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Thread: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

  1. #1
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Those of us who are attempting to raise albinos are finding that their needs are substantially different from their normal-colored cousins. We, the hobbyists, have yet to learn what it takes to see the fry attach to their albino parents. Bob Tools and I believe it takes a joint effort, and so we are communicating between ourselves what we have tried, heard of, or observed. We'd both like to extend an invitation to any interested albino-keepers to join us in this effort. If you are interested in breeding albinos, if you have tried and failed, or if you have had some success, please share your information with us! We are interested in artificial and fostering methods that involve albino fry as well. You can pm us or post here. All positive developments that arise from this joint effort and the methods used will be posted on this forum.
    Martha

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    Registered Member BOBT00LS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    This was a great idea Martha, putting this out there to gather information and techniques from those throughout the forum that have had success breeding Albinos and raising their fry. As Martha had stated, she and I have been PMing each other back and forth trying to get fry from our Albino pairs to attach the the parents and last more then just a few days. We seem to have no problems getting our pairs to spawn successfully, which results in wigglers and then free swimmers but the road ends there. We have tried the usual lowering of the water level, removing the sponge, fostering, covering all sides of the tank in light and dark colors, Methylene Blue to help the parents stand out to attract the fry. Luckily the pairs keep spawning give us several opportunities to get this right. My pair laid eggs again yesterday and we are open to suggestions from those that have been successful. Thanks in advance for any and all input. Martha and I will be very greatful.

    Bob

  3. #3
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    I have had some success by lowering the water, covering the sides and top in dark colors, allowing just a bit of room light, adding mb during the first few days of free-swimming to block out light, and feeding from day one. Unfortunately, the pair ate two small batches of week-old + fry. The first time they laid eggs and then ate the fry, and the second time, as I watched for them to lay eggs, they ate the fry first. I suspect there weren't enough fry for them to bother with. This pair are taking a brief (I hope) break from spawning.
    My limited experience suggests that the fry will attach to albino parents, but it takes 5 days or so. Unless they are fed from the first day of free-swimming, they starve.
    So, who's working with albino pairs and what have your experiences been?

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    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    hi Martha,

    For Albino strains should cover the tank's sides in lighter tone color.

    Contrast

    a contrast must be created between the surrondings and parent fishes...few days old fry are so attracted to whatever is blacker or of the dark tone.therefore beside the color and the tone of the walss and the bottom of the tank also must be kept clean and free of debris to prevent the fry wandering off from the parent.


    Cheers
    Francis

  5. #5
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Quote Originally Posted by seanyuki View Post
    hi Martha,

    For Albino strains should cover the tank's sides in lighter tone color.

    Contrast

    a contrast must be created between the surrondings and parent fishes...few days old fry are so attracted to whatever is blacker or of the dark tone.therefore beside the color and the tone of the walss and the bottom of the tank also must be kept clean and free of debris to prevent the fry wandering off from the parent.


    Cheers
    Francis
    I've certainly heard this theory, but I haven't heard it from anyone who had success with it. Do you know of someone who has? I spoke with a biologist prof. friend of mine and he thought that albinos probably have a lot of trouble seeing in the light - he thought it would be like us looking into the sun. Hense, the dark. There is still a contrast when the tank is dark - a reverse contrast.

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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    I am looking forward to keeping up with this post.

  7. #7
    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Hi Martha,

    As for the light....try using a blue bulb not those white ones as the fry are so sensitive to light.....just my 2 cents.

    Cheers
    Francis

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    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Will post after successful breeding

    Francis
    Last edited by seanyuki; 06-13-2009 at 08:43 PM.

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    Registered Member BOBT00LS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Francis,

    You quote that it can take 10-14 days for the fry to attach. How can they stay alive that long if not feeding off the parents ? That is my problem here. I get to free swimmers on every spawn but the fry never attach and die of one by one of starvation. You mentioned using a blue bulb rather then white. I have been contemplating using one of those black bulbs. What do you think ?

