Jdogtrainer Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Hello Forum, My Ivanacara bred for the first time about 36 hours ago. The dominant pair had 20 to 30 eggs in their cave. Mom stayed inside the cave with eggs. Dad was posted outside (at a safe distance from wifey!) chasing off all other fish. Over the course of yesterday their eggs were disappearing. Last night I counted fewer than 10 left and this morning zero and the pair are not guarding their cave like they were. Are they like Angels where they have to learn to take care of their eggs? Anyone know if this species is known for egg eating? Any other advice? I'm really not upset that their eggs are gone in that I am not really in a place to care for fry at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Can't answer that though most cichild do take a few trys to get it right. Also it is quite possible depending on the fish species that they require low tds acidic water for the eggs to be fertilize/hatch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 I know someone who has bred these and said that for the eggs to hatck you needed extremely acidic water but this was wild caught. I also have a pair that is much larger than yours but they will not breed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 (edited) I'm also trying to get these to breed and will certainly post back with any observations or success. I have also read that they will breed but the Ph needs to be very low and the water very clean to keep the eggs from going bad. Right now I have mine in RO water with a one box filter stuffed with peat pellets and the other stuffed with a buffering substrate I use for caridina shrimp. No idea what the Ph actually measures at, but I'm going to guess it's way under 6. I know the person I got the fish from kept them sub-6, but I don't know much more than that. I believe my fish are F1 or F2 from wild caught. Fish are happy as can be, but I have not yet seen any breeding. I will admit that I cannot see into the cave the female hangs out in, so she could be laying eggs that remain infertile for all I know. I just started feeding them live black worms and they are both very colored up, so fingers crossed. If anyone has any success all the way through to raising fry, please keep us all informed and I will do the same. Edited June 5, 2022 by tolstoy21 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_C Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 I am hoping others respond to this thread. I am also trying to breed these fish. I have had my pair for about a year now and no breeding activity yet. I would also like to know what others are keeping their Ivanacara with as far as tank mates/dithers. Mine are alone at the moment not sure if lack of dithers has anything to do with breeding activity. I have also read that for eggs to be viable pH needs to be below 6. I am going to be moving mine soon to a more black water setup I hope this works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 9:14 AM, Johannes said: I know someone who has bred these and said that for the eggs to hatck you needed extremely acidic water but this was wild caught. I also have a pair that is much larger than yours but they will not breed Wild won't impact the condition under which the eggs will hatch. Part of the difficulty with this thread is that Ivanacara is a genus; you have yet to the name the actual species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 On 6/7/2022 at 11:30 PM, anewbie said: Wild won't impact the condition under which the eggs will hatch. Part of the difficulty with this thread is that Ivanacara is a genus; you have yet to the name the actual species. Ivanacara Adoketa. I think most of us probably assumed the species based on the photo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 From what I can find kh < 2 and ph around 6.2 is a good starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdogtrainer Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share Posted June 8, 2022 On 6/8/2022 at 3:56 AM, tolstoy21 said: Ivanacara Adoketa. I think most of us probably assumed the species based on the photo. That's correct Adoketa is the species I have. And captive bred v wild caught *can* impact the conditions under which the eggs will be viable. Many species of fish can be bred in previously unsuitable water parameters due to being tank bred for several generations from wild caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 Just an update on this thread. My pair has finally laid some eggs. I noticed them a day ago and the female is still guarding them. I'll keep you all posted if I get some fry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdogtrainer Posted July 9, 2022 Author Share Posted July 9, 2022 (edited) On 7/8/2022 at 4:48 AM, tolstoy21 said: Just an update on this thread. My pair has finally laid some eggs. I noticed them a day ago and the female is still guarding them. I'll keep you all posted if I get some fry. Thanks so neat! My pair didn't lay again. And as of yesterday I have not seen the dominant male for several days. I think he may have died. Edited July 9, 2022 by Jdogtrainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted July 9, 2022 Share