Frustrated with p. menarambo.........

[gregga]

I have 7 adult p. menarambo, in the 6"-7" range in a 125g tank. The tank is loaded with driftwood and rocks. There are no tankmates. About a year ago, I had a batch of pink eggs that fungased over. Since then, lots of breeding behavior, but no more eggs. I've varied their diet and tank temps with no luck. I dont want to separate the group because of concerns with breaking group bonds. I'm thinking about adding some of my 5" clown loaches into the tank. Good or bad idea? I've also thought about intentionally infesting the tank with snails as a natural trigger.
Anyone have random thoughts/ideas about jumpstarting breeding behavior? I'd love to breed this species.

thanks in advance.
gregg

[ciclasoman]

Adult menarambo require lots of space, you would be doing the Fish a favor if you only kept 4 Fish in this small tank. Otherwise, move them to a 200 gallón tank. It is easier to stay on top of weekly water changes, ideal for reproduction. This Fish is a very nervous costumer so when it is stressed, the eggs dont get fertilized or fertility is very low- also happens with very old menarambo.

[sidguppy]

I wouldn't split that group; large Paretroplus can and do get very agressive in small groups.

1 pair in a breeding tank, yes. 4 adults in 1 tank; no. recipe for disaster.

also; breeding season of many African fish starts in march, pril.
so you can expect the fish to be uninterested in breeding at the moment

fiddle around with temperature! keep them a few weeks or months at 25' C, change a lot of water and then ramp up the heater to 28-29'C.
you'll see a change right away

certain food helps to get the fishes in breeding condition

for large Damba's mollusk feeding is the key. Paretroplus menarambo is like p maculatus a specialized snailfeeder. the protruding teeth in the upper jaw are for winckling snails out of their shell.
feeding with live Ramshorns (Planorbis) or Pondsnails (Physa) is a good trick, although in my experience the Damba species of Paretroplus also feed on Trumpetsnails (Melanoides), Applesnails and their eggs (Ampullaria, Pomacea) and they also relish mussels, cockles and squid.

other good food to get all kinds of fish in spawning mode: mysis, krill, black mosquito larvae, California Blackworms, gammarus and Ad Konings' famous Shrimpmix, the stuff Tropheus breeders use.

i have a large group of P maculatus and often spawns, but as mentioned; they're notoriously sloppy with fertilisation and breeding care. so no larvae here either.

at the moment they stopped spawning and my experiences with many other African cichlids (both Rift and riverine) point at low season for them. it's not yet breeding season for many African cichlids

[gregga]

sid...you have a pm

[gregga]

hey folks.....

I can use some advice. I've had 3 spawns with my adult menarambo over the past 1.5 years. Each time the eggs were either eaten or fungased. Tonight I found my dominant pair with another batch on a large rock in my 125g. The tank has 6 adult menarambo and nothing else. Temp is 80 degress and rising, since I know the fry need higher temps. I'd like your feedback:
How long would you leave the eggs in the tank?
Would you remove all other tankmates?
Should I put the eggs in a tumbler?
If I pull the eggs, should I pull ALL the eggs or just some?
Is it a good idea to put methylyn blue in the 125g tank?
Would you pull the egg-covered rock from the tank and put it in a separate tank, add meth blue, jack up the heat and add a few airstones?

All thoughts and feedback is appreciated, gregg

[ciclasoman]

First off congratulations to you and your fish, you still managed to keep a relatively large group in a small tank. Mh experience with menarambo dictate the immediate removal of the eggs. Adding methylene blue to your stock tank will leave you with stressed adults as it will altered natural bacteria and destroy your biofilter. Add tank water into a 10 gallon tank and a heater set to 80 degrees no much higher or lower. I use an air pump with no filter and add 2 drops of methylene blue ( if the rock where they laid their eggs has significant algae growth the add extra 2 drops on the second day. After the fish hatch, usually 72 hrs, replace 1/2 of the volume with clean water. Use caution with methyle blue if you add too much the embrionic process will be altered and your fry will look like something from a horror movie. The only way I have been able to keep live fry is to use newly hatched artemia.
Good luck