Cardinal Breeding Diary..

[plymbloke]

Ok, im going to give it ago, i think i have read pretty much all i can on the subject lol, so this is it!

Im going to keep a day by day diary on here so you can follow my progress, and hopefully, although its a long shot, any successes.


The Plan:
1/. Add 4 of my largest females to their own small tank with water depth of around 10", with a sand substrate and a large clump of java moss.
2/. Feed with live foods every day for 6 days (Stop feeding day before adding male)
3/. after 3 days, reduce water level by half
4/. 4th day top up with cooler, acidic water to 8"
5/. day 5 - top up with cooler water - temp at 26
6/. day 6 - last feed - bag of daphnia in the morning
7/. day 7 - darken tank midday and add two males (conditioning seperately) around dusk. cover tank completly and wait
8/. day 8 - at night, with a torch (flashlight for those americans amongst you ) check females for signs of slimming. if noticably slimmer, remove all fish and recover for further 4 days for fry to hatch, otherwise recover and check for the next two nights. If still nothing, seperate sexes again and repeat process in 5 days time, after re-conditioning fish.


so..

DAY ONE:
4 of my plumpest females added to 18" tank, with just sand and java moss for company.

Water:
pH:6.5 (this is the same as their normal tank - planning on bringing it down gently over next couple of days to 6 or maybe try 5.5)
Temp: 28C (hopefully the topping up with cooler water around day 5 will induce spawning)

all other readings very low - water itself is filtered rainwater.

Fish are happy and feeding.

[Tropical Haven]

This will be very interesting, please keep us updated.

[plymbloke]

DAY TWO:
All four females still happy and actively 'hunting' the food. todays menu is bloodworm.

All the water parameters are the same as yesterday at present, although i will be starting to bring it with a slight water change for more acidic water later today.

Males are also active but not feeding as well as the females, hopefully this wil improve over the next few days. At present they are ignoring bloodworm and frozen brineshrimp(the only BS i have today so i am feeding them granuals, which at least they seem to be pecking at.


So far so good!

[pcsb23]

I'm watching and subscribed! Good luck.

[plymbloke]

cool, my first subscription! now i feel special I only hope it turns out to be something worth subscribing to lol..

DAY THREE:
On todays menu its a mixture of brine shrimp in the morning, bloodworm at lunch time and daphnia this evening. All still happy in their tank (i'll get some pictures up when i can find the cable for my camera lol)

Water:
pH:6.0

Tonight i will be reducing the water level to half of its current depth, down to approximately 5 inches, and begin to raise it again tomorow evening with cooler acidic water, again this will be from filtered rainwater.

[phidelt85]

I'm subscribed too!!

[madfish]

Im on the list also. I belive this will keep me glued to my chair.

[Mr. Limpet]

Good Luck,
I think you will have many of us watching closely.
If you really want to make those cardinals happy,
Freshly hatched Baby Brine shrimp is a fantastic
conditioning food. Just my 2 cents. You are already
going through a lot of effort, hatching shrimp is a piece
of cake.

Take Care,
Paul.

[phidelt85]

how do you sex the cardinals?

[plymbloke]

Sorry about the day long delay - my internet just would not work yesterday, so you're getting two days all in one go now! wahoo! lol

DAY FOUR:

Tank topped up to 3/4 full with filtered rainwater, at a temp of 26C - main tank water at 28. will finish topping up on day 5.

Water:
pH:6.0
Temp: 28C (but the addition of the cooler water will have reduced this a fraction for a while, simulating cooler rainfall in the wild)

[plymbloke]

DAY FIVE:

todays water is being heated as we speak, will be added to the tank at 25/6C. This will finish topping up the tank. Menu for today is brineshrimp and daphnia

Water:
pH:6.0
Temp: 28C (but as with preivous day, the addition of the cooler water will have reduced this a fraction for a while, simulating cooler rainfall in the wild)

[plymbloke]

how do you sex the cardinals?

IF you look down on them the females are wider than the males, and they have a produnced kink in their neon stripe, about half way down their body.

[madfish]

IF you look down on them the females are wider than the males, and they have a produnced kink in their neon stripe, about half way down their body.

You see you can learn something everyday if you keep your eyes open. I have wondered that before and now I know. Thanks for all the great info that your putting out there for all of us.

[phidelt85]

good to know, thanks!!

[fishmama]

Very interesting thread...Good luck!