Tips on getting them to breed?

[fishboy]

Hi,
Ok, so here is the dealio right now, i have a proven breeding pair of Blue Pandas in a 55 gallon bare bottom tank with two terracotta pots. the temp is about 80, and i have 2 aquaclear 300's on it, with a spongefilter in it. My Ammonia, and Nitrite are at 0, and my nitrates are under 10. I am in Cincinnati so the water is really hard, try like 8.3! So my question is what should i do to encourage them to breed? Maybe lower the Ph, and feed them heavily? Also when the fry hatch how long should i leave them with the parents and how many daily water changes are necessary for good growth?

Thanks,
Daniel

[shamsoo]

raise the temp 82-84 feed them heaviy with variety of food,make 90 percent w/c daily, dont play with ph let it remain where it is.

[Carol_Roberts]

Hardness and pH are two different things. Some people have soft water with high pH.

You can find out the hardness of your water by calling your city water dept. or if you are on a well you can either buy a TDS meter to measure total disolved solids or a test kit to measure GH from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.

If your water is really hard you will need a Reverse Osmossis filter to remove the minerals.

My well water is GH 12, tds 276, pH 7.8. Post the numbers for your water and we'll let you know if that is the problem.

[fishboy]

My ph is 8.3 and Gh is about 7.

Thanks for the help,

Daniel

[Carol_Roberts]

With a GH of 7 she should be laying eggs and with a good male a few could make it to wiggler stage. I have had small spawns with a GH of 7.

Have you had the pair in that tank for more than two months? Some times it takes awhile for them to settle in.

Has she laid eggs that did not hatch?

Raise temp to 82/84. Do regular water changes. Feed live food like CBW if you can.

I keep the babies with a parent until they are 3 weeks old. You must do several small water changes daily with little fry that are eating bbs. Then you base the WC on how many babies and how big of tank.

[fishboy]

The guy that sold me them said that they have spawned about 5 times, the last batch hatched and he said he got a good number out of them. The rest before that were eaten. The fish have probably been in for a few days actually, maybe i am rushing them?

Thanks,
Daniel

[larry lob]

Hi,

Try Viagra !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Just Joking.

Let them settle it might take weeks, learn patiance now and be forever rewarded.

You can try a lower temp but same perameter water when you do your W/C's.

Good food, clean tank with time. It will happen when everything is right.

Good luck with em.

Larry

[fishboy]

LOL, Thanks everybody. I will just have to wait then.

[fishboy]

Finally after almost a month of being in their 55 gallon breeding tank my Blue pandas spawned! They spawned at about 2 am last night. There must be atleast 200-300 eggs and only a few infertile. Today i am going out and getting some meth blue and some brine shrimp eggs. I am afraid to do a water change though, would that hurt anything? Also will i need to move the aquaclear 300s once they hatch and hook up my sponge filter? Anything else i should need to know just tell me.

Thanks,
Daniel

;D

Hi Daniel,

congrats on the spawn.

You fish spawned at two am?

When do they sleep?

take care

alex

[fishboy]

I have no idea when they sleep. The light has been off though for the past two days. So they must have been sleeping and just felt in the mood. ;D

Anyway here are the eggs

[Carol_Roberts]

Congratulations!
I continue daily water changes with water that is close to the same pH and temperature as tank water. I do not use meth blue. I would change to an airdriven sponge filter as the AC 300 will suck up fry.

[fishboy]

Thanks all but they ate the eggs. Maybe in a couple more days they will spawn again.