
    Last edited by Ryan; 02-12-2014 at 11:16 PM.

  5. #35
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    I know what you mean about feeding them. Mine will eat absolutely anything and everything. Mine do get a variety of pellets and flakes as their main diet along with a variety of frozen foods, but I'm a real sucker when feeding my fish FDBWs for some reason. I keep telling myself no more for that tank, they don't need it, but then I go ahead and do it anyway--I'm sure it makes Al happy anyway!
    Joan

  6. #36
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    I decided to leave the eggs in for a bit. I left the room light on last night so it wouldn't be totally dark. You're right, Ryan, the parents are doing an excellent job caring for them/defending them. I will probably remove them tomorrow. The tank is very chaotic as there are two more pairs paired up and getting ready to lay eggs. I put terra cotta saucers all over the place, but it's a tough tank to find a safe spot right now for the other fish. I took out the fish that I could easily catch, but the tank is full of driftwood so pretty tough. I don't necessarily want three batches of acara fry, but I'll give it a go if the fish cooperate I guess.
    Joan

  7. #37
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Are you swimming in fry yet, Joan?

    Everything in my house is in spawning overdrive. I have cichlids going nuts. Spring came early to FL (which isn't uncommon, but usually I don't see this much activity in my tanks until April/May).

  8. #38
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    You can say that again! It's amazing how much of a difference there is between the fry from a reg Blue X Electric vs an Electric X Electric. The latter are much slower to develop and they seem more feeble. That batch is a fraction of the size of the other two "mixed" batches. I've got hundreds between the three batches. I don't think I've seen fish any better at parenting than these, you were right. I left a small group of fry with the first pair in the 120 and they still have them and are protecting them. The same with the third pair. I know what you mean about spawning activity. Getting rid of/selling fish is tough for me here, I don't know what I'll do with all these acaras and I still have a big batch of Red Head Tapajos to move out of here. I have two pairs that keep having huge spawns, but I just have to let it go. On the other hand, the discus that I want to breed are ridiculous- they lay eggs every week, but can't get it right.
    Joan

  9. #39
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    My discus lay every week too and always white eggs. Either the water is crap for them or someone isn't fertilizing properly. I have a high pH but the water is actually fairly soft, so I figured discus wouldn't be much of an issue. Maybe I was wrong.

    Acaras as a group are all great parents, even in community setups. They are ferocious. It's one of the reasons I love them so much.

    Yes, the electrics are much slower to grow out. I'm curious to cross the F1s from an EB x regular acara and see if the growth rates improve at all.

  10. #40
    Registered Member joanstone's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    I moved the last group of fry into a big, clear plastic holding container that is inside the 120 where the parents are. I moved them a few days ago and the parents are now guarding the container where the babies are. They're impressive parents for sure.
    Joan

  11. #41
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Paul are these still doing good for you? Do you new fry look any different from the parents when you got them?

  12. #42
    Registered Member Discusdude7's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Ryan any update on these?

  13. #43
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Quote Originally Posted by Jdmcfast View Post
    Paul are these still doing good for you? Do you new fry look any different from the parents when you got them?
    Quote Originally Posted by Discusdude7 View Post
    Ryan any update on these?
    My adults have topped out at maybe 4". I guess they could grow a bit more but I don't anticipate it. It could be from a variety of things -- weak genetics/inbreeding, stunting before they came to me, etc. The fry when you breed EBA x EBA are all 100% EBA. It's very noticeable even at a few weeks old -- the tiny 1/4" fry show the iridescent blue color. I am guessing their genetics work similarly to electric blue rams.

    I have been trying to get my hands on some wild or F1 Andinoacara with which to outcross them. I did find several stores with fairly nice domestic acaras but upon closer inspection they have weird issues with fins, eyes, gills, etc., no doubt a result of years and years of farm inbreeding. That's the problem with popular aquarium bred strains. Unfortunately not many people in the US import wild blue acaras. If I were in Canada they're readily available. Would someone like to drive some over the border and ship them to me?

  14. #44
    Platinum Member Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    My pair decided tonight that it was time for a spawn, so I figured I'd make a video of the courting behavior. As you can see the female is getting impatient and cleaning everything in sight. The male isn't so interested yet.


  15. #45
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electric Blue Acaras

    Ryan, these two are just plain beautiful. Sure hope he commits soon.
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


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