Muzi Gold Head Comps Spawned

[Razzo]

Update/Report: the best I can tell, I discovered the fry and removed them on November 4th (2011) and right now it is the end of the day on Nov. 16th (almost 2 weeks). The Muzi fry are doing very well - I am happy to report. Here are a few specifics about the care I am giving them:

1. I have them in a 2.5 gallon nursery tank with a sponge filter & small heater.
2. I have some substrate from the main tank in the fry tank (I have a theory that some type of cover is good for their development).
3. I feed them Hikari First Bites twice a day for the first week (poured into a cup and then scoop up some tank water and swish around and then dump in the tank).
4. The 2nd week, I started feeding crushed/pulverized/powederized NLS grow. This I sprinkle on the surface and it slowly drops (which is cool to watch them take a sinking pellet). The NLS kind of time release drops which I think is perfect.
5. So, First Bites in the AM and crushed/pulverized/powderized NLS in the PM. When I am home, I will power feed a third time.
6. I do a 100%+ water change every two days using water from the main tank which is tempered source with very low nitrate readings.
7. I clean the sponge filter every other water change (rinsed in tank water from the main parent tank so as to keep my good bacteria alive).
8. More comments on these water changes: because the nursery tank is not bare glass and has substrate, I take a glass and scoop up tank water and pour it back in the tank trying to stir up debris so it can easily be vacuumed out. Once things are stirred up pretty good, I siphon out all the water except about a 1/2 inch (being very careful not to suck up the tiny altolamp fry). I then slowly fill the "fresh" water by draining it from an elevated 5 gallon bucket down into the fry tank with a smaller plastic tube (smaller tube is so the flow doesn't kill fish and toss substrate on them). I use this water to stir up the substrate to get more debris floating and then I repeat the water change a 2nd time.

Beyond that, if there is anything else humanly possible that I should be doing, please tell me

At some point, I need to move them to a bigger tank; however, I haven't figured out when that should be yet.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Russ

 

[Razzo]

Of course, I have to post a couple pics

 

[Pittbull]

Its weird Russ i have a 4" female and a 3" or right at 3" male that i have thrown together almost a year ago and they have taken to each other, right now the female is in a large shell and the male is standing guard outside the cave keeping the other Goldheads and others away. At any rate i know the female should be ready but not sure about the male but i am able to view the shell and the female through a hole in one of my THR so ifi see fry i will remove the shell..

As for you and the fry it sounds good as to what you are doing but i think 100% water changes and the stirring of the sand is a bit too much i would recommend 40% newer aged for one day water and no stirring due to allowing the fry to pick debris off the sand as a snacking effort for them and i would also recommend switching to a higher protein feeding like pulverized krill and earthworm flake thats what i am doing for my A. Compressiceps Mwela Orange and are doing great and growing nicely, mine are in a 50gal with other baby tangs like Cylindricus and albino Juliedochromis and a small colony of Syno Petricola still very small and i do weekly 30% water changes no vacuuming of substrate and i have great results..

Thanks man take care and nice photos Bro..

 

[Razzo]

Thanks Pitt.

Sounds like spawning (or pre-spawning behavior). Don't know why, but comps always seem to take a year before they will spawn for me (my orange fin comps took a year and my Muzis too). My calvus seem to spawn within a few months.

Thanks for the tips! I have pulverized krill & plankton mix that I feed my kilesa & callo fry (don't have earth worm,... yet???).
Do you think the krill/plankton mix in the AM and the NLS in the PM would be a good regimine?
How important is the earthworm flake and is that something that the big box LFS sell?

Thanks,
Russ

 

[Pittbull]

That sounds like a good plan, as for the Earthworm flake you should be able to find it but in my case they never kept the larger containers of it and at small container size it was pretty expensive so when i start using Kens foods i was able to buy a lot more and wasn't so expensive.. The plus side to Earthworms is that the proteins are high and what fish hates worms LOL..

Thanks man for the info..

 

[Razzo]

Thanks Pitt, I will try to add them to the cupboard

 

[Razzo]

Altolamprologus compressiceps Muzi Gold Head

Was happy with the photos tonight - here are a few. Hope you like

Russ

Altolamprologus compressiceps Muzi Gold Head

 

[Pittbull]

Nice

 

[Razzo]

Hey Pitt, you really helped me to start thing about proteins with altolamp fry.

My FD Krill & Plankton has about 68% protein.

I did buy a meat lovers flake in bulk, got a ton of it in the freezer. How does this sound, do you think I am OK with the proteins? Here's their description:

HBH MEAT LOVERS FLAKE NATURAL:
A superior food for many omnivorous species of fish which require meat based proteins. Contains Earthworm and Brine Shrimp for high attractant value. Recommended for Angels, Discus and just about any fish which does well on such a medium protein meat based diet.
INGREDIENTS: Fish Meal, Soy Flour, Krill Meal, Wheat Starch, Shrimp Meal, Fish Oil, Brine Shrimp, Fish Eggs, Squid Meal, Brewers Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Soy Lecithin, Beet Powder, Earthworm, Astaxanthin, Natural Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin A Acetate, Choline Chloride, a-Tocopheryl Acetate (source of Vitamin E), Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Biotin, Pyridoxine HCl, Folic Acid, D-Activated Animal Sterol (source of Vitamin D3), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Citric Acid
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: Min. Crude Protein - 42%; Min. Crude Fat - 12%; Max. Crude Fiber - 2%; Max. Moisture - 10%

Thanks,
Russ

 

[Pittbull]

Dam OK so the Protein is 68% for the Krill & Plankton right if so i would say spot on man and the protein for the HBH is normal at 42% so i would say you have a good protein percentage. 110% Protein..

Here is what i use from Ken's Foods..

Brine Shrimp flake 43%
Earthworm Flake 42%
Moist Krill pellet 1.5mm 47%
Growth pellets 2.0 50%

I buy in bulk so i can mix and match my foods. What i do is mix about half and half of each pellets are mixed together and flakes are mixed together. I feed once a day with large feedings of high proteins pellets and flakes for all of my Tanganyika's and my Mbuna receive Omega cichlid flake and NLS 2.0mm pellet,,

As for my Tanganyika fish with this food routine i have noticed tremendous growth rate and vitality..

But i agree i think your food proteins with the foods that you are using should work out just fine, i may try that HBH food..

Later man