Babies!!!!!

IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
So I've had my Banggai female for about 2 months, I originally had two males but they fought, so I kept the more dominate of the two. They pretty much immediately clicked and about 26 days ago they shacked up.

The male is about 5 months and the female is about 9 months old. This is their (and my) first attempt at babies, and he went full term and released happy healthy babies about 25 days post spawn.

This is the grow out set up
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The first 10 out (there were eventually 18-20 released)
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These are the ones released the day after the first 10 got out. I think there are about 10 still in there in this shot
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IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
Well it's like 101 dalmatians. I have 20 now and there's still more in his mouth. He looks like he's getting impatient now - or hungry :)
 
IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
I've got 26 and STILL more in his mouth. He is actively trying to get them out now. he's gaping his mouth right over the fake urchins. The babies are like the Stooges and all trying to get out at once but can't fit so they give up for a while then do it all over again. On a sad note - I've lost my first baby. Unsure why, but all the rest bar 1-2 are doing good. A couple hang right at the surface. They can swim down, so I'm just hoping the like it at the top.

They all have nice red bellies, so am pretty happy with progress so far
 
Frankie

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
A few losses are to be expected. What a cool fish to breed. Well done!
It sounds very comical the way you describe the male trying to get them out LOL!
 
deehz

deehz

Member
All I can say is wow! This is cool. Congratulations and keep us posted with your babies. Good luck!
 
IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
Well there's 29 now, and one last one in his mouth. That last one has been in there 3 days longer than the first escapees. Has anyone else come across this? I've read about males not going full term but what about extra term? He hasn't eaten for 3 days off a month. I'm happy though, it seems the fish are a lot more comfortable and actively hunting 3 days post release.

At night, the sink down to the bottom then lights on they all go to the surface, take a gulp of air then start hunting. Like clockwork - every day that happens. Is that normal?

I've also read that they are prone to swim bladder issues which causes bobbing? How is this recognisable from their normal bobbing swimming action?

Cheers
 
IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
The male has finally emptied his mouth. Final count +/- 1 or 2 is 31.

I noticed while the male very hungry and aggressive with the food, he only ate a little bit. Do their stomachs shrink having not eaten for a month?

Here's some pics. I know the floor is dirty, I'm vacuuming it in the next couple of days.

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IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
So I ended up with 31 babies, I lost one to natural causes and a whopping 10 to the Dad.

It's crazy, he held them for nearly a month without eating. First day with an empty mouth, I fed him, he wasn't too enthused but ate. Next day he didn't eat at all. It took me a little while but mystery solved. He went rougue and ate 10 babies - back to the display he went.

They are 11 days old post release and all doing great. Some are still bobbing but they are obviously getting enough food so hopefully they sort themselves out at some stage. So now, 20 little babies about 1 cm head to tail.

I'm happy
 
IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
They are still being fed on newly hatched brine shrimp. I haven't been enriching them or anything. I haven't had any problem with sudden fright syndrome and have had to catch the male, have done water changes including vacuuming the bottom and there is usually a face staring at them too :) I wonder if it has anything to do with them being naturally released (after being held full term) as opposed to being tumbled artificially.

But yes, everything is going good - almost too good. I'm just scared of a mass suicide at 3 weeks or something when I try to get them on frozen foods
 
bbe22

bbe22

Member
Those are some beautiful urchins, never heard of anybody breeding them but congrats! I can't really see them in the pics, I assume it's because they are so tiny. Also, those fish look really nice. ;)


Grats man, breeding fish is a rewarding, albeit tough, experience. They look great, keep us updated.
 
Rhodes19

Rhodes19

Active Member
IamELMO said:
They are still being fed on newly hatched brine shrimp. I haven't been enriching them or anything. I haven't had any problem with sudden fright syndrome and have had to catch the male, have done water changes including vacuuming the bottom and there is usually a face staring at them too :) I wonder if it has anything to do with them being naturally released (after being held full term) as opposed to being tumbled artificially.

But yes, everything is going good - almost too good. I'm just scared of a mass suicide at 3 weeks or something when I try to get them on frozen foods
Click to expand...

Cool Beans. Thanks. I'm sure they will turn out fine. After watching Woodstock breed her fish and now your's I'm thinking I'd like to give it a try. It will be a while though, way too many other things that need to be done first. :)
 
IamELMO

IamELMO

Member
day 24 post release. They're doing great. One is showing major symptoms of swim bladder issues, he's one of the bouncers but is now not quite bouncing up and down, he's lost his Y axis :(

Still, pictures time!!!!

24Daysold.jpg


24daysrightside.jpg


Thegang24days.jpg


That's three different photos, not just the same one cropped over and over
 
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