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

[Dr. Ashtray]

Yeah, they are really loving their environment!  I would say the females are all about 1" long and the male is about 3/4".  The two tank bred females are the same size as the wild caught one I got off of you.  They are very active and rarely hide.  I would say that they are pretty much acting as if they were in the wild at this point.  I have not removed anything from the tank, I just keep the numbers of adults to a minimum in the breeding tank.  The two spawning tanks I set up should yield better results.  I will keep everyone posted on that progress when it actually becomes progressive.  I am still waiting for two sponge filters to arrive from Hong Kong.  They should be here any day.  I just got five sheets of 7 count plastic canvas that is big enough to fit inside a 10 gallon tank after being cut down to size.  They were the biggest sheets you could buy from this one site in the US.  I am thinking of using the plastic protectors from pizza boxes to keep it from the bottom of the tank.  Which reminds me, I have to buy some of those from Pizza Pizza Pizza Pizza Pizza...  Or try to get some gratis!  I won't need them until I mature the sponge filters anyway so no rush there.  I just can't wait to get it going!

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

Hey Doc to hold up the canvas just use some plastic from margine containers or alike. Cut into strips with a vertical cut half way through the middle. Then take 2 strips intersect the cuts together to make an EX... yada-yada...

[Dr. Ashtray]

Now that is a good idea and will save me a trip to the pizza pizza!  I guess cut them in rings and intersect them as kind of framework underneath.  Ahhh, the art of the construct!

Jeffrey...

[NetCop]

So, we have a couple of different strains here... I think I'll have to keep my eyes open for when I am set up to take some (from each of you). I would have loved to grab some off of Dan recently but considering thier shall we say diminishing numbers, I want to make sure I have a decent set up for them.

[dan2x38]

Remember Dr. Ashtray's CPDs are from my lineage. Fishnut has a different wild caught lineage. Mixing the fry from these 2 sources would be excellent. We are going to try this in the New Year hopefully even swapping out a WC trio with one another keeping them separate. It is time consuming & costly with all the tanks needed.

By taking one female from my WC then adding a male from that spawn will make the strain stronger then the brother & sisters spawning alone. This is what Dr. Ashtray is trying. The important part is keeping them separate to control the blood line. Makes for more tanks... and so it goes... 

Until the strains get broken up I suggest when trying to spawn the CPDs be mindful of their origin to protect their health and survival. It would be horrible to breed out any of their traits or hardiness. The idea is to create strong tank breed CPDs. To preserve them in their natural habitat by reducing them from being caught & sold to the hobby. To much interbreeding could create adverse outcomes defeating the whole purpose. Look at some other species i.e. guppies, platies, etc. alot are not as hardy as they once were because of line breeding which is a lot of interbreeding.

[dan2x38]

Well it's been a bit since I've posted about the CPDs. I started doing something a little different for breeding. It has taken me a bit to get the system running well. I now have 4 tanks instead of the original 3: 10g grow out, 10g males, 10g females, & 5.5g spawning tank.

I separated the wild caught males & females to condition them. In those 2 x 10g tanks I added a heater set at 75-76. Once the females are fat with eggs I added 1 male & 3 females to a 5.5g tank with a heater set cooler at 72. I selected the best coloured specimens. Before adding them I do a big water change. There is also java moss in the 5.5g. I left them in there until the females were thin again, 3 days. After 3 more days I spotted 4-5 fry on the 4 day I spotted 10 maybe more.

I will tweak this method and post the results. Dr. Ashtray's & Fishnut's opinions helped with this method. I think this is a better way then swapping out the java moss. That way I think many fertiled eggs fall from the moss now matter how careful I am. using the conditioning method I am able to try and breed in optmin colouring... I hope!

Dr. Ashtray I'd be very much interested in your new set-up. Come on Doc get er' going... 

[Dr. Ashtray]

I will, I am just so busy with my new job at Magenn Power Inc. www.magenn.com   I will be globe-trotting a bit in the next while and will not have time to get the spawning tanks set up as soon as I want.  I am looking at the end of February at this point.  I have two sponge filters as mature as they are going to get and some plastic canvas ready for the job.  I also have to renovate my new Vintage 50 gallon, which I can't wait to do.  Too much to do an not enough time in the day...as they say...whoever they are!

Jeffrey...

[dan2x38]

Well today pulled 24 fry from the hatchery tank added to breeder net in the grow-out tank. Cleaned the tank did 90% WC. Then added 1 male & 3 fat females again. I selected nicest coloured ones with best finnage.

The male & female tanks are at 75f-76f. The hatchery with the 1 male & 3 females is 70f-71f. I will refine this method but 100% sure it is the better route. Only thing that concerns me is moving the parents back and forth so much.

My other hatches I had a lot of males it seemed. With the tanks just temperate might have been a cause. Having warmer temps. & conditioning I am curious if this will affect the gender ratio? I'd like to find out if they are born male & female or become male or female after hatching?

For this time I've pulled the java moss apart some creating a layer on the bottom an inch or so thick, instead of a couple dense clumps. This last hatch I've strictly feed microworm no baby brine shrimp yet.

