I have been working on getting another pair to spawn. Finally found a pair that like each other, but its been a week and no go yet.
I moved the other fry to a 30 gallon and they are growing so quickly!
I haven't noticed anything yet, but I'll start looking harder. There is still some tea in my water which makes seeing them more difficult. I'm taking it out slowly everyday with WCs'.
My blue mama is getting quite a big tummy so I'll put tea in their water today. Nothing so far from the Dutch pair. I really liked their look so I'm hoping they'll make me happy at some point. If not, when it comes to the point I need their tank for grow out I'll dump them in the planted Discus tank. I hate to have to do that but I don't get much joy from just keeping fish. I want for them to make babies for me.
Mama Bear
Tom, I've been worried about asking this question all day. I see about half blacks and half golds. At some point I'm going to have to separate them, right? And the Blacks are more valuable than the golds, but the gold is necessary to keep and breed the blackest blacks back to. Have I got this right?
How many more tanks and of what sizes do I need to add to accomplish this? I'm debating with myself whether or not to jump down the rabbit hole. I'm gonna need all new tanks and all new filters. And I can't add new small tanks until I remove big ones I have loved for so many years. They were built to my specs. so they are special to me. I can turn one of my 60 wide's and turn it into 2 25 gallons with Poret foam, but I can't turn them in to 4 10's.
Tell it to me straight so I can digest it. I have the Dutch Rams, your Jet Black Rams, and your super blue Electric's. How many tanks and of what size will I need for just one or two strains. If I were to choose just one, I'm leaning toward working on black headed electric blue's, which itself would require keeping 3 strains, right? I am seriously at a loss.
Mama Bear
You don't need the golds at all.
The blacks you have are probably 50/50 being D/D , D/d
You can keep the golds if you want but you don't need them ..They won't help you get to true black I don't think .
I separated one batch because that is what I read and honestly the blacks and golds are the same ?
So if you don't see the golds excelling ahead of the blacks my opinion is they don't need to be sorted .
But back to the golds .They are worthless or atleast harder to sell ?
I would think 2 tanks per pair that are smaller like 29 and under would work .
You just need to move fry to the big tank divided when their little tank is needed ..
IMO by 2 months the fry know what food is and how to find it fine so they can go in any tank .
I have 2 month old fry in 40b with an Aquaclear 70 going with sponge filters .
They seem fine and all come to quiet end for feedings ..
My black and golds in 5g are still together and they look even steven now so I don't see a reason to separate them yet .
If they go to a bigger tank and there is room for all I won't separate .
The small tanks are really till they can manage the ADL's [Activity of daily Living] ..
I asked long ago how long to keep fry with parents and heard all sorts of things .
Some a month or more while others claimed the fry learned all it would in two weeks [we are not the superior creature if that is true !].
One said when they know what food is and how to find it they are good .
That made the most sense to me of all.
I know I can pull parents from ram fry as soon as they eat .. The parents do help them for a couple weeks if they will and it is cool as all get out to watch ,but eventually you want the fry in your hands or at least limiting outside interference [the parents ]..
I now just move the parents to a new tank ,their next tank . I let the fry stay where they are till they need upgrade and that is the easiest and safest solution ..
I didn't think that I would be able to use what I had. All i'm going to need is small sponges and small holes drilled for their air valves, small heaters, and some Poret foam. And I don't need to do more a couple of tanks at first. I can manage doing just 2 at a time.
The Dutch guy has been on eggs since yesterday. The Blues are getting their nest clean in preparation. I didn't know what I would do if they were to succeed. I'll relax now. Thanks for being such a good teacher.
Mama Bear
I love being able to spectate this! A humble eager learner and an equally humble and eager teacher, both willing to let this thing be public. This is what forum life is all about, and this is the only forum I have ever experienced it at this level. So cool!
Thanks you 2
Fabulous analogy Liz, super sweet!!
I expect a update by the weekend
Hoping you are still having fun with fry !
Blue's spawned again. Eggs lasted 2 days. Dutch guys are fanning 2 day old eggs. Blacks spawned again in the tank with their kids. I didn't adjust the water so they fungused a couple days later. I need to set up another 10 and move the black pair so their kids can have the tank they're in to themselves. I'll re-silicone the leaking one and look for a place for it later today. I had a plan, but the 29 I wanted to use for water storage is too tall for the short person rack I built myself. Need to put my thinking cap on for that one.
Sorry to type and run. I'm bagging fish for the LPS.
Mama Bear
I should change the title of this thread to, "I try to breed Rams". At least I don't give up easily.
I found a shelf where I can fit 5 10's and a 5 and a 20. I will water test the 10 gallon I siliconed yesterday and put it in place the next day if it doesn't leak, then move fish and tanks. I'm in the process of rerouting part of my central air pump's output to a new area to do this. I got a good start on it this afternoon. The exciting thing is that once those tanks are moved I'll have room for 5 more 10's for other fish, like the pretty sward tails a good friend of mine is breeding . Don't laugh, DIY doesn't come easy to me. I spend too much time thinking and then running for a tool I forgot I would need. I will be inordinately proud of my self when I get this little project done.
Last edited by LizStreithorst; 02-28-2020 at 09:37 PM.
Mama Bear
I finally finished the project and moved all the fish over. I took a day off yesterday because the weather was to glorious to spend the day working in a dungeon. I actually have room for more tanks now if I ever go crazy for some other type of fish. For now I have enough to make me happy.
Mama Bear
Glad to hear you are enjoying ! I am the same with too many trips for supplies and materials ..I thought only roofers overthink stuff?
I always say and believe I have enough also but when opportunity presents itself I like to able to jump on it !
I see why you have large tanks with how fast my little discus are growing .
Glad the rams and swords are not quite like that ..That is one issue I have had with angels ..The amount of space they require is very demanding .
It may actually get to be a glorious 50f this week for a high here !