Simian Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 At long last my pair of red whips have gotten jiggy :bounce: I have done some looking into raising the fry and it would appear they are tricky to keep alive, what's the secret boys and girls? I am getting conflicting advice from the web and would like to hear from someone who has actually raised them successfully a few times. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 sorry have never bred them. they shouldnt be too different from others? regular water changes, BB tank, courgettes, cucumbers to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I've found with Royal Whiptails, Sturisoma festivum, that you need to have a relatively dirty tank because the fry feed on microscopic critters in the muck. You still need to do water changes but don't vacuum the bottom. I don't know if Red Whiptails are the same but I wouldn't be surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 only time my common whips bred was when i neglected them and the tank was majorly overgrown with indian fern. may of been feeding microworms but cant remember tbh. only had 6-10 get to adult size They still lay aggs every so often now but if i see wrigglers they dont last long :-? definately seem abit harder to raise compared to bristle noses. good luck the reds are very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted April 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 I had a chat with Mannie (Malawi man from T.A.) yesterday and hes has enlightened me. It would appear that the greener the tank the better, he even supplied me with some nice alage covered moss to give my grow out tank a kick start, a light on for a few days 24/7 should give the little buggers enough to eat ....fingers crossed. I'll let you know how I get on. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted April 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 only time my common whips bred was when i neglected them and the tank was majorly overgrown with indian fern. may of been feeding microworms but cant remember tbh. only had 6-10 get to adult size They still lay aggs every so often now but if i see wrigglers they dont last long :-? definately seem abit harder to raise compared to bristle noses. good luck the reds are very nice Bloodworms, 27.8 degree water and a good cold water change worked for me. Siphoned off the fry I could see and transferred to a grow out tank once free swimming. Try that Mincie they are probably much the same. Let me know if that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 bloodworms works here to normally drop them in at night time & after a few days theres normally eggs in one of the caves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melrick1 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 congrats on the fry simian! Good to see they are doing well and "getting to it" so to say lol. keep us updated on them and shoot up some pics for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted April 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Thanks Melrick, They just needed the right temp and some privacy to get jiggy. They are still alive, after a week, tiny still but active, I have them in green water with some really manky Java moss and other plant trimmings. daily 20% waterchanges, leaving sludge etc in the tank for them. I'm adding a small amount of decap BS eggs, but am unsure if they are feeding on them. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 2 weeks on from free swimming. They still appear to be doing well (hard to see through the green water) but pics will be hard. I have anchored a piece of silverbeet which I am unsure if they are munching on and replaced the decap with microworms. 20% water change daily. they are about 10mm long now but still pretty much all tail.I leave the light on 24/7 to keep the algae going strong, I will reduce the on hours to 12 after this week as they should be moving off algae onto more solid food over the next few days. I'm trying to get a good daphnia culture going in a spare tank with the excess green water from my water changes, I have never had much luck keeping daphnia inside so fingers crossed. the more reading i do on these guys the more i find that they appear to prefer a meaty almost Hypan diet, I am worried about constipation tho. do you think a very small dose of epsom salts once per week would be an idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted April 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 Made it to the 30 day mark :bounce: Minimal losses and they appear to have put on a growth spurt in the last week. Size = 18ish mm nose to tail. Male has eggs in his cave again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 Well done. Must be doing something right eh Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 :bounce: Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr pleco Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 excellent news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Second batch free swimming yesterday, I have saved approx 30 fry to date. 1st batch seem to be doing well now at 2cm+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 :bounce: :bounce: awesome stuff! they are such a cool looking fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 welldone! Any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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