Substrate Spawners I: AngelsSubstrate Spawners I: Angels

Artificially Raising Substrate Spawning Fish

• Hobbyists have been artificially raising substrate-spawning fish for Hobbyists have been artificially raising substrate-spawning fish for many years. many years.

• This technique is popular for angelfish, Central American Cichlids This technique is popular for angelfish, Central American Cichlids and other substrate-spawning fish with small eggs.and other substrate-spawning fish with small eggs.

• Some hobbyists feel that artificially raising fry (i.e. pulling the spawn) Some hobbyists feel that artificially raising fry (i.e. pulling the spawn) weakens the pair bond of the fish. weakens the pair bond of the fish.

• This notion has not been explored scientifically. This notion has not been explored scientifically.

• It should be pointed out the the majority of angelfish breeders (and It should be pointed out the the majority of angelfish breeders (and many cichlid breeders) raise fry artificially.many cichlid breeders) raise fry artificially.

Angelfish Production

Topics

• BackgroundBackground• VarietiesVarieties• Water QualityWater Quality• NutritionNutrition• SpawningSpawning• HatchingHatching• JuvenilesJuveniles

Angelfish Background

• Angelfish Angelfish – Cichlidae family

• Pterphyllum scalare, P. dumerilii and P. altum

– Amazon basin and coastal rivers of the Guineas

Varieties

• ColorsColors– Silver– Gold– Black

• FinnageFinnage– Normal– Veil– Super veil

• ScalesScales– Normal– Pearl scale

• OperculumOperculum– Normal– Blusher

Silver (wild type)

Gold Marble Veil Black and White

White Blusher Black Super Veil

Chocolate Super Veil Black Marble

Water Quality

• TemperatureTemperature– 82ºF spawning

(27.8ºC)– 76-84ºF growout

• pHpH– 6.8-7.2

• HardnessHardness– Less than 100 mg/L

• DaylengthDaylength– 14L – 8D

Nutrition

• BreedersBreeders– Frozen Brine Shrimp in the morningFrozen Brine Shrimp in the morning– Flakes in the afternoonFlakes in the afternoon

• JuvenilesJuveniles– Newly hatched Newly hatched Artemia salinaArtemia salina– FlakesFlakes

• FryFry– Newly hatched Newly hatched Artemia salinaArtemia salina

Flake Feeds

15 oz Brine Shrimp1 tsp eggs with 2 tbs salt

in 2.8 liter water

Brine Hatching Station3 liter soda bottles

Spawning

• Broodstock selectionBroodstock selection– Hard to distinguish males from female

• Natural pairingNatural pairing– 6 high quality juveniles in tank– Separate when bonding commences

Spawning

• Place pair in 10-15 gallon aquariumPlace pair in 10-15 gallon aquarium• WaterWater

– 8282°°FF– 14 hrs light 14 hrs light

• FeedingFeeding– slacked out frozen brine shrimpslacked out frozen brine shrimp– FlakesFlakes

• Spawning substrateSpawning substrate

Natural PairingNatural Pairing

Natural SubstrateNatural Substrate Slate TileSlate Tile

FemaleFemale MaleMale

• 200-400 eggs per spawn200-400 eggs per spawn• Spawn every 7-10 daysSpawn every 7-10 days

2.5 gallon hatching tanks2.5 gallon hatching tanks

Juveniles

• 3 months from hatch to market3 months from hatch to market• SizesSizes

– Dime $0.50– Quarter $0.75– Half dollar $1.00 to 1.50

(These $$ are 1997 data.)

Substrate Spawners (Robbing the Nest)

• Rem: there are as many ways to raise fry as Rem: there are as many ways to raise fry as there are aquarium hobbyists and scientists. there are aquarium hobbyists and scientists.

• Before you get started…• Purchase the necessary supplies. Purchase the necessary supplies. • Make sure you have space!!!Make sure you have space!!!• Decide where you want to place the hatch tank. Decide where you want to place the hatch tank. • Observe when your fish spawn. One day post-Observe when your fish spawn. One day post-

spawning, you can pull the eggs.spawning, you can pull the eggs.

Partial Supply List

• Small hatching tank Small hatching tank • Air Pump (10 gallon size). Air Pump (10 gallon size). • Standard, plastic airline Standard, plastic airline • Gang Valve Gang Valve • Small 7.5 Watt Heater Small 7.5 Watt Heater • Methylene blue (any brand) Methylene blue (any brand) • Small sponge filterSmall sponge filter• Turkey baster Turkey baster • Hang-on or floating thermometer Hang-on or floating thermometer

Step 1

• Fill a clean, small tank or Fill a clean, small tank or container with six quarts container with six quarts of water from the of water from the spawning tank.spawning tank.

Step 2

• Remove the hatch from Remove the hatch from the spawning tank the the spawning tank the day after spawning.day after spawning.

• Avoid exposing the eggs Avoid exposing the eggs to air. to air.

• Invert the spawning Invert the spawning surface (rock, etc.) inside surface (rock, etc.) inside a cup or container.a cup or container.

Step 3

• Place the spawning Place the spawning surface (rock, etc.) inside surface (rock, etc.) inside the hatching tank. the hatching tank.

Step 4

• Aerate the water.Aerate the water.

• Take care not to blast Take care not to blast

the eggs with air. It could the eggs with air. It could

damage them. damage them.

Step 5

• If your room temperature If your room temperature is below 78F, place a 7.5 is below 78F, place a 7.5 watt aquarium heater in watt aquarium heater in the tank.the tank.

• Maintain the temperature Maintain the temperature at 78–81at 78–81°°F. F.

• A lid may help in cold A lid may help in cold rooms.rooms.

