Honduran Red Points-

[kianna]

It all started with a 29 gal I bought at Petsmart on their $ sale. Bought a stand, painted the bottom and back of the tank black, added an AC 70 with 3 sponges (2 were well seeded) and a heater that I already had. Threw on a light, a couple of clay pots and some silk plants for quick decorations.

Now onto the Hondurans:

I had a male HRP in with some yellow labs for the last year. They were all given to me as small babies and I was never that crazy about him. Anyway he grew and became quite striking IMO. Heres some pics of him:














Placed him in the new 29 gal and did a some water testing to make sure my well seeded sponges were doing their job. Gave him some extra attention and feedings....in hopes of getting him prepared for a possible new girlfriend.

Then I recently bought what I thought was a female....just going on some belly colorations. She's been in QT for 3 weeks doing really good. Heres some pics of her:

















I added her to his tank and it was love at first sight for him! He started immediately doing dances and shimmeys for her but she didn't seem too interested at all. He followed her around like a little lost puppy. I was just happy that she was in fact a "she" and they seemed to tolerate each other.

Well I took these pics of the male and female yesterday and this morning I found this...




So sometime last night they spawned! Doesn't seem to be alot of eggs but thats ok. Mama seems to be the one tending the eggs and papa's just hanging out near by. I did stick my hand in the tank to turn the pot just enough so that I could photograph the eggs and neither one seemed the least bit interested in my hand. When I was breeding GBR they attacked me everytime I did anything in the tank.


Soooo now what! Breeding HRP is new for me so any information you guys/gals have would be much appreciated.

Some Q's I have:

1. Are they normally good parents?
2. Should I expect them to eat the eggs the first few spawns?
3. How long before the eggs hatch....free swimming?
4. What do I feed the fry?

 

[GuppyGirl1230]

WOW!! Those are some gorgeous fish!!! Congrats on the spawn!! How big are the male and female? I am subscribing! This is really interesting!!

 

[SubRosa]

1 Yes they are
2 It doesn't always happen, but don't be surprised if it does. If it happens more than
3 or 4 times start to worry.
3 Depending on temp they should hatch on the second day, and be up swimming 2-3
days after that.
4 They'll take finely ground flake food but frozen Cyclopeeze, live BS or microworms
are much better.

In order to get the fastest growth you should move them to their own small tank for raising. Feed them way too much, way too often, and keep the water quality pristine with daily water changes while you're doing it and their growth rate will astound you.

 

[nguyendetecting]

congrats! nice pair!

 

[tayhudson]

Congrats!! They are both beautiful fish. I'm definitely subscribing to see how this all works out. Good luck!

 

[Pittbull]

They look nice

 

[nano cichlids]

Some Q's I have:

1. Are they normally good parents?
2. Should I expect them to eat the eggs the first few spawns?
3. How long before the eggs hatch....free swimming?
4. What do I feed the fry?

1. Yes there like convicts but smaller and less aggressive. They should take failry good care of there fry.
2. I'd expect his spawn to be eaten it's there first try as a pair.
3. About 3-4 days hatch and another 5 days after that for free swimming
4. I feed liquifry but this is for fry you pull from the parents. Keep feeing the parents whatever you've been they will break the food up in there mouths and let it go trough the gills to feed the fry.

 

[GEV83]

1. Yes there like convicts but smaller and less aggressive. They should take failry good care of there fry.
2. I'd expect his spawn to be eaten it's there first try as a pair.
3. About 3-4 days hatch and another 5 days after that for free swimming
4. I feed liquifry but this is for fry you pull from the parents. Keep feeing the parents whatever you've been they will break the food up in there mouths and let it go trough the gills to feed the fry.

Yea now it makes sense. No wonder my Jack Dempseys turned into such messy eaters. Those little butt munchers lol.


Nice HRP you got there. Hope they become good breeders. They will produce larger spawns as time goes on. So no worries.

 

[kianna]

Thanks everyone!

Well all the eggs are still there (fingers crossed).

The only thing left to do is cover the intake tube on the AC70. It's on the opposite end of the tank so its fine for now. I'll wait and see if they hatch first.....and cover before free swimming.

Tank temp is about (79) so hatching should be soon.

I'll post updates on any progress!

 

[platytudes]

Subscribed!

If I had an extra tank, and I could do a cichlid species tank again, I would definitely choose HRPs. In fact, I'm strongly tempted to empty out my livebearer tank (Endlers and platies) and do HRPs.

I'm sure you've seen this article since it's the first Google hit:
http://www.gcca.net/fom/Archocentrus_sp_Honduran-Red-Point.htm

I love the GCCA, they always have splendid info.

I hope you get some spawns in the future and offer them up in the marketplace here