Breeding Cardinals, q, when to remove?

[ChEeRs_BiG_EaRs]

hi guys,
im gonna start breeding cardinals, i was jsut wondering, when do i remove the fish taht are going to breed and put them into a different tank, and how will i know when to remove them. ill prob have 10 - 20 of them so i cant just let the eggs fall in the same tank or theyll be eaten, right?.
thanx guys
BiG EaRs

 

[CHINABOY1021]

hey are you talking about cardinal tetras?
I'm not sure about how to breed them, but i would like to know how you plan to breed them. what kind of water will you be using.

btw, i read that cardinals have never been bred in captivity. maybe im wrong.

thanks

 

[CHINABOY1021]

OKAY, nevermind my previous post!!!!!!

i've found some pretty good articles. they bascially say the same thing, but some other details are useful.

http://www.alloddballaquatics.com/articles/cardinaltetra.html - look third paragraph

http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/ryan_88/characins/cardinal.html - simple profile

copied from tropicalfish.net:

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Breeding Tetras

General Instructions for breeding tetras: Tetras are egg scattering minnows with adhesive eggs. Tetras like soft-acid water (dH = 2.0 - 5.0 and pH = 6.4 - 6.8). Spawning can be induced by adding water which has been boiled with peat moss to make it more acid. Add this 10% -25% to reduce pH to water in spawning tank.

Tetras can be bred in aquariums of 3 gal. to 10 gal. size. Use plenty of plants as substrate, or completely fill the bottom of a small 3-5 gallon aquarium with models. Condition females and place into breeding tank. Add males a day or two later, in the early evening. Remove spawners in 24 hours.

Tetras lay anywhere between 50 -200 eggs. Fry hatch within a few days and live the first few days on their egg sacs. Use of green water/ infusoria and nemaotodes as first foods for 3-5 days helps increase yield from spawn. Then feed newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii, when tetra fry are big enough to eat.



Feed newly hatch fry infusoria, and then on microwoms, or vinegar eels for a few days, until they are large enough to eat newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii.



Breeding Cardinal Tetras: Place in a 5 gal. tank that is well planted and darkened. Cardinal Tetras should be kept in tanks either with floating plants or dimly lit. Use soft water only. Condition spawners with brine shrimp, live brine shrimp nauplii, frozen blood worms, etc.

Slowly reduce pH to 5.8 and raise temperature 76°F. Filtering water through peat moss will lower the pH and pick up other natural organics that help motivate fish to spawn. Eggs are laid in the evening. Remove the adults after spawning occurs.

Fry should hatch after 24 hours and live on egg yolk sacs for first 4-5 days.. Feed with infusoria/green water for first 3-5 days. Feed nematodes (microwoms and vinegar eels) for the next week or until large enough to begun consuming newly hatch brine shrimp nauplii.



HTH.
im going to try it myself. most articles say they lay about 300+ eggs. imagine them all hatch and grow. whoa

 

[aquatrippe]

Hey,

a few tips to add regarding breeding cardinals.

A PH of 5.8 is acceptable.. just make these adjustments GRADUALLY ..a PH anywhere from 4.8 to 5.8 will work for breeding cardinals... They can live in higher PH ranges but for breeding purposes require soft acid water.

water hardness which is a crucial consideration in breeding these fish. You really need to get the GH down around 1.. they like very, very soft water for breeding.

You can use Java moss as a spawning medium, the advantage being that it is rich with microfauna that the tiny cardinal fry can feed on.

The article mentions a temp of 76 degrees, which IMO, is too low.. cardinals like warmth and I think you will get better results with higher temps.. 82 to 86 F think Discus type warmth with Cardinals.. they really do better.

Cardinal tetra fry are very sensitive to changes in water parameters....and water quality..

What I suggest is taking a ten gallon tank, dividing it into two 5 gallon compartments. The tank should have cardboard on the sides and back to block out light.


condition the females in one half of the aquarium and the males in the other...the side with the females should have heavy java moss on the otherwise bare bottom.


Make sure your water is extra soft and acid acheiving this gradually as you condition the breeders. the females should start to ripen ..fatten with roe after a few days of feeding live worms etc in SMALL amounts SEVERAL times a a day..feed the males the same way.

when you notice the females are plumping up, transfer the males from the other side into the female side.. DO NOT REMOVE THE DIVIDER you want to keep the two compartments.

They will usually spawn the next morning if all goes well..the aquarium needs to be kept in near darkness as the eggs and young fry are very light sensitive and need darkness to develop

They often spawn in the early morning just when the light starts to hit the open area of the tank..

Remove the breeders as soon as you notice the females are skinny again..

You will loose some eggs to predation..dont worry about it.. what are you going to do with hundreds of cardinal tetras anyway..

if you get a batch of 75 to adulthood you did well as a hobbyist.

The reason for the divider is that you can keep the young in one side while they are small..allowing them to catch their food easier and when they start to get a bit bigger and need more room you can lift the divider and double your space.

Again, cardinal fry are very sensitive to water parameter changes so keep them consistent..and use a sponge filter in the breeding tank.

Good luck!

 

[somefinnfishy]

lots of good advise there.I'm gona try to spawn my congo's

 

[aquatrippe]

Hey..

good luck breeding your Congos.. they are such awesome fish.. usually not showing their full display value in store tanks because they are shy and really need the green backgound of a planted tank to show off their subtle colours.

Just FYI... Congo tetras are, in my exp., very sensitive to nitrate levels being to high.. this is true of most blackwater fish.. including the aformentioned Cardinal tetra.

Regular water changes are a good idea for both breeders and fry.

Much of the water parameter/water quality/light sensitivity/ issues of cardinal tetras apply to Congo tetras.

Big difference being the space required [they need a larger spawning/rearing tank] and the size of the eggs and fry..

compared with most tetras congo eggs and fry are very large and can take b.shrimp naupli..IMMEDIATELY..

Don't be caught off gaurd like I was..it was a long time ago..but I remember the young are hatched out..without and egg sac..so they need to feed ASAP.

Luckily they took the frozen b.brine shrimp I had..

It was a very small brood..many of the eggs fungused and I only got about 15 to maturity....but I wasn't really trying to get numbers.. of the 15 ..the majority were females....

btw, a peat filter is appreciated...