Dark Rams

[Discluv]

Oh brother! there is another dark pair guarding some eggs that they laid on the back glass. Do I try to suction them off and put into a breeder box?

[Discluv]

I just left the eggs- I cant handle another group right now.

The BBS is a hit!

https://vimeo.com/385389604

[danotaylor]

The link doesn't work mate

[Discluv]

The link doesn't work mate

Thanks, I reloaded the video. Can you see it now?

[LizStreithorst]

It works now.

[Discluv]

Day 7- As of today, distinct color differences in fry. The golden color is definitely dominate- but, I see some blacks. From what Ive heard/read, the black fry are weaker ( Tom would need to confirm that, however). I wonder if that means that the black are weaker at all stages of fry development or up to a certain period.

I will try to get a video to see if I can capture the color differences. Someone skilled or with a better camera/ video most likely could.

On another topic--Looked this morning at other tank, all eggs eaten from other spawn.

[LizStreithorst]

Sometimes it's a relief when eggs are eaten, isn't it?

[coralbandit]

Great video Amy !
The fry look great and noting the color difference is a good sign .
Funny to see it so early huh ? Can't tell how dark they will be but that just leaves some mystery to the raising still.
They do say the darks are weak and slow growing all the way around .
I thought I read they should be separated from the others !
Just Thurs, night I had a buddy over and we were looking at a half dark half gold fry swarm when I said to him they need to be sorted ..
We both just sort of stared at them like ???? With a turkey baster and my next free 6 hours ?? Maybe in a couple more weeks ?
I would think everyday counts but realistically they can't be sorted for a while still.I have not yet sorted the god and dark while young yet but maybe this time ?
You got a bunch of fry there ! NICE !~

[Discluv]

Here is the video showing what looks like color variation in the fry, but maybe its just me.
https://vimeo.com/385609866

[Discluv]

Great video Amy !
The fry look great and noting the color difference is a good sign .
Funny to see it so early huh ? Can't tell how dark they will be but that just leaves some mystery to the raising still.
They do say the darks are weak and slow growing all the way around .
I thought I read they should be separated from the others !
Just Thurs, night I had a buddy over and we were looking at a half dark half gold fry swarm when I said to him they need to be sorted ..
We both just sort of stared at them like ???? With a turkey baster and my next free 6 hours ?? Maybe in a couple more weeks ?
I would think everyday counts but realistically they can't be sorted for a while still.I have not yet sorted the god and dark while young yet but maybe this time ?
You got a bunch of fry there ! NICE !~

Thanks Tom! To better learn about breeding these fish, it would be great if the people that are in the process of doing so shared information in a central location. That is always better-- to distinguish patterns /processes used that have been determined as successful.

My one off occurrence is not enough. I really dont know why it was successful --so far-- ( heavy emphasis on "so far"). Collaboration with others would really go far in establishing some recommendations for breeding.

[coralbandit]

I agree good info is hard to find in one place ..
I like your -- so far -- .
I usually say what do I know ? Everything I do is anecdotal ? It works for me and the fish I have ,maybe not for all ?
Now onto your fry !
You bet you see two colors ,nice job with the video again !
How dark is something I won't even guess but if the female was dark you should see a few darks ..The light colors are the golds ...Keep your eye on them so they don't steal the show .
Your fry are making you look like a pro !
Continued success !

[Discluv]

I agree good info is hard to find in one place ..
I like your -- so far -- .
I usually say what do I know ? Everything I do is anecdotal ? It works for me and the fish I have ,maybe not for all ?
Now onto your fry !
You bet you see two colors ,nice job with the video again !
How dark is something I won't even guess but if the female was dark you should see a few darks ..The light colors are the golds ...Keep your eye on them so they don't steal the show .
Your fry are making you look like a pro !
Continued success !

By "steal the show" you mean that the golds are stronger and can leave little food for the darks to grow and become stronger ( because they are weaker), correct?
Yes, I will separate the darks as soon as possible, so they can grow out together. When that will be, not sure; but, Ill wait and see...
Thanks for all your help, Tom.

[coralbandit]

By "steal the show" you mean that the golds are stronger and can leave little food for the darks to grow and become stronger ( because they are weaker), correct?
Yes, I will separate the darks as soon as possible, so they can grow out together. When that will be, not sure; but, Ill wait and see...
Thanks for all your help, Tom.

You got it going on and understand !
I have no clue when I will be able to separate and to date have not been able to until 2 months old .. I am comfortable with the fry in a 10g with wood and a few plants until then .
You have your fry in a very good sized tank to afford you time to wait till it is easier and you can see the benefit and not have to wonder if you are just messing things up .. KISS [ this is for me as well as you !].
You will get to try again ..Been over a week where is the gold male ?

[Discluv]

The gold male is back in the 30 gallon. He has been a good citizen for the most part. But, he has separated the pair that had formed. Im assuming it was a male/female, not sure if these eggs ever got fertilized. They were eaten quickly.
The gold has set up shop with a female. But, no eggs.

It is awesome to hear that I can keep these guys in the 10 gallon for 2 months. Excellent, in fact. I thought I would have to move them much quicker. This will give me time to get ready to set up another 10 to keep the blacks separated from the golds. So they are not out-competed by the golds and to segregate my own breeding stock ( hopefully). And the golds will continue to go back into the 30 for breeding and the excess Ill sell at my local aquatic society meetings/auction. You dont get much for fish there, but that is not the point of my efforts.

The previous is all "best case scenario", of course. But, Im pretty tenacious when I get directed- lol.

It appears that you do 50% water changes daily in your own 10 gallon grow-outs, correct?
Do you continue to feed them BBS throughout? I dont mind that, its pretty easy to do once you get set up. I am sure you said something about vinegar eels coming into the diet somewhere along the line. When can a high-quality crushed flake come into the diet as well?

[coralbandit]

Hard to say and justify but he is a good father ..Nothing came between him and his ..I like that .. We are soft ,nature is not it keeps it self fit and healthy .. We should learn ...
You need to pick his next female and set them up ..Then remove her after he eggs to go psycho with ! ..That could be the machine .
Gold and dark get 50/50 color wise . Now on the darks they say they are double dark like black angels then 25% of your fry are DD and they can only IME be dark .Mixing gold will always get you 50/50 .All my experience says gold to golds get 100% gold so we supposedly just need to get there with the darks ?
Nothing wrong with using the gold the creator did, but now when the fry grow you want to pair the darkest ,Have no fear of brother to sister breeding either ..If you have adults from the parnets of either when you think the fry are large enough to breed that is best [father to daughter or son to mother ] but very difficult or again down the road 6-8 months [strap in !] ..I say very difficult with rams with a chuckle ...That may actually be the whole stall in the process?? Breeding the sibling back to the parent ...