Well it took a week to get this hatch. Before it took me much longer swapping moss back and forth some times no hatch. This way once the parents have spawned, clean the hatchery then add another set of prime parents. So far I've successfully breed well over 150 CPDs and counting...

I'll be happy when others start raising them mixing different lineage locally. Also be thrilled when Dr. Ashtray & Fishnut get up and running breeding them. Their plans are bigger & better than mine. If I was able to breed 150 experimenting in less than a year then they should be able to better that. Ottawa will be doing there part to preserve the CPDs! 

[dan2x38]

The fry I added to the breeder net in the grow out tank escaped through a tiny hole in the net... Damn it! First I thought the batch had died off but then I noticed one swimming. I looked closer sure enough there they were in the tank with the juvies. Didn't bother to try and net them out. After a couple of days maybe 1/2 survived... D'OH

The 1 male & 3 females I'd added in the 5.5g spawning tank I removed after 4 days. Yesterday there were at least 10 free swimming. So guys we are on to something for sure. Swapping the moss leaving all the males & females together did not always produce a hatch. Conditioning than adding them together has worked twice in 10 days. Before when moving the moss was more hit or miss.

Also stretching out the java moss so it is not so dense seemed to yield more one day 10 usually just 3-4 first day. Still tweaking.

Stay tuned...

[dan2x38]

Well I know I am on to the right breeding method for sure. This is my 3rd shot at the conditioning method and each time it has been very successful. This time I left them in the spawning tank 5 days instead of 3. This hatch must have yielded 40-50 from 1 male/3 gravid females.

In the male & female tanks I keep the temps. around 75-76. The spawning tank is cooler at 72-74. I remove the adults after 5 days than 2-3 days later I have the free swimming fry. Before I add the adults I do a 90% WC cleaning all the uneaten food. CPDs like to eat their food suspended so a lot can end up on the bottom, they rarely eat from the bottom.

I am getting these guys out there & my findings now how many folks are breeding these little jewels?

I will only be breeding a few more batches. My interests are now moving towards more rare inverts would like to breed those. I want to try to acquire those rare livebearers Rusty brought up with him. I like the idea of spreading endangered fish around to breed for preservation.

[petfisheric]

Dan, as you know, Eric & I bought some of your CPD's at the Jan auction. We have 15 fry now, about 3-4 weeks old, and growing out nicely.

We got some of Rusty's mollies. They've been um, doing you know what, since we let them out of the plastic bags, so there'll be fry soon. If they reproduce anything at all like our platys, there be lots to spare.

Karen

[dan2x38]

OH I didn't know you got my fry at the auction.

[petfisheric]

We got a trio of adults. We stuck 'em in the 10g shrimp tank for a couple days, then moved them to the 20g. In the meantime, they must have laid eggs, because we had fry in the shrimp tank.

[dan2x38]

Are the fry growing out still?

[petfisheric]

Yep, getting big. We put them in the 20 g on the weekend.

[dan2x38]

Yep, getting big. We put them in the 20 g on the weekend.

How many hatched? That is very KEWL congrats guys. You are one of a few now. 

[Vizerdrix]

I GOT SOME!!! 

I found three over at Fishtail, and quickly scooped them up.  These are not related to any in the area, as far as I know.  I appear to have two females and a male.  They are presently in my 5g that I usually have my betta in, as he is busy fulfilling his male duties in a separate tank.  I may have to get something else set-up for them, though.  I tend to keep this tank much warmer (78-80) and softer than the CPDs preferences, although they are swimming around and exploring fine.  They've coloured up nicely too since I brought them home from the store.  They're mostly sticking around the java moss in there. 

I'm going to try lowering the temp a bit in that tank.  The other occupants are two ghost shrimp (which I can remove to the 65g) and an oto (and tons of MTS).  I seriously doubt the oto will bother them, but I worry that the shrimp might try to get any eggs/fry if these guys decide to breed.

So chances are, we have another blood-line in Ottawa now.  It figures I found these guys *after* I set the 10g up for breeding my White Clouds!

They are such pretty little fish!  Even Rob was impressed with them.

[dan2x38]

Why can't you use the 10g as a breeder? Good find... do you know if they are WC?

[Vizerdrix]

Why can't you use the 10g as a breeder? Good find... do you know if they are WC?

Because right now there are White Cloud eggs awaiting to hatch in it.   They should hatch by Wednesday at the latest, but I still can't put the CPDs in there with them.  Or can I?

I should also find out more info on their origin today.  Will let you know, Dan!

[dan2x38]

Viz I wouldn't put the CPDs in with any fry or fish eggs. The males can be little buggers they eat fry & eggs. I do not know about the MM but I am guessing they too would eat the fry they are piggys. I always separate my adults from the eggs & fry.

CPDs have teeth and the males can be aggressive with other males. They will nip at each other and chase other males relentlessly. A couple males might even gang up on one than the dominate one turns on the other... LOL No damage comes of this they work out a pecking order. The males will even try to put the run to other fish when they are trying to spawn.