Re: NANFA-- breeding darters/food -Long

R. W. Wolff (choupiqu_at_wctc.net)
Sat, 18 Jan 2003 10:40:28 -0600

Darters have different methods of spawning. If I remember right there was an
article in a past AC written by Ray Katula that explains different tank set
ups for different types of darters, and he think he mentioned in them which
methods some spawned with. Having a combination of areas would improve the
odds of them spawning if you can't find out which spawn in which manner.
Some fine gravel or sand for egg buriers, some java moss or similar object
( killifish mop) for egg scatters and attachers, and a cave for the nesting
types ( I know fantails do this). American Aquarium Fishes also outlines
most species requirements. This is especially useful for the "maybe down the
road I will want to try some of these" situtations.

As for green water, the stuff I have is actually euglena. Since its a single
cell animal with chlorophyll and not plant, it will not cause troubles in
your tanks, atleast it hasn't in mine. I can cloud a tank of fry with it,
and it usually dissapates in a day or two. You can tell fry are eating it
since their stomachs will look black. They don't live well without bright
light. I have kept my cultures going for years in a window sill south
facing. I use clear plastic shoe boxes. They stay in suspension without any
current. Feed them pellets ( actually the snails that live in there break
down the pellet and I think the green water feeds off the bacteria from the
waste of the snails). Snails are an important part of green water and
paramecium cultures, not to mention they are a good source of food too and
produce good numbers in these cultures. Paramecium is much easier to
culture, and do benefit the tank by eating bacteria in the water. I base
this on the observation of them clouding around a dead fish. Paramecium I
raise in clear shoe boxes too, but in a room with 24 hours of light from a
67 watt bulb. That is to add heat near the ceiling for brine shrimp
hatching, other than that the same as the green water. Put in snails and
pellets and away it goes. To get a bloom feed heavely. You can tell the fry
are eating them because the fry stomachs will be white. The only problem (
well not really) is cyclops showing up. These then turn into cyclops
cultures, and make good food for many fish , that can catch them. Some fish
just can't get the knack of getting them, but others are masters at catching
the whirling, darting cyclops. They are a good sub for bbs for fish that eat
them well. Another great live food easy to culture is vinegar eels. They are
some kind of small "worm" that lives in apple cider vinegar. They are very
small. All that is required is a jar of apple cider ( the cheaper the
better, no additives) 50/50 with water and a slice of apple. They often
appear in the solution on their own, but getting a starter is better. they
are virtually indestructable after that. They also, unlike micro worms, live
in a tank until they are eaten, or atleast long enough.

Now if only larger food items were as easy to culture. Grindal worms are a
bit bigger and easy, but it seems the larger the harder. Gammurus are tough
to get numbers of , as are black worms. I still can't get a red worm culture
to produce enough to feed my fish and herps enough.

Ray
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