Rocket Killies.

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ustabefast

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Jan 17, 2017
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Santa Barbara area.
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Gregg
I bought 8 of these tiny gems and put them in my 20 gallon long, which is now a very large Nano tank.
The plan is to try to breed them when they mature.

Does anyone have experience breeding these little guys?
My tds is 125, neutral PH, Nitrates 5ppm.

Here's a pic of their tank, which they share with a colony of Cherry shrimp.
Do the fish need lower PH and tds? Most literature says yes, but one home breeder told me my water is fine.
I will rehome the shrimp if need be.

P1010925.JPG
 

fishorama

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I've never kept them but your tank looks great! I didn't think they were that fussy about parameters but I could easily be wrong. RCS are not fussy either IME.

What is you substrate?
 

ustabefast

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Jan 17, 2017
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Gregg
My substrate is ecocomplete, but as you can see, it's mostly unplanted.
My understanding is Rocket Killies spawn near the surface, so I've focused on the floating Pearlweed along with a mass of Java moss attached to the glass in a basket.
The limited info. on the net suggests they need very soft water to breed, but I know of an aquarist who breeds then in medium water, ph around 7.4.
 

ustabefast

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I was given this substrate by another Hobbyist freind who wanted to rescape. I'm color blind, but I do notice it is not as black as normal.
I guess it faded somehow in his tank, or perhaps it's not ecocomplete, but it does have similar texture.

Oh, and there are lots of tannins in the water.
 

OrionGirl

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Tank will be fine. They are unfussy about pretty much everything. Make sure the cover is tight--they will find even the tiniest opening.
 

ustabefast

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I have an Eclipse 3 hood over the tank, so hopefully they will stay inside!
There are some small openings for the heater, etc, however..
I am careful to approach slowly and work deliberately when servicing the tank.
 

fishorama

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Maybe it's just your tannins & lots of wood that make it look brownish to me.

I think lots of plants near the surface "help" to prevent jumpers. That lets them know the upper limit & slows them down a just little. Good luck!
 

ustabefast

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Jan 17, 2017
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Fishorama, I have added a bunch of java moss in a basket on the substrate.
Sure enough, a couple of the fish soon went down there and checked it out.
I'll add even more plant mass at the bottom so as to encourage them to swim and perhaps spawn all around.
 
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