Clown killifish breeding

[beastie]

So it has been 20 days since I got my (already mature) clown killifish from a breeder. I have 3 pairs ( didnt have extra females), they always chase each other, three males will target one female. I see breeding behavior constantly. They are housed alone in a 40 liter tank. 

The only thing that could affect the eggs are ramshorn snails, sure, I understand the risk. While the tank is not super planted, the whole surface is covered in frogbit with long roots and even one hornwort came loose and is just swimming. This leads me to believeing even if I had fry, I would not find them, not right away anyway.

I have paramecium cultures I obtained so I could feed the fry. However if I dont see the fry, I am not sure, if I should feed the tank. I feed parents daily, mostly live food, bbs, microworms, once a week I will drop hikair first bites, some frozen cyclops or sera vipan baby (powder). Is it worth it to feed the paramecium to the tank as well in a small dose over the whole surface? 

I absolutely love them and the adults utilize the whole  tank and are super fun to watch. Attaching older picture, the moss is a bit bigger, the roots are bit longer and the surface is covered on the right side as well

 

[Guppysnail]

On 8/29/2023 at 11:11 AM, beastie said:

Is it worth it to feed the paramecium to the tank as well in a small dose over the whole surface? 

It might be. My CPD breed daily. If I feed the tank sera micron every other day I see a bunch of fry clinging to walls or scooting about the top. When I don’t feed the fry they don’t seem to make it beyond stationary wigglers. Maybe they need the food to grow quick enough to not get eaten or maybe they need food just to grow enough to free swim to cling to walls. 
Anyway it couldn’t hurt to try. 

[beastie]

Yay I saw one super small fry above the hornwort in the tank on the surface!! I fed some paramecium and first bite, but ofcourse, despite being fed prior, the adults are congregated in the same part and now I do not see the fry anymore I will keep hoping for the best. But my surface is too crowded with plants so not sure if I will see anything else.

I am also removing ramshorns, as they could hurt the eggs

 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@beastie firstly a beautiful tank. The trailers on your floaters are so healthy, it’s a really great layout and as it matures it will just look better and better!
 

I would feed the adults in one spot - get a floating feeder ring or something similar - so they congregate in a spot and then I’ve fed the corners of the tank kind of alternating like @Guppysnailsaid every other day with a powder food. Using Repashy powder works just like any of the commercial fry foods and sometimes is cheaper as you get a lot more for your $$. 

Another option I’ve used is a planter like what our plants come in, also what you put pond starts in you have to make sure the holes are small enough to keep the adult clowns out and only the babies are small enough to get in.

 

I then put airline tubing under the rim and I’ve used connectors or silicone to complete the ring. I float it in the tank, put some hornwort or guppy grass in it, and then the fry have a safe place to congregate. Have fun and such a great nano setup! 

[TheSwissAquarist]

Maybe try adding some spawning mops and attempt some temperature fluctuations. I think they breed in the wild when the rainy season hits, so maybe try doing a water change with cool water and bring the temp down a couple of notches.

Best of luck!