Breeding Orange Chromides (Etroplus Maculatus)

[stripes556]

I've been trying to get my chromides in the mood to spawn, but they're not doing anything except hanging out.

I have a group of 7 raised together who are now 2-3 inches long and a year and a half old. They live in a 29G tank, heavily planted, temp 75-78 degrees, lightly brackish (s.g. about 1.003-1.006 with SeaChem's Live Bearer Salt), with two small corydoras oiapoquensis, a pair of mollies, and some snails. They are fed some cichlid pellets and some frozen foods (brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, glassworms) daily, and get occasional treats of molly fry (when the mollies cooperate) and chopped earthworms.

Does anyone know whether these guys naturally spawn during wet or dry season--that is, if spawning is triggered by cooler, lower salinity water as they would meet when it rains, or by warmer, higher salinity (and ?shallower) water during the dry season? Or if there is some other key trigger like daylength, or a particular conditioning diet?

I can't find much detail about them on the web or in my skimpy reference library, so would appreciate any suggestions for how to get them in the mood, or more info on breeding in their native habitat.

 

[olaf]

I had a bredding pair of chromides. They bred when I changed the salt content of the water.
Increse the salt a little and see if they bred.
If not try using "Spawn-Aid".
Spawn-Aid by Tropical Science
Create the ideal breeding environment with this scientific blend of ingredients proven to encourage spawning and improve the likelihood of conception. Utilizing pharmaceutical-grade L-Lysine and L-Ornithine amino acids, Spawn-Aid simulates the conditions that trigger spawning while its vitamin rich formula enhances eggs or fry. 1 teaspoon treats 20 gallons.

 

[stripes556]

encouraging spawning

Thanks for the suggestions. I posted this on another board and they also suggesting increasing salt is a trigger for spawning.

 

[pulldownyrpants]

Originally posted by olaf
I had a bredding pair of chromides. They bred when I changed the salt content of the water.
Increse the salt a little and see if they bred.
If not try using "Spawn-Aid".
Spawn-Aid by Tropical Science
Create the ideal breeding environment with this scientific blend of ingredients proven to encourage spawning and improve the likelihood of conception. Utilizing pharmaceutical-grade L-Lysine and L-Ornithine amino acids, Spawn-Aid simulates the conditions that trigger spawning while its vitamin rich formula enhances eggs or fry. 1 teaspoon treats 20 gallons.

Is that like, the spanish fly for fish?

Can chromides live in fresh water? I always thought they were a salt water fish and your brack is on the very low end.