Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Harlequin Rasbora's
On Tuesday, a pair had formed in my Rasbora's and they were spawning under the leaf of a broad leaf plant that I have. My attention was first drawn to the plant, when I kept seeing the rummy noses returning to it, again and again - as it turns out they were polishing off the eggs.
A few hours later, the spawning had stopped and that evening, I noticed what appeared to be 3 eggs still left on a leaf. I took pity on the eggs, and pulled the plant up and put it in a small 12l tank I was given, with water from the main tank, and a heater (I have a small sponge filter ordered).
On Wednesday (yesterday) I noticed what looked like 3 empty egg sacks on the same leaf, but I can't see the babies anywhere. I believe the fry attach to the walls of the tank when they first hatch, but don't become free swimming for 3 days.
I have a new micro-worm culture started in a plastic tub, and hope to feed them that or some really well crushed up flake, should they make an appearance. No-one seems to sell baby brine shrimp in Waterford, so I hope to make my own and if they survive feed them that in about a week.
I have probably done everything wrong, but thought it worth a shot - the eggs were obviously going to get eaten otherwise. Will keep you updated
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thanks for the best wishes!
Believe me, I did nothing right - I think that is largely what resulted in their spawning. I was worried that the fish weren't happy, so I did a 70l water change the evening before, and also added another sponge filter (on top of the JBL 1500 external), and I think that's what did it.
Apparently a big water change, makes them think its the rainy season
I also had a lot of bogwood in there, which brought the PH down to about 6.4, which it turns out they also like. Just a bunch of happy coincidences I guess. Also, the angel fish and gourami hadn't been added at that stage, so they probably felt more secure...,Photo of the main tank attached. As of yet, nothing to show in the little tank
Helen
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They continued to spawn all week and into the weekend (a 3 some seemed to have developed, with 2 females and 1 male
).I took a few more leaves with eggs on them, out of the main tank and put them into my little tank, but when nothing was happening (no little fry swimming around looking for food), I emptied the tank out, and found 2 very smug looking snails in the bottom of it
Who knows, maybe some of the eggs will survive in my main tank - if they do, I'll let you know!
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I can only imagine its a harlequin rasbora - as I had just transferred a filter sponge from my main tank, over to the fry tank last night (transferring the babies over to a bigger tank).
What do I do with the little guy?
I am afraid to put him back into any of my tanks, as he'll be gobbled up as a snack.
Do I put him in a breeder net, or buy one of the breeding boxes, or just float him in a margarine tub?
I have put some java moss in the jug with him - but apart from that, what can I feed him at this stage?
Thanks for any advice, in advance.
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Hopefully I'll see some babies swimming around the tank in a couple of months
(Photo of the fry attached - just about visible at the top)
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