Aqua Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Hey all, who do I need to speak to about breeding WCMM? I'm purely gathered data atm, until I can get all the conditions I need perfect. Also, just to show my complete ignorance in all things breeding, but how the hell do those little breeding nets work? Y'know the ones I mean... The little green net-thing that clips onto the inside of the tank?? Any and all info would be gratefully received Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Hi Aqua Nothing to breeding WCMM's. They are pretty easy. Wcmm's are able to be kept in both cold and tropical tanks I was given 5 or 6 about 7 months ago, these were put into our fish room to spawn away and guess what... Nothing!!!! (Who said it was easy) They were in a tank that was heated to around 26 degrees with the bottom of the tank covered in Willow Moss So after a month or 2 ...I put them into a different tank that has a temp of around 22 degrees again with Willow Moss covering the bottom, within 2 weeks there were hundreds of them, these guys (and girls) just dont stop!!! The older Wcmm's will eat the smaller ones as well so it is best to seperate any of the smaller ones asap So IMHO the temp is the key to breeding these guys Hope this helps /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Get a number of white clouds, preferably a few more males than females, put them in a 2ft or larger tank with plenty of plants and wait. Eggs hatch in about 72 hours. You do not need a breeding net as these are for live bearers. The adults do not eat the young so do not need to be removed either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 ERK! Now I have conflicting opinions... Bruce - do you mean that the adults eat the fry, or that the older fry eat the younger fry?? :-? I'm planning on moving to a 600*300*300 tank in a week or so's time, so I'm definately getting more minnows!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Hi Caryl Bruce - do you mean that the adults eat the fry, or that the older fry eat the younger fry?? The Older Fry Eat The Younger Fry, the parents are pretty good. /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 I never had too much trouble with fish eating fish but if you have plenty of fine plant for the little ones to hide in, like Java moss, you won't lose too many. Since they spawn in reasonably large numbers, losing a few won't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 I never had too much trouble with fish eating fish but if you have plenty of fine plant for the little ones to hide in, like Java moss, you won't lose too many. Since they spawn in reasonably large numbers, losing a few won't matter. Java Moss? I had a nosey around for that at Jansens the other day, and ti was like, over $30! All I wanted was a little clump of it... They didn't have any either, it was just written on a tank I don't even know what plants I've got in there at the mo... One of them sorta looks like stems with lettuce leaves on it, and the other one is like, the generic tank plant, I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Have a look under FNZAS Plant Survey Java Moss http://www.fnzas.org.nz/index.php?id=320&user_plants=140 /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 I take it Java Moss takes well in cold/fresh water? Looks kinda spindly.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 In Auckland your coldwater tank is not going to actually get that cold. The picture of Java moss in the survey is of a single strand. The moss forms a dense clump which very small fry can swim through but the bigger fry can't so the little ones have somewhere to escape to. I have never seen it costing $30!! We give it away down here. PM me your address and I will post some (I am sure someone in the local club will have some at the moment). If I put it in a sealed bag it will be OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 Yet another question!!! What would I be feeding wcmm fry on? I'm scared that they're gonna breed on me before I'm ready for them!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted January 6, 2003 Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 A friend of mine breeds these constantly and uses only geen water at first, then finely crushed flake food. If you place a container of aquarium water in a place where it will get direct sunlight, it will turn green in a short time. You can also feed infusoria if you can culture some, or use a liquid fry food from your local fish supplier. Old water that has gone cloudy from a vase of flowers contains infusoria. just use an eye dropper and squirt some into your fry tank. Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 are infusoria visible to the eye? YAY I've just got two new tanks Gotta scrub them out, and clean them, but the wcmm's will soon have a new home :-) D'ya think it's worth breeding them in a separate tank, or would that just be far too much effort for no use?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 6, 2003 Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 Good to see you have the breeding bug :evil: :evil: :lol: Are you sure 3 tanks is enough???????? What I do is set the parents up in their own tank wil the java moss in no time soon you will see the little guys swimming around the top, well if you have good eye sight any way, (My wife finds ours) Get a very fine fish net and take them away into another tank. no filter and a small bit of java moss Feeding them is not a problem, green water is good, also you could hard boil an egg, seperate the yolk and mix a little yolk with water and mix well and pour that in, after about 3 weeks they should be old enough to eat finely crushed flake Good luck /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 Yeah, I've been given a fishnet with the tanks I just got - along with a pump, gravel (i'm in the process of cleaning it all), testing kits for Nitrite & ammonia & pH, an u/g filter, which I'll use for the smaller tank (445*225*225mm), as it covers most of the base... Will get a new u/g filter for the big tank (605*305*305mm), but I think I'll start by moving the fish to the 445 tank, and keeping the bowl for stasis or breeding... And HEAPS of other stuff!! God Bless Trademe.co.nz!!!! :lol: YUP - definately been bitten by the breeding bug! I wonder who supplys the local pet shops with WCMM - maybe me soon! Unless, of course, I'd be treading on anyone's feet in the process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Right - quick question peeps! In my coldwater tank, I've got me some wcmm & 1 (one) peppered catfish... I was just wondering - WHEN my minnows get around to breeding, how likely is it that the catfish is gonna eat the lil babies?? (envisions fat b*stard - "I et a bebby" :lol:) obviously, I wana keep as many of the little 'uns as I can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 very good u have to take him out to breed them and put some pants in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 that could be interesting... How long would he need to be in a separate tank for? I *do* have a tropical tank as well, that needs a grubber to clean up that one, but the shock would probably kill him... :-( Failing that, I do have a small 5.5L tank he could live in! no filter for it tho. :-S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 I would not have thought the cat would be a problem as it lives down the bottom (mostly) and the WCMM babies will swim around the top of the tank. Float lots of java moss (you should get it today as it's on its way) and the babies will hide in it where the catfish can't get them. I have never had catfish eat WCMM fry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 OOooh that sounds more like it! :lol: I think the postie is hiding the moss from me hehehe I've been checking every time I have a break! :roll: well, I'll give it a go with the catfish in there, and if he eats them, then I'll remove him :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Caryl said... > I would not have thought the cat would be a problem > as it lives down the bottom (mostly) and the WCMM > babies will swim around the top of the tank. I mostly agree with Caryl. The catfish will probably get a few eggs, the adults will probably get a few but there'll be plenty to go around and the adults will keep spawning anyway... WCMM fry are very small though, it can be a bit of a trick to spot the first one. Usually they're found stuck to the glass near the water surface and look like little slivers of glass with two black dots at one end (the eyes). It's not unlikely there's some fry in your tank already... Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Shining a torch down on the water helps too - they reflect the light a bit. One guy I know, who used to breed them, used a white plastic ladle to get the fry out as he was raising lots for sale. The eyes showed up against the white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 hahaha geez! Good thing I got some new glasses a couple of months ago then! :lol: Catfish has been diverted anyway, he's been translocated to the tropical tank, and to be honest, he seems happier in there than in the coldwater tank! Now just waiting for NZPost to get their A into G and deliver my moss! hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 them feed them some live food and u be away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted February 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2003 Live food... the occasional small winged bug manages to find its way into the tank... I take it that doesn't really count? What would be best to start feeding with? I have freeze-dried worm cube -y type things, but yeah, that's not really live... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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