View Full Version : Gymnogeophagus "El Norte" Spawned
toddnbecka
05-01-2010, 10:42 PM
I picked up a group of 8 nice-size young ones back in March, and a pair have spawned for the first time in the growout tank. Along with the other 6 Gymno's there are 6 juvie cutteri that will be doing the same thing soon, dozens of BN pleco's, and a few Akysis catfish.
I'm debating whether to rig up some sort of divider or just move them into another tank. I'm not too worried about the first spawn, there will be more to follow soon enough.
fish-n-chips
05-02-2010, 7:48 AM
congrats and good luck.
congrats. I love my gymno's.
toddnbecka
05-02-2010, 12:19 PM
They're still guarding them closely, doing a great job for new, inexperienced breeders. Meanwhile, in another tank, the oblongums have spawned too.
toddnbecka
05-10-2010, 12:19 AM
Not too surprisingly, the fry were gone when I checked last night. They took about a week to absorb the yolk sacs, and were just about completely free-swimming when I saw them last. For new, inexperienced parents they did an excellent job of guarding their brood, but with 12 other cichlids in the tank the fry were pretty certain to be eaten sooner or later regardless.
Male guarding wigglers after they were moved to the front corner of the tank:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/fishroom/P1040213.jpg
Closer look, you can see eyeballs and tails:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/fishroom/P1040211-1.jpg
I cleaned the tank thoroughly, and found a female cutteri with a small number of eggs on a rock. I'd be happier if I didn't already have a pair of cutteri in a 29 with a brood of 7 week old fry growing out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/fishroom/P1040220.jpg
The oblongum pair in the other 29 also have a nice brood of wigglers coming along. The parents will be moved out a few days after the fry are free-swimming to allow them to grow out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/fishroom/P1040236.jpg