Scleromystax barbatus

[Randy]

I am working on my second (and consecutive) successful clutch of barbatus fry!

Here is what worked for me:

1. Combine 2 smaller groups into 1 larger group (total 11 fish)
2. Feed well, daily BBS, Xtreme pellets, and twice weekly frozen bloodworms.
3. Move eggs laid on glass to separate container, still use same water from the breeding tank.  (I use specimen containers hanging off another 40B for this)
4. 2 drops of Methylene blue (which is honestly 1 more drop then I felt comfortable with given water volume)
5. Change 25% of water on day 2.
6. Check on eggs several times a day, pick unfertilized eggs (they go clear while others keep their orange-ish color)
7. When fry emerge a few days later (i need to track this) add in a clump of guppy grass.
8. When the fry consume their yolk sack start feeding BBS.
9. Change 25% of water every other day.

I am waiting for the first group to put on more size before I move them into a grow out 10 or 15 gallon tank.

I remember talking with @Dean’s Fishroom about Corys spawning in shallow water as well as their fry growing up in the shallows.  I don't want to move them to a tank that has greater depth which would be more water pressure on the fry then what they would normally experience.  Honestly, I am probably being too cautious but better safe then sorry.  I have been wanting to spawn this fish for sometime now and don't want to botch my first few spawns! 😄

 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

Congrats.

Your note on water pressure on the eggs is something I had not really considered before this post. I am growing out Scleromystax Baianinho II to try and breed in the next 12 to 24 months  in my high altitude fishroom (9100+ feet). I hope to follow your steps and join you in scleromystax success eventually. It will be interesting to learn how my lower atmospheric air pressure up here impacts Scleromystax egg or fry development vs lower altitudes. 

[firstname-lastname]

I wouldn't worry too much about hydrostatic water pressure unless you're putting them in absolutely massive tanks. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101.3kPa, and you'll only add 9.81kPa for every meter of water below the surface. My gut says that they spawn/grow out in shallow waters to avoid predation from larger fish, or maybe the presence of more micro foods like insect larvae.

In saying all of that, I've never bred fish so I'm not sure what my two cents are worth.

[Dancing Matt]

Yes! I saw this species in an older fish guide and wondered why I hadn't seen it before. Anyone know why this species is not more popular?

[Dean’s Fishroom]

Did you do anything to trigger them spawning like a cool water change or multiple water changes in a row? Or just fed them good and let them do their thing?

[Randy]

On 6/22/2021 at 10:52 AM, Dean’s Fishroom said:

Did you do anything to trigger them spawning like a cool water change or multiple water changes in a row? Or just fed them good and let them do their thing?

Just fed them well and let them do their thing.