Let's Talk 'Celestial Pearl Danios' or 'Galaxy Rasbora'

[L777]

To all who are new to this great little fish:  a dedicated site has been set up for them at http://www.celestialpearldanio.com.  Great bulletin board, with a mountain of breeder information starting to pile up.

I've gotten over 50 free-swimming fry in the last week since mine started breeding.  Basically just had to add them to (their own) tank full of java moss, and keep them fattened up on microworms a few times a day.  Had several fry/day appearing in the water column after less than 3 weeks.

Good luck to all!
- Dean

[dan2x38]

Awesome L777 good stuff... that s a great site I found it awhile ago tons of first hand info... I got a batch almost ready to move out on their own... LOL

[Dr. Ashtray]

Some CPDs just sold on eBay... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220154484976

The buyer was in the US and paid $20.50 for shipping plus $31.00 for Five CPDs.

Not too shabby!!

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

I have about 70-80 almost ready to go. About 30 within 10-14 to sex & sell, full colour. The rest will take a month or so. I have limited space so past month have not been trying to spawn them. A day or so ago I started triggering my breeders and yesterday spoted 6 new fry after having swapped out moss couple days before. Maybe I will have a nice Christmas batch...

[dan2x38]

I've had to deal with Hydra then Planaria in my breeding tank & hatchery before try to raise more fry. Plus have been waiting for the last fry to grow out. This week started changing water and conditions in breeding tank to encourage spawning.

Yesterday had 4 fry & now today up to 14 that I can count. Hopefully will keep getting more and have a Christmas batch ready to go.

[Dr. Ashtray]

I had an idea about the hydra and planaria removal.  I would throw some cherry shrimp in there every now and then to clear house.  I have them in the hatchery tank right now making sure nothing crazy grows before I put any preggie females in there to lay the eggs.  Another thing.  Are the eggs fertilized inside the female or do the males fertilize post lay per se. Haha!  I have dealt primarily with livebearers and they are pre-fertilized and most actually hold the sperm for up to five births before they need a reload.

Let me know when you have some ready to go and I am in!

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

CPDs are egg scatters their eggs do not stick to any surfaces. The Hydra kills the eggs, the larve, or newly hatched fry when they get close enough. The Planaria do the same and they move around. As for cherry shrimp I tried those but they rummage through the java moss and eat the eggs too. My hatch rates go up when there are little or no Hydra or Planaria also had to remove all the shrimp. Now I rinse the java moss before swapping it to my spawning tank. That reduces the population of preditors.

In tests I found that H2O2 will kill the Hydra and quite quickly it does kill some Planaria but not all. I also noticed it killed a lot pond snails and all their eggs. But their were 2 fry in the tank at the time of testing they survied and grew out. I concluded that any eggs would likely be dried up & inverts also would be at great risk. Fluke Tabs were recommended online from many sources (not vender) for killing both. I couldn't buy locally so I ordered 40. I tested in a tank and they killed both and I still got a hatch.

My last 2 hatches was 25-30. Today I will be swapping moss again. I added a fry net and moved the new fry in to it. I change about 50%-75% water and vacuum the bottom very well. I am hoping the next swap will yield another good hatch.

One thing rinsing the moss between the hatchery back to the spawning tank has almost killed it. The moss is all brown... The CPDs still spawn in there but it looks like hell. I am looking for more Jave Moss. Maybe fresh moss will increase the hatch rate?

Hope some of this helps especially when you start breeding them. My juvies are almost coloured out they're taking their time. Their just over a 1/2" but not at spawning age until they get their colour. Your on the list.

Because they are so small likely I will not bring any to the auctions. Maybe I will bring a trio to see how they do and how much interest they raise!

Any opinions on bring these characters to an auction?

[Dr. Ashtray]

I was planning on removing the cherry shrimp when it is time to have some eggs in there.  I figured they would munch them back like snacks.  I just wanted them there at the inset to keep any algae at bay.  I don't have too much trouble with planaria and hydra thus far.  I would re-introduce the cherry shrimp and maybe a couple of nerite snails between egg drops to clean the house a bit.  The nerites only breed in brackish and salt water so wouldn't lay any eggs that would hatch and become egg munchers themselves.  I hope no other snail stragglers made it into the tank.  If I see any they will be taken out.  I have five hungry-all-the-time dwarf puffers that love snails.  I might just throw them in to clean up if it ever becomes an issue.

I might have some extra java moss eventually.  I am picking some up tomorrow afternoon in Ottawa.  I am trying to get some in every tank for fry cover.  Lots of tanks to deal with and three more on the go for the CPDs.  I will have 5 tanks slotted for different levels of CPD propagation by next weekend.  I already have their main tank to be shared with some platy and Corydoras Habrosus.  It has a nice swift current that they will like to swim through.  I just realized I am going to have 17 tanks going by the time the next three are set up.  Full time job!  I couldn't imagine having more at this point.  Props to those that do it.  I am thinking of opening a store here in Wakefield at the start of next summer.  Maybe the thought will become concrete, you never do know.

I just can't wait to get some of your CPDs.  They look like great little fish!

Jeffrey...

[renadia]

Hi Dan,

Wow you are doing really good with these! So your a grampa how many times now 

From what I read these are considered community fish, if this is right I would like to have 4 of them to start. They are just so beautiful.

Maybe I will see you guys at the meeting

Diane

[dan2x38]

Dr. Ashtray the CPDs come from a low water current habitat. Their in a pond type of biotope. Their water is slightly alkaline & hard only 30 cm. deep at 3300' above sea level. I have mine in a species tank. The water is feed from some mountain springs so they like very clean water. These ponds have very heavy vegetation this is one reason they are at risk the trampling of all the plants. The plants are similar to Egeria densa, Rotala indicia, Java fern & Java moss... The water is temperate.