Posted July 9, 2022 (edited) @Jdogtrainer The eggs have been in the little flower pot a few days now, so I'm beginning to question whether or not they will they will hatch. The only thing I've done differently recently is I started feeding cut up earth worms that I get out of my garden. Also, I started putting my Orange Rili culls in there with them and they snack on some of the slower, less cautious ones. That could have triggered them, or that all could just be coincidence. Edited July 9, 2022 by tolstoy21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdogtrainer Posted July 9, 2022 Author Share Posted July 9, 2022 On 7/9/2022 at 2:31 PM, tolstoy21 said: @Jdogtrainer The eggs have been in the little flower pot a few days now, so I'm beginning to question whether or not they will they will hatch. The only thing I've done differently recently is I started feeding cut up earth worms that I get out of my garden. Also, I started putting my Orange Rili culls in there with them and they snack on some of the slower, less cautious ones. That could have triggered them, or that all could just be coincidence. Those are possibly some good tips. I'm currently doing a ton of gardening and come across earth worms daily. Also my big beautiful male came to eat some crickets when I fed today 😄 so he's obviously ok. Don't know where he's been hiding out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Burke Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 On 7/9/2022 at 4:31 PM, tolstoy21 said: @Jdogtrainer The eggs have been in the little flower pot a few days now, so I'm beginning to question whether or not they will they will hatch. The only thing I've done differently recently is I started feeding cut up earth worms that I get out of my garden. Also, I started putting my Orange Rili culls in there with them and they snack on some of the slower, less cautious ones. That could have triggered them, or that all could just be coincidence. @tolstoy21 what are the pros and cons for feeding earthworms to fish? would they make a good food for Plecos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 @Ken Burke Pros of feeding earthworms: free! Cons: I'll let you know when my tanks get fouled or some of my fish die! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdogtrainer Posted July 14, 2022 Author Share Posted July 14, 2022 I see no downside as long as they aren't from a contaminated area. Finding worms small enough for my fish has been a slight challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 If they do not eat all the worm and leave a bit somewhere in the tank then it will foul the tank - had a bad ammonia and nitrite spike due to this a few years back, nearly lost my festivum. Sometimes cichlids spook easily during breeding, some advocate for leaving the lights on ( even saw someone say "Mood light and Barry White" once on Monster Fish Keepers) and putting a towel over the viewing areas of the tank to prevent them from getting startled. This is classically angels, GBRs and discus. Gosh I hope you are successful. I have admired these Zebra Acara for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 (edited) So breeding status update . . . . no fry. 😞 @Beardedbillygoat1975 I don't know about other's experiences with Zebra Akara, but mine don't spook ever. In fact, they are the most personably fish I've ever owned. When I enter the room, both male and female come up to the glass to greet me and watch what I'm doing (obviously they want food). Even if these never ever produce fry, I really enjoy having these fish. They are slow and peaceful and colorful, and just all-around good natured. As for earth worms, yeah agreed. If you see them un-eaten on the bottom, siphon them out. @Jdogtrainer As for finding worms small enough, I chop them up most of the time. Nasty business! Put that on the 'downsides' list as well. Edited July 17, 2022 by tolstoy21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 (edited) In case anyone was following this thread . . . . . I got mine to breed again, but looks like they are once again doing the whole oviraptor thang. This is egg-eating session #4! I think I going to pull the cave next time and see if I can be a better parent. I "think" I know how to trigger them (and I stress "think" cause I'm reserving the right to be wrong!). It's pretty much the standard way as with many other species. Fatten them up with live foods and frozen foods. I use live black worms and frozen brine (they don't seem to care for BBS as I never see them actively eating it when I put some in). I then do a decently sized water change with cooler water to simulate a rain. I keep these fish in 100% RO water with peat pellets in a box filter. The Ph is too low for me to measure with any of my kits, so I'm just going to call it below 6. The temp is about 80F before the WC. Didn't take a measure afterwards, but I think I'm going to start taking notes next time round. I have a medium sized cichlid cave for them, which they do like, but thus far, the female prefers laying in a small terracotta pot laid on its side. Edited August 19, 2022 by tolstoy21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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