Breeding BN's

[Teamsherman]

Thanks for the info Alan, i will definitely be getting some wood for my tanks, i think it gives a nicer natural look anyways, and if it is beneficial for the B/N's, even better.

Cheers, Alan.

[mysteriousredsuns]

in a big tank say 4ft tank dedicated to spawning bristlenose, are you guys leaving the babies in there for a while or are you taking the eggs/fry out as soon as they become free swimming? i have 2 x 2ft tanks and i am certain my technique is wrong. i should be able to spawn them all in 1 x 4ft tank just like ur "harem".

so do u ppl take the babies out straight away?

[Bristly]

MysteriousRedsuns

I take the eggs away, every time, 100% success. I have always handled my Ancistrus eggs as follows. I use a floating tank as follows.

From a two litre icecream container, cut two holes on opposite sides – a snap knife does this well but watch your fingers - from the bottom of the rim band, about 1-1 1/4" deep, about 4 1/2" wide and adhere midge-mesh to cover the holes. Vinyl cement will stick to both. Midge mesh is a very fine insect screen used in the tropics and usually stocked by glaziers more than by hardware stores. If you want a small piece to get a few tanks made, call me. I live in Docaster, Work in Springfield Rd.

On the other two sides, stick a piece of styrene foam about 1" square, 4" long. You can cut it with a snap-knife to fit the curve of the container. (you will need local advice on adhesives as many adhesives dissolve the foam). If you get stuck –sorry about the pun – Silastic aquarium adhesive will do the job but you will have to restick it in a year or two.

Remove the spawn and place it in the floating tank that you just made and put a small air stone in it. You should get 100% hatch. Float it in the parents' tank for the first week after the egg yolk has disappeared. This is important, as the fry need a gut bacteria flora from the parents to aid with digestion and they can weaste away without it.

You can closely watch the young and what they eat and keep them there for 2-3 weeks. Leave the air stone near one of the grills and it will cause a very slight flow of water through the container. To clean the droppings etc which will settle, lift the floating tank and tilt it so that the water drains through one side and help the muck out by rubbing the mesh with your finger if you need to.

Using this technique, you should have 99% or better survival during the critical first month.

Catching the fry.

If you can get hold of a hollow log, redgum preferred, about 100-150 mm across, cut it into lengths about 1/2 the water depth, you can catch nearly all your fry in one go. Stand the log on one end, on top of a net which is wider than the log. In a few minutes, most of the fry will be inside the log. Lifr the log and the net together and you have a net full of fry. Bingo! No waiting, no risk, works every time.