Sunset Dwarf Rainbowfish Breeding

[Vanish]

Continuing my progress in the Colorado Aquarium Society Breeder Award Program, next up I am going to be breeding Sunset Dwarf Rainbowfish for species #4! Ok, technically it is already happening, but as I have figured out how to get more fry, I might as well make it official.

I won two auctions of these fish at the CAS Fall auction on October 16, 2021. Here they are all washed out that day.

 

Two appear to have already been an older pair, so I was ahead of the game. I put all 6 in a 29g aquarium I had recently aquascaped, set at 76 degrees and filtered by a small HOB.

 

A couple of days later, they were starting to color up again.

 

The initial idea was to place these fish in a 20 long specifically set up for breeding, with a spawning mop and sponge filters. However, on February 7, 2022, I spotted a single fry swimming just subsurface! I had a feeling they might lay eggs on these plants, but wasn't sure. I also wasn't sure if fry would survive the parents or the HOB.

 

I used a turkey baster to remove the fry to my DIY fry box system. As I only had one, I put it in with the Madagascars I am intentionally raising. The Sunset Dwarf is the dark fry.

Each morning, I started checking the tank with a flashlight before the lights came on.

Feb 9 - +1 = 2 fry

Feb 10 - +1 = 3 fry

Feb 12 - +2 = 5 fry

Feb 15 - +4 = 9 fry

I've got enough now that I expect to hit the minimum 10 I need for BAP in short order. Hopefully, I can still tell the two species apart and separate the Sunset Dwarf into their own fry box. I will also try putting a mop in the 29 when I have a free mop.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Vanish

[Guppysnail]

This is neat. I hope you keep posting your progress. 

[Torrey]

Sweet!

[Vanish]

This morning I caught 3 more fry out of the 29 and placed them in the fry box, putting my (supposed) total up to 12.

I say supposed because it is getting very hard to tell just how many fish are in the fry box, with more madagascars hatching. It would behove me to be more scientific in the future, but I only have so many tanks/fry boxes! 😄

[Vanish]

Total: 13

There were actually 2 fry in the tank this morning, but I trying to catch them in the dark is pretty tricky and I totally lost track of one of them. I've checked multiple times for the second fry but I have been unable to locate it.

I don't feel like there are as many fry in the fry box as I've hatched / transferred. Not sure if I can't count or if I've lost some over time. I've never seen a dead one.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

very cool one of these days ill drive down the mountain from divide colorado to attend in person

[Torrey]

On 2/18/2022 at 1:56 PM, mountaintoppufferkeeper said:

very cool one of these days ill drive down the mountain from divide colorado to attend in person

If you ever decide to keep heading south, I know of a great coffee shop further down I-25.

Maybe Cory and Zenzo and Dean could make a CO trip?🤔

[Vanish]

Pulled a mop from a tray and am trying it in the 29g

[Vanish]

Total: 14

Once again I seemed to have lost one while trying to catch it. I now have a dedicated fry box for new fry, as the first madagascars are 2x their size.

[Torrey]

Sounds like you have a fry with opinions!

"I just want to be free!!!!"

[Vanish]

On 2/20/2022 at 11:32 AM, Torrey said:

Sounds like you have a fry with opinions! "I just want to be free!!!!"

Well, I think freedom meant he turned into breakfast.

Total: 15

I've started guessing and moving what I think are sunsets into their own box. Up to 5 in there atm.

Edit: I see eggs in the mop now!

Edited February 21, 2022 by Vanish

[Vanish]

Woo, caught 4 this morning.

Total: 19

I also found the pleco in the mop, so maybe that plan isn't going to work. Caviar? 🙃

[Vanish]

I dont know how accurate my total is anymore, considering there are fish in two boxes. However, I caught and moved 6 more fry this morning. 

[Vanish]

Caught and moved 3 fry this morning. They were being extremely difficult to catch. If I have time today I will strip the mop and see if the pleco left any eggs.

[Vanish]

I was only able to count 6 fry in the tray this morning, so either they are dying or they are escaping. I did see one fry in the 20 long below the tray, so it is possible, and I have no idea if it is a loner. These fry are smaller than the madagascars.

I caught six more out of the 29, so that showed me they were still laying in the plants even with the mop in the tank.

I started using 5-50 micron Golden Pearls as one of their foods today to see if that helps them get over the hump to BBS.

[Vanish]

It is definitely the case that some have escaped into the 20L. I counted at least 6 in there now that the light is on, including one of decent size that must have been down there awhile. I had a feeling that foam was too coarse for these tiny fellas.

[Henry the fish keeper]

Amazing! 😊

[Vanish]

I'm going to be temporarily suspending collecting fry as we are planning on traveling in a few weeks. I don't want my caretaker to have to worry about teeny fry care.

[Vanish]

I dont know what happened,  but I lost all these fry yesterday. My only guess is the switch from vinegar eels to golden pearls introduced the need to do more cleaning, which I didnt do. I had switched because I felt I wasn't harvesting enough eels anymore.

I'll restart this project in April, after our trip to see the parents.

 

[Torrey]

On 3/12/2022 at 7:56 AM, Vanish said:

I dont know what happened,  but I lost all these fry yesterday. My only guess is the switch from vinegar eels to golden pearls introduced the need to do more cleaning, which I didnt do. I had switched because I felt I wasn't harvesting enough eels anymore.

I'll restart this project in April, after our trip to see the parents.

 

Oh dear... I am so sorry Vanish...