The planaria are always present when you start feeding the BBS or fry food there are lots of left-overs so it allows them to multiple. The hydra I am not sure of their entry to the tank. Some say the BBS. Jody at BA Innes said several customers complained about hydra too he figures it comes in with the CPDs; after all they are WC. I read about adding 3 drops of bleach to the BBS hatch. I did it seemed to keep them down... I now have a fry net to move them into so I can vacuum the bottom more often. I discovered you can treat the hydra & planaria with H2O2 with the fry present so if their in the fry net I can treat for the little buggers... 

You will need lots of java moss. When you move the moss around it sheds. So when you vacuum it keeps getting sucked up. I started with quite a bit but now I got 2 small clumps... 

I must say I predict you will be turning out some big hatches very soon with that set-up. If you really want to start a strong strain try to get some CPDs from another source. Keep them separate then we can swap some fry and breed those.

Sure hope you get some hatches going be nice to get these guys breeding locally!

[Dr. Ashtray]

I did not realize that about the lack of swiftness in their natural habitat.  My water here is soft but I add minerals to it to harden it.  It isn't all that soft anyway.  Kind of in the middle so my minerals really add to the whole shebang.  I will put them in another tank I have with less current.  My water is slightly alkaline naturally so this will work out nicely.  I would be interested in buying some of you WCs to add to the others if you have any to spare.  I have also been trying through the celestial site to find some other stock.  I would keep the other stock separate to keep the genetics strong with both if I ever manage to find other stock. 

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

There are only a few ppl locally breeding them. No stores are carrying any either. Still not even sure if the ban on exportation has been lifted. To be honest I hope they don't. There are quite a few ppl breeding on larger scale else where. the Flordia farms must be breeding for sure. I've read they are breeding well in the UK now that is where they first started to show up the most once discovered.

Have you scrolled through this entire thread? There are some links to more info. & great pics.

[Dr. Ashtray]

I have, I just have a fragmented way of looking at everything.  Can't help it!  Selectively permeable membrane if you will.  Except I don't select. Haha!!

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

Big News!

Today I sold 6 of my tank breed CPDs to Jeff1192. He said he didn't mind taking them a bit early. He added them to his community tank. They started shoaling with his Rasboras. He was 1st on my list to get any since way back he sent me a msg. He is the first to get any of my strain of the CPDs. It was so cool to hear how they fit into his community tank. Also nice to hear they aren't as shy as the WC!

[Jeff1192]

Yeah it's pretty funny. They're spending most of their time hanging out with my school of 10 espe's rasboras. They're usually trailing behind a bit but they keep up! Last night after my moon lights came on they pretty much settled into a large clump of willow leaf hygro that I have in the back of the tank. This morning, as soon as the lights came on they all came out and got back into their "school". I'll keep you guys posted!

Thanks again for the fish Dan!

By the way their colour is looking quite good this morning. I think they were pretty stressed out by the move yesterday and had lost a lot of their colour but it's all back now.

Further update:

Now that the lights have been on for a while they're spreading out quite a bit more today and exploring more of the tank. They're still sticking pretty close to their "school mates" though.

Jeff

[Dr. Ashtray]

That sounds like a lot of fun.  You must be glued to the tank today!  I know I will be when I get mine.  My tanks overfloweth with anticipation!

Jeffrey...

[Jeff1192]

So there was a fair amount of change in their behaviour today. They spent far less time at the surface with the rasboras. One of them was exploring pretty much every little corner of the tank off and on, rejoining the group when finished. Then towards the end of the day a group of 3 went off and did the same thing a number of times. They were exploring all over and at different depths. Their colours seemed even better today as well. Now that the lights are out they've gone back to the large patch of hygro at the back of the tank near the bottom.

I'm not sure how much they're eating but I fed them some frozen brine shrimp tonight and they seemed to eat some of that. I'm sure with all their exploring they're also getting bits and pieces of food here and there.

Jeff

[dan2x38]

I've witnessed mine eating food fallen onto leaves, decorations, & the substrate. Keep a close eye on them eating. They are weaned on flake food & have been for at least a month. They are prolific eaters but I've never seen my WC go near the surface to eat. The tank breed swim near the middle where the WC are near the bottom always. I break up some flake and it sinks faster. To make sure they get some make sure there is some small flake with your regular flake. Take a few moments to make sure they are getting their fair share. I've not tried them with veggies or bottom foods, I should. They do like frozen foods: bloodworm, daphnia, & brine shrimp but you got to shave it so they can eat it. I've soaked crushed up freeze dried

Your the 1st with my tank breed CPDs. I have not heard from any others locally that have any tank breed? So you are the Ginnie Pig... LOL Keep me/us posted!!! Their success is on both our shoulders now... LOL  tell them to, "Go forth and multiply!" ROTFL

[succinctfish]

Still not even sure if the ban on exportation has been lifted. To be honest I hope they don't.

I doubt it, I think they have bigger things on their mind at the moment, civil unrest,violence, land mines, I can't imagine they would let anyone in to catch fish.  Hopefully the people, the animals and the fish will survive this horrible situation.  See this thread for more information.

Keep up with the breeding, because who knows what is happening to them in their natural habitat, and they are such a great little fish.

[dan2x38]

Succinctfish thanks for the link! The ppl of Burma have suffered for so long... most of those small asian countries suffer so much oppression: Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia/Kamchucka, Laos, and on and on... it amazes me the level brutaility & hatered that some people can have towards others!!!