    Bob

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    Registered Member kaceyo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Has anyone tried or considered removing them from the parents and raising them artificially? With my pair of ALSS's the wrigglers start falling off the cone almost immediatly after the spawn. The parents don't pay any attention to the fallen ones so I think my only chance for success will be to raise them myself, if the fallen ones are even strong enough to survive.

    Kacey

  11. #11
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Quote Originally Posted by seanyuki View Post
    breeding tanks-
    tanks regardless of size does not matter, as long as you're convenience with it.

    water level-
    fill up as much water as you can afford. as long as it is safe and clean for your pair. do daily 50% WC will be sufficent.

    aireation-
    should be at its minimum. like 20% of your normal aireation and place the airstone as far away from your pair's suspected spawn area.(place where they clean up most)

    feeding-
    , live tubifex worms is a good alternative since some don't beleive or can't afford pro-more but those worms need to be clean up really clean. usually i start feeding them the worms 3days after i kept n cleaned those worms.
    just feed your pair once a day.

    observation-
    as the grand master breeder once adviced me, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!! just check if there are any eggs before you feed and before WC.

    spawn !!!-
    cover the eggs with wire mesh as what you might do later can frighten them and eat up the eggs.

    cover the front part of the tank using white paper about 7"-10" wide from top to bottom of tank.

    no WC, NO PEEPING ! LEAVE THEM ALONE! wait until 3rd day than peep. if no wrigglers, it's ok, try again. if there is, LEAVE THEM ALONE ! again for another 3days. by then you will notice free swimmers everywhere swimming aimlessly. with the small light bulb switch on 24hrs and hope for lady luck to be by your side , some frys will start to attach to pair. slowly . they are not like ormal frys. even the intermediates will attached aerlier. it can take the albinos 10-14days from eggs to attached frys !!
    Francis
    Some interesting background, Francis, but I don't agree with all of it.
    IMO: breeding tank size DOES matter. The larger the footprint, the less likely albino fry will find their parents.

    Water level - You say "fill up." IMO the higher the water level the less likely albino fry will find their parents.

    Aeration, I suspect, should not be even 20% when the albino fry go free-swimming.

    Feeding - live tubifex worms are suspected of harbouring organisms that can cause substantial problems for our fish. I do not recommend them. I don't think they can be cleaned enough to ever consider them safe.

    Re Covering the Eggs - I would do that only with known egg-eaters. Otherwise, I see no point.

    Covering the front of the tank - OK, but what do you recommend for the rest of the tank?

    How long are you suggesting we go without a wc?

    Like Bob mentioned, you can't leave them alone for a few days and expect there to be any fry.
    The only ideas you mention that specifically concern albinos is the white paper on the front of the glass. There's more to it, I'm afraid. Do you have a pair yet Francis? I know you bought some albinos a while back.

  12. #12
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    I tried to raise the last batch artificially but I was unsuccessful. They all died by day three. It may be because I forgot to cut out the light the tank was receiving from above, and the tank received a lot! I've never raised artificially, and learning on albino fry is probably not the best of ideas.

    Bob - is a black bulb the same as a black light? Are you thinking about it because it gives off less light?

  13. #13
    Registered Member BOBT00LS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    Quote Originally Posted by mmorris View Post
    I tried to raise the last batch artificially but I was unsuccessful. They all died by day three. It may be because I forgot to cut out the light the tank was receiving from above, and the tank received a lot! I've never raised artificially, and learning on albino fry is probably not the best of ideas.

    Bob - is a black bulb the same as a black light? Are you thinking about it because it gives off less light?
    Yes Martha its the same as a black light. It does kind of give off a blueish light and was thinking it may make the male and female stand out without giving off brightness in the tank.

    Bob

  14. #14
    Platinum Member MostlyDiscus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    I havent tried it yet, but can PH be a factor?
    "There was no spoon"

  15. #15
    Registered Member mmorris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Albino Breeding `Think Tank'

    That might be worth trying Bob. Can you explain what you were thinking, Ed? Different ph requirements for albinos? I hadn't thought of ph...

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