Rol&Jas Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Hi, A few months ago I have moved 15-20 6-8cm bristlenose to a 3ftX18inchX18inch aquarium. I have created terraces in the tank, by using drilled pots and tiles, also I have put plenty of driftwood in the tank. I feed the cats with raw zucchini, lettuce, sometimes flakes and some high protein food. They seem to be very happy there as the tank now is full of little catfishes. I have a few questions: 1) Since I have 15-20 bristlenose of mixed sexes that are breeding size, can more than 1 male breed there, or is it just the dominant male that can breed? I assume, that while the most dominant male looks after the eggs and the tiny fry in his cave or shell other males could breed too. Should I split up the colony or they better all together? 2) Do I need a bigger tank for breeding or will I need a bigger tank for breeding? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 hey Roland ! I just had a pair spawn in a 3x18x18. An older male and younger female bearly 8cm. I suspect they dont like too many in a tank, maybe competition for spawning sites but I am not sure. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 G'day Roland I reckon there are too many bristlies in the one tank. They can of course all live in there it is just that it may be a bit crowded and there will be some stiff competition for breeding sites. Not only the most dominant fish will breed! Any male in a semi secure position that they feel is defendable will breed if given the opportunity. However with this many fish you may find they spend more time arguing than breeding. (I am assuming a rather large number of males here). I would split them up and put a max of 2- 3 males per 3 foot tank, or a max of 2 males per 2 foot tank. Females add as many as you have available. Best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oztroopy1 Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Hi there, I keep my BN's in standard 2ft tanks and they seem to love it, I have 1m and 2f per tank and I have 3 tanks like this each tank with a pot for the male and driftwoof for them to suck on to and for the females to hide under... Generally my BN's spawn in a cycle of Female lay her eggs in the pot 10 days later the fry are starting to leave the pot so I siphon them out and do a 50% water change the same day and they generally spawn again with in 5 - 10 days and so the cycle goes on... I am getting on average 80 - 100 fry per spawn, I am not sure if this is below average, average or above average... How many fry are other people getting per spawn ?? Thanks Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Darn!! Everyone seems to get more eggs/fry than I do per female. I have been breeding these things for years and only average 50 and a bit per female to saleable size. Mind you, I have had males brood 4 or 5 hundred eggs, but but that is because he managed to con a number of chicks into his laire. When I was experimenting with single pairs years ago, it was the female who initiated the spawning. The male just hangs upside down in his cave with his head out waggling his whiskers till a ripe female comes along. My log books tell me that females only spawned every 40 to 45 days. Have I got a dud line of BN's Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropheusQueen Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Hi, Just a point that was a little unclear in your original post......are your breeders from the same batch? Always bear in mind that if at all possible (sometimes hard to know where they all come from and if they are at all related) to introduce new bloodlines so as not to weaken the strain. There are some very different looking bristlies around Good luck. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rol&Jas Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 Thanks Guys for all your replies I have learnt a lot from them. I'm in a process to clear a 4ftX18x18 tank and I'll be able to split the colony between the 2 tanks. I think I will also try what Shaun does, to put a male and 2 females in standard 2ft tank and see how they go. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rol&Jas Posted January 5, 2004 Author Share Posted January 5, 2004 I was just wondering if you use bare bottom tanks or you use any kind of substrate. My tanks have crushed coral, because they used to be cichlid tanks, but I assume that to catch the fry a bare bottom would be more ideal. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rol&Jas Posted January 5, 2004 Author Share Posted January 5, 2004 I was just wondering if you use bare bottom tanks or you use any kind of substrate. My tanks have crushed coral, because they used to be cichlid tanks, but I assume that to catch the fry a bare bottom would be more ideal. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oztroopy1 Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 Hi Roland, I setup my actual parents tanks with gravel on the bottom, driftwood, about 6 - 7 fake little plants, and the pot the male lives and raises the fry in, the reason i set it up like this is to replicate a natural environment as best as possible so that way they feel most relaxed and I can not say definately whether or not mine breed so frequently because of this but they do so I am gonna leave it this way... Even with the gravel in the bottom if you have a piece of clear tube around 6 - 7 mm inside diameter to suck the babies out with then you don't pick up much gravel, I suck all the babies into a little 2 litre container and then put them in the grow out tank that way any small amounts of gravel I do pick up, I just tip back into the adult tank. Although in my fry tanks all I have in there is a pot and a piece of drift wood that way as you said it is much easier to clean up, I will try and post some pics of my setup some time over the next few days anyway hope this helps you out. Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rol&Jas Posted January 5, 2004 Author Share Posted January 5, 2004 Thanks Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaman Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 I think I will also try what Shaun does, to put a male and 2 females in standard 2ft tank and see how they go. I raised the issue of best ratio some time ago, I'm sure I was told that the best ratio is 1 Female to 2 or 3 Males? Did I get my wires crossed somewhere? Doesn't there have to be more males because they're the one's who guard the fry? Cheers Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oztroopy1 Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 I have actually up'd my ratio now, I have 3 females and 2 males per tank and I have had 3 spawns in one week, and I have 3 more of my females looking like they are about to POP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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