Step 6

• Add 2 drops of Methylene Blue Add 2 drops of Methylene Blue per each quart of water (any per each quart of water (any brand will do nicely).brand will do nicely).

• Methylene Blue kills fungus, Methylene Blue kills fungus, which would prevent oxygen which would prevent oxygen exhange across the egg’s exhange across the egg’s outer membrane and ultimatley outer membrane and ultimatley destroy the eggs.destroy the eggs.

• NOTE: Methylene Blue stains NOTE: Methylene Blue stains clothes permanently! clothes permanently!

Step 7

• Methylene Blue stains Methylene Blue stains the water a deep the water a deep blue. blue.

• Eggs are Eggs are light light sensitivesensitive— do not — do not put a light over the put a light over the tank.Your water tank.Your water should be darker than should be darker than the picture at right.the picture at right.

Step 8

• Use a strong flashlight and Use a strong flashlight and check the hatch daily.check the hatch daily.

• Most eggs hatch within 48-72 Most eggs hatch within 48-72 hours.hours.

• At 6 to 9 days post-spawn, the At 6 to 9 days post-spawn, the fry should be free of the fry should be free of the spawning surface at the "belly spawning surface at the "belly whomper" stage— not quite whomper" stage— not quite able to swim, but hopping on able to swim, but hopping on the bottom.the bottom.

• Remove the spawning surface Remove the spawning surface (rock, etc.). (rock, etc.).

Step 9

• As soon as the fry are belly As soon as the fry are belly whompers, start small, whompers, start small, dailydaily water changes. water changes.

• Remove a quart of water Remove a quart of water from the tank. Replace it from the tank. Replace it with fresh, dechlorinated with fresh, dechlorinated water. water.

• As you do more water As you do more water changes, the water will get changes, the water will get lighter and lighter.lighter and lighter.

Step 10

• Carefully remove the Carefully remove the debris using a turkey debris using a turkey baster or small baster or small siphon.siphon.

Fry care…

• When the fry are free-swimming, add a small, When the fry are free-swimming, add a small, seasoned sponge filter to replace the airstone. seasoned sponge filter to replace the airstone.

• At this point, start feeding freshly hatched baby At this point, start feeding freshly hatched baby brine shrimp. Feed until the tummies are nice brine shrimp. Feed until the tummies are nice and round! and round!

• Prepare a ten-gallon, grow-out tank. Use a sand Prepare a ten-gallon, grow-out tank. Use a sand or bare bottom, heater and sponge filter. or bare bottom, heater and sponge filter.

• Continue feeding baby brine shrimp. Continue feeding baby brine shrimp.

-21 days post hatch:-21 days post hatch: Begin feeding finely crushed flake foodBegin feeding finely crushed flake food

-30 days fry should be off brine shrimp.-30 days fry should be off brine shrimp.

-Weekly, 50% water changes are critical for fry -Weekly, 50% water changes are critical for fry growth. growth.

Spawning Substrate

• What if you want a natural set up??What if you want a natural set up??

• Depending on the fish species, you may choose Depending on the fish species, you may choose to utilize aquatic vegetation to complete your to utilize aquatic vegetation to complete your fish’s life cycle with.fish’s life cycle with.

Spawning Substrate Plants

Plants, Plants, Plants…

• Plants play an important role in breeding many Plants play an important role in breeding many types of fish and protecting fry. types of fish and protecting fry.

• Choosing the right plants for your fish depends Choosing the right plants for your fish depends on the growing habits and leaf structure of the on the growing habits and leaf structure of the plant, and the breeding habits of the fish. plant, and the breeding habits of the fish.

Cabomba caroliniana

• Spawning plant for many Spawning plant for many barbs and characins. barbs and characins.

• Suitable for cold water Suitable for cold water fish. fish.

• Needs bright light.Needs bright light.

Hornwort, Ceratophyllum demersum

• Rootless, floating stem plant. Rootless, floating stem plant.

• This hardy, easy to grow plant This hardy, easy to grow plant can be anchored to the can be anchored to the substrate, (but it will never substrate, (but it will never grow roots), or allowed to float. grow roots), or allowed to float.

• Great spawning plant for all Great spawning plant for all fish and gives hiding places for fish and gives hiding places for females and fry.females and fry.

Water sprite, Ceratopteris

• Planted or floating, Planted or floating, suitable for larger fish and suitable for larger fish and bubble-nest builders.bubble-nest builders.

• Easy to care for plant. Easy to care for plant.

Cryptocoryne blassi

• Broad leaf plant, Broad leaf plant, moderate light, grows moderate light, grows fairly tall, suitable for fish fairly tall, suitable for fish that like to spawn on that like to spawn on large flat surfaces, such large flat surfaces, such as Angelfishas Angelfish

Marble Queen Sword, Radican Sword

• Large broad leaf plant Large broad leaf plant

• Suitable for large fish who Suitable for large fish who like to lay eggs on large like to lay eggs on large flat surfaces, such as flat surfaces, such as AngelfishAngelfish

Foxtail, Myriophyllum

• Stem plant with soft, fine-Stem plant with soft, fine-plumed leaves. Needs plumed leaves. Needs moderate to bright light moderate to bright light and suitable for small free and suitable for small free spawning fish.spawning fish.

Water Wisteria, Hygrophila difformis

• Stem plant with thick Stem plant with thick lacey growth that needs lacey growth that needs bright light. bright light.

• Suitable for larger free Suitable for larger free spawning fish.spawning fish.

Floating plants for bubble-nest builders and Killifish:

• Water lettuce Water lettuce • Duckweed Duckweed • Riccia Riccia • Water hyancinthWater hyancinth

duckweed

water lettucewater lettuce ricciariccia

water hyacinthwater hyacinth