River Tank Babies!!!

[Emma Turner]

I've got to broach the matter with my editor first!.......

[LES..]

As ever Emma those are just fantastic images. That underside shot really shows how they are taking on the broad sewellia shape now.

[Jim Powers]

Yes, you definately need to write an article!!

[Emma Turner]

Some pics from today 20-09-2006:

Finally managed to capture one resting on a stone. It's not that they don't rest on these that often, because they do, but normally the moment I get the camera out, they're off!


Dark and disguised on the black sand substrate:


Cute group shot:


I did have a nice overhead shot which showed off the markings quite well, but I'm getting some weird glitch when I try and upload it and only half the image is displayed. Will try it again later.

Hope you liked them,

Emma

[Graeme Robson]

Awwrr! There's me little babies!!

[Emma Turner]

Sewellia fry update 05-10-2006:

I got the ruler out and measured one that was on the glass earlier, and it was at 26mm TL.




This is the little one from the 2nd batch. I know that the pics of this fish are not all that clear, but it really is still so very tiny:




This one's completely out-of-focus, but I thought worth including, as you can see the size comparison between the fry from the 1st batch (background) with the fry from the 2nd batch (foreground):


Again - 'little' (foreground) and 'larger' (background):


The fish on the RHS is from the 1st batch, and just on the left of this one, you can see the little one from the 2nd batch in a head-on position:


Overhead view of one of the 1st batch of fry:








Emma

[Jim Powers]

They just get more adorable with each batch of pictures.
From what I can find in my notes on hillstream breeding, it seems Sewellia grow faster than chenis, and similar to disparis.
My first batch of chenis took 4-5 months to grow to 1" and a year to reach 1.75"
My disparis grew to 1.5 inches in 4 months.

[shari2]

Emma,

They are so cute! Starting to get that grown up lip line already.
We need a page on the updated site for just this series... linked to the entry on the index, of course.

[Emma Turner]

Thought it was about time for another Sewellia fry update. I took these photos late last night 20/10/2006 - they are all fish from the first batch, the single fry from the second spawning is growing well, but is a little shy.
These little ones are getting quite stroppy with one another - lots of raised dorsals and chasing off of certain prized stones etc.

This first shot is not all that sharp (and are a bit dark ), but does show several of them congregated on the sand:



I was pleased with this shot, captured resting on a stone near the front of the tank:
















Underside:




I don't think it will be too long before we'll be moving some of them into the main tank. Probably at the beginning of December, once Graeme has had his three from me.

Emma

[Jim Powers]

Great pics, Emma!! They do like they are starting to get a bit fiesty, just like the adults.

[Martin Thoene]

It's nice to see the adult patterning gradually appearing.

Martin.

[Emma Turner]

Thank you.
I'll try and put together a composite pic of the pattern development at some point when I find some time......

Jim and Martin (and LES.. if you're reading) have you found that your P. cheni always spawned during daylight hours? I still wonder whether the Sewellia spawn at night as I have spent so much time observing them during the days with no obvious signs. I'm due to go into the filter again in just over a week or so, so fingers crossed there might be a nice surprise for me again. I was just curious as to whether you observed any obvious spawning sign with your chenis 'after hours' as it were?

Emma

[Jim Powers]

I would say the chenis spawned during the day. Sometimes, however, they would still be digging the nest when the lights went out.

[Graeme Robson]

Superb update, Emma!

Thanks.

[Martin Thoene]

Yep.....they like to have fun with the lights on.

Martin.