Bristlenose Eggs

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starsplitter7
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Location: Tampa, Florida

Bristlenose Eggs

Post by starsplitter7 » Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:01 pm

Yesterday I was watching my Bristlenoses pushing and shoving, and figured there might be a new clutch of eggs. I wanted to give them their privacy and not get too nosey, but them I saw my 1 inch killie fish racing around the tank with a mouthful of huge orange eggs half the size of his body. I actually caught him, because the eggs made him so heavy he couldn't swim away. I figured that he'd continue stealing eggs, so I moved the male BN, the clutch of eggs and the cave to the BN nursery where I have the fry from 3 months ago. The clutch came loose from the cave, and the male is following them around the tank fanning them. The fry are about 1-1.5 inches, and for the most part they appear to leave the big male and the clutch of eggs alone. Is there any chance these new eggs will hatch? I can't believe what a good father he is.

I have the filter intake uncovered because my old fry are large enough not to get pulled in. How should I cover it so the fry don't get pulled in, but not completely decrease the flow? I usually use panty hose but the flow gets reduced significantly. With the amount of feeding I hate to reduce the flow.

mpeterb
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Location: Bronx, NY

Post by mpeterb » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:47 pm

I also found that pantyhose clogged too fast. I use loose, coarse sponge to cover filter intakes

The sort of sponge that goes in the fluval internal filters, or the aquaclear HOBs does well, so does this - http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ct ... t20x35x525

It doesn't have to be cleaned very often.

starsplitter7
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Fri Sep 24, 2010 8:38 pm

Thank you for the suggestion.

Do you just cut it and stuff the intake into the sponge? Or do you put a piece of sponge in the intake?

mpeterb
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Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:39 am
Location: Bronx, NY

Post by mpeterb » Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:20 am

I put a hole in one and then put it over the the intake whole - In my experience if you cut them small they tend to clog.

I guess it isn't that pretty, but it turns a canister or HOB intake into a sponge filter, with all of a sponge filter's benefits; fry safe, fish will pick from it, and a fine biological/mechanical filter.

starsplitter7
Posts: 5054
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:25 pm

Thanks. My tanks are far from pretty. Function is what I am going for. I appreciate the reply. :)

mpeterb
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Location: Bronx, NY

Post by mpeterb » Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:56 am

My pleasure. :D

starsplitter7
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:14 am

Yesterday I did a water change on the BN nursery. I had noticed that the male wasn't as conscientious about the eggs. Sometimes the eggs were alone, and some of the older fry were mouthing the eggs. So I assumed the eggs were dead and after the water change I intended to move the male and his cave back to his normal tank. I was going to flip the cave over, and move him in the cave to reduce stress. I flipped the cave, and it was filled with tiny fry that the male was fanning. The fry are about 1/2 inch and have their yolk sack. Then I looked in the water bucket and there were fry in it. I had also removed the plants for a rinse, and found fry in there. I fished them out with a teaspoon and put them back in the tank near the male.

I am just astounded at how the male managed to get the eggs back to the cave in time for a hatching (or did he herd the fry in there?) and that the larger fry didn't hurt the eggs when they were mouthing them. Nor is anyone bothering the fry with yolk sacs scattered around the tank. I just can't believe what a great dad the BN is.

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TeeCeeJay
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Post by TeeCeeJay » Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:19 pm

Must be the season for BNs. I have about 40 7-day old fry.

My son and I have an agreement whereby when some of his rocks and wood gets too covered in algae for his Otto to cope with, it goes into my tank to get cleaned by my pair of BNs and the clean stuff from before goes into his tank.

A couple of weeks ago we did a 'rock swap' which included his terracotta vase ornament, when it was clean, I went to pick it up and put back in his tank, only to notice a big clutch of eggs and the male fanning them, so it has had to remain in my tank and I now have the above mentioned minature BNs just starting to roam free around the tank.

I am going to move the vase (and as many babies as are left in) back into my son's tank, in order to avoid the loaches (4,5 &6 inches) getting a free lunch. It will also make it easier to catch any fry in his tank rather than in mine which is full of roots and places to hide!

Hope to add a pic soon.

TC
Everyone has a photographic memory, some have just run out of film.

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Botia Robert
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Post by Botia Robert » Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:29 pm

Thats really great to hear about some BN breeding.

I wonder if you guys could look at my BN post. I am having difficulty keeping BN for some reason.

starsplitter7
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:48 am

Congratulations TeeCeeJay on your baby Bristlenoses. I am so incredibly excited about mine, because I have never had any fish hatch from eggs.

Yesterday I took Baby BNs and Red Cherry Shrimp to my fish club auction and made $26. I am amazed. I usually give them away for free. Never occured to me anyone would actually buy them. :) I am pretty happy.

I do the same thing you do. When my decorations are overrun by algae, I move them to the pleco tank for a cleaning. Then they go back to their normal tank.

I also moved a decoration to find BN fry in it. I put it back in the nursery tank. I also have about 40 7 day old fry right now with my 30 or so 3 month old fry.

I am very surprised that the first hatch of BN fry was in a tank with skunk loaches, and there was no problem. I moved the second clutch of eggs, because of my young killie fish who has a taste for eggs. No one else bothered the eggs or fry.

starsplitter7
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:14 pm

There must be something in the water at my house. Now I have a clutch from July, one from September, and last week my albino BN decided it was time to spawn, so I have several 1 week old albino BN fry with a clutch of eggs. I created a planted BN grow-out tank, and I have moved all my BN fry (1/2"-1.5") and put them in the grow out tank. I have two filters with screen over in the intakes and a big sponge filter. I hope that keeps everyone healthy. I also have three tiny B. striata and 1 yoyo in the tank, but they don't seem to be bothering anyone inclusing the breeding cherry shrimp.

Today I put a big net in the albino tank, and I picked up the male's cave, with him, fry and eggs all in the net. I took him to the grow-out tank. He swam away. I put the eggs back in the cave and put the cave against the glass so that one of the two holes is sealed off. I scooted the male near his cave, and walked away. I returned ten minutes later, and the male was back in his cave fanning his eggs. Good boy! :)

So now I have two tanks of BN breeding. A common BN and the albino of the common BN. Very exciting for me. :)

starsplitter7
Posts: 5054
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Post by starsplitter7 » Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:24 pm

Here's the November newsletter for my fish club (TBAS). There's pictures of my BN male and a picture of one of the fry. Page 6 and 7. It shows a picture of the male's nice bristles and some of his great spotting and patterns. I love the loops on his back.

http://tbas1.com/TBASpdf/TBASnov20010D.pdf

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ahmandi2
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Great article!!!!

Post by ahmandi2 » Wed Nov 03, 2010 8:28 am

Wow, that is SUCH a great article in your fish newspaper!!! And that one pic of the male bn, his bristles are crazy lol! I never knew that THAT is how they're supposed to look, never having seen one mature.
You write so eloquently, I loved reading your article. Thanks for the link!!!
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

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