Fundulopanchax (Paludopanchax) filamentosus 'Ouidah'

[RonWill]

Dear all,
I was observing my 2 pairs of filamentosus to find the females quite rounded. In their partition, there's a peat bowl, some plants and a floating mop.

Happily, I went about inspecting the peat and mop, only to find nothing, even though the FIL are mature.

According to Tim's page, "Roloff used sand as a substrate which was used as a spawning medium. He kept the sexes seperated & put them together in this setup for a few hours each week".

"Bruce Turner, in Aquarium Journal Oct.1961, referred to eggs being only slightly 'adhesive' to mops (see Distinguishing Characteristics above). He found 75% of eggs collected by fingers died. A small area of the base was partitioned off & filled with boiled peat. Trios were used as males were reported to be hard drivers. The peat was dried after 3 weeks & the fish seperated. The peat was wet after 40 days".

It goes on to say, "I found this species fairly easy to breed although they can be difficult at times. The most accepted method is to use a layer of peat as a spawning medium. This can be removed every couple of weeks & dry stored in the usual way. Dry incubation takes 6-8 weeks although some eggs will exceed this.I have found some bags to fail in hatching attempts & this is consistent with other breeders findings on the species"

What is the observation from those maintaining/breeding Fundulopanchax (Paludopanchax) filamentosus 'Ouidah', (Republic of Benin)?

[TyroneGenade]

My FIL (imported from Singapore back in 2001 I think) had no reservations about spawning in a peat tub BUT! I only had 1 male to a tank but my friend Otto get huge hatches from gang spawns in tubs.
Go figure...

The eggs are kind of hard to see though among the peat so there may be eggs there.

Using sand is easy (as I explained in a post some long long time ago).

A full peat substrate can create an aweful mess! If you are going to go this route my suggestion is that you seperate the boys from the girls for 3 days and then spawn them once off in a tank with full peat substrate and then only for a day.

Best of luck.

[stormhawk]

Just to show how this species looks like, here's a picture of a pair of Ronnie's FIL.

[whuntley]

Based on that picture, you guys blew it when you let Tyrone export the aquarium strain he describes from SG. It is, IMHO, far more colorful and attractive.

I have them now, and if I get through winter without killing all of them, please remind me in spring to send you a bag of eggs.

It would be fun to close the loop, I think. They came originally from Germany, went to South Africa, then to CA, and it would be fun to have a species that made it around the globe. If we do it, maybe a new name for the strain should be devised? Ubiquitum? Orbis? How about a naming contest?

My entry would be "DK Gee Whiz!"

Wright

[RonWill]

Dear all, just a quicik update.

FIL fry, hatched some time back, are now young adults and during water change today, transferred them to their own breeding tank. What used to be peaceful cohabitation while be raised in the growout container, is now a display of dominance, as if establishing an hierarchy, the minute they sense the peat-filled bow.

Here's one of the males fending off another competitor from his turf.

I hope to collect viable eggs and ship 'em out to Bill soon (as is, he's been waiting a helluva long time already)

At last count, these FILs have 23 younger 1cm siblings and with another 14 new hatchlings.

[RonWill]

...and if I get through winter without killing all of them, please remind me in spring to send you a bag of eggs

hmm... so how are the SG exports doing, Wright? Spring should be just round the corner, no?

Tyrone, are yours and Otto's tank overflowing with FILs yet?

[RonWill]

Folks,
The young FIL adults are having a ball of a time rollin' in the hay (or peat ) and I noticed that after every water change, the males behave like they've just popped a couple of viagra.

Low partition with peat bottom.

Males showing off.

The used peat (actually sieved bits of Sera filter peat granules) was rinsed and found a couple of viable eggs but there were also many fuzz balls. I'm guessing it's either their sexual inmaturity or could be the recent warm spells.

I'm gonna rig up one of Scott's filter for their tank and see if things improve. Meanwhile, Bill will have to wait just a bit longer