Port Hoplo Breeding

[HummingBird]

I'm going to come into possession of a breeding pair of port hoplo and am semi-considering putting them in their own tank and breeding them - I'd just like some perspective on people's experiences with them breeding. A magazine I was reading today said they'd want at least a 3ft, preferably a 4ft tank. What size have people bred them in before? I know surface area is critical because so much of it will be taken up by the bubble nest. The fish are fully grown, about 20cm.

[rcon021]

Hope this links will help you bro

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... cies_id=14

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =&p=107726

http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm. ... icle_id=53

[HummingBird]

Thanks dude - I've almost convinced myself into setting up a new 4ft for them

[Caryl]

Well worth it. I remember one of Dunedin's members breeding them many years ago and her whole family was fascinated in the process. They are a great fish.

[Alan]

I had mine in a 4'er but the nest was not huge, maybe 200mm across.

Had it under a polystyrene plate.

DON'T put you hands near the nest.

They attacked me quite visciously.

[coelacanth]

I bred them in a 4ft tank, and the same pair also in one side of a divided-in-half 3ft. Most books recommend using the drop-in-water-temperature trick to induce them to breed but this was only successful some of the time with me. But when kept at 30 degrees they just bred easily all the time no problem. I used a plastic lid off a steam pudding bowl container for them to build their nest under (with a wire attached and clamped to the side so they didn't push the lid all over the tank). The nest isn't all that big. The 4ft was a community tank of medium-sized fish (angels and such), and the male hoplo was fine. He just sat on a sword leaf under the nest or simply hovered in the water under it, and only defended the area immediately around it. The bubbles they blow to create the nest contain chemicals that aid in the development of the eggs, and the male continually adds new ones. If in a community tank and you need to remove the nest to its own tank to keep the fry safe (the bubbles are 'sticky' and cling to the lid) you need to time it so the eggs are just about to hatch, otherwise they die very quickly. This takes some experience (it can be judged by the colour of the eggs). I tried using a transparent lid so that i could see the eggs without lifting the nest but the hoplos wouldn't use it. The fry are very easy to rear on brine shrimp etc.

[Billaney]

I'd love to give these guys a go but still on the look out for a nice fully grown Male if anyone knows one for sale

Well done with the breeding pair possession and good luck breeding them !

[Caryl]

If I remember correctly, it was a drop in water levels that started off the Dunedin ones spawning.

[HummingBird]

Thanks for all your input - I'm set on getting them a breeding tank. Now the only obstacle is convincing my parents to let me get another tank

[evilknieval69]

Nice score hummingbird! port hoplos are pretty cool fish. Make sure you keep us updated if you spawn them. Il definately be keen on some babys if you do

Oh and remember.... PICS PICS PICS!