# celestial pearl danios (cpd)



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I now have 7 of these (2 from before, and one from Dexter). 2 of them are very obviously gravid females, 3 are definite males, and the other two, I have no idea.

Some of them appeared to be a bit thin, so I have been feeding well and dosed with prazipro, just in case. I have had the two cpds for a while now, and they didn't seem too adventurous, but yesterday after adding a water pump (taam rio 50) to get some more water movement, they have come alive.

Does anybody have any experience/recommendations for these delightful little fish?


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## I_dude (May 9, 2008)

Hey Ameekplc,

You beat me to those CPD's 
Check out celestialpearldanio.com
The forum looks defunct but going through the older threads is helpful in terms of learning what to do and what mistakes to avoid.
Check it out. I spent a fair amount of time reading it
Oh and if you do breed them (which you prolly should as apparently the are under enormous pressure in the wild due to exports) I call first dibs 

Let me know if you find the site useful.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Yep, beat you to it. I think there might be some more somewhere, so I will go check that out and see if I can make a bigger school  

I found that site, but sifting through the crud there is taking quite the while, and I find the 'articles' there not very useful.

I am in the works of setting up a species tank without shrimps. This is proving tough, as shrimp go so well with plants!

I will let you know what happens to a potential spawn. I can't seem to find what is a good trigger, but considering that they are from a monsoon prone region, I am guessing that the standard rainy season might be a good place to start.


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## I_dude (May 9, 2008)

The funny thing was just the next day someone else had a school for sale.
I was first in line for them too - however he had a whole bunch of other fish for sale as well - which I didn't want as there I woudl have no room for them.

So another dude comes along and trumps my offer by agreeing to buy all the fish. Doh. That sucked two days and twice shot down. 

Anyhoo about the monsoon trigger now that is going to be interesting.
LOL I'd love to see how you simulate a tropical storm in your tanks 
You should think of a name for your storm already


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

I just found my first CPD fry a few hours ago.... They appreciate lots of java moss and cooler waters. I had a trio in a 10 gallon chock full of java moss with a sponge filter & sand substrate and that seems to be all it took. Hopefully I'll see a few more tomorrow or the next day. 

Hopefully their cousins (emerald rasboras) will spawn for me next.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Kate, what temp do you have your tank at? I have mine at 80 right now, but I guess it could be brought down to 76. The CRS would probably appreciate that too 

Also, did you have shrimp in the tank? I know you're THE shrimp lady, so I'd figure you might have some in there, especially with a sand + sponge type of set up.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> Kate, what temp do you have your tank at? I have mine at 80 right now, but I guess it could be brought down to 76. The CRS would probably appreciate that too
> 
> Also, did you have shrimp in the tank? I know you're THE shrimp lady, so I'd figure you might have some in there, especially with a sand + sponge type of set up.


I keep them at room temperature no heater and they do just fine. 74-76 lol last year I was the snail lady, this year I'm the shrimp lady. I did have them in a tank with some blue pearls accidently. I swapped the CPD's into a bigger tank and put some blue pearls in their tank. Tonight I was shining a light on the blue pearls when I saw something darting around.  Hopefully they'll be more and I'll have to check their new bigger tank in the basement tomorrow.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Well, I'll try my 'monsoon' first (with cool RO), then turn down the thermometer for their tank.

woooow! Emerald rasboras? Where'd you score those? I'd love to get some. I've started to get into these nano fish, as I'm intently avid on setting up a nano (1.5g) planted tank on my desk, and the cpd or these guys would be great!

well, will keep posted on how the RO 'monsoon' goes.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> Well, I'll try my 'monsoon' first (with cool RO), then turn down the thermometer for their tank.
> 
> woooow! Emerald rasboras? Where'd you score those? I'd love to get some. I've started to get into these nano fish, as I'm intently avid on setting up a nano (1.5g) planted tank on my desk, and the cpd or these guys would be great!
> 
> well, will keep posted on how the RO 'monsoon' goes.


Good luck with your R/O monsoon! Mine spawned in good ole tap water.

 Charlie Drew was really very kind to give me some of his. I was at his house and I had been looking for these fellows for over a year and was telling him how I was looking for them. He smiled at me and looked over my shoulder there in a tank were emerald rasbora fry I couldn't believe it. The running joke is that anytime I want a fish I should just call him first because he has every darn fish that I want. A few months went by they grew up and he surprised with a few at the London Auction.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I've heard a lot about Charlie Drew, and would very much like to met him and see his fishroom. One day...

Hmmmmm.......maybe I could come to your house, and I could lament about how I'd like some...and you'll have fry for me!!!  

oh yeah, unrelated, but did you ever find a male L260? I apparently have a nice trio (1M, 2F) according to opinions on PF and PC, but we'll have to see as I'm sure it will be a while yet before they are completely ready for a spawn.

I know, unrelated, but since it's my thread, is it really threadjacking?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestichthys Article on wikipedia about cpds, one of the better ones too.

Appaently favor a fairly low temp, with fry rearing at 24 ~ 25 c (75 - 77). Will turn down tank to 76 from 80.
They also favor a slightly alkaline pH (my tanks are all generally at 7.2), and softer water (will be doing a RO addition).

I guess I'll add a lot more plants too, which is not a problem at all!!


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestichthys Article on wikipedia about cpds, one of the better ones too.
> 
> Appaently favor a fairly low temp, with fry rearing at 24 ~ 25 c (75 - 77). Will turn down tank to 76 from 80.
> They also favor a slightly alkaline pH (my tanks are all generally at 7.2), and softer water (will be doing a RO addition).
> ...


Thanks for the info on the softer water, that I didn't know. I have liquid rock water so I'll give that a whirl.

Hmmm while you're add it can you please add some to your queen arabesque tank and call me when the fry are ready?


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## I_dude (May 9, 2008)

I had read that wiki article a while back but with all wiki articles I'm always unsure of how accurate they are.
Heck I can go edit the article so it looks like I am one of the starters for the Maple Leafs.

The CPD one is probably legit but I would look at some more sites to be honest.
I had found a site a while back which had postings from one of the original scientists who talked about the CPD in the wild.
If I find it again I will post it here.

What is an arabesque tank?


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Right now I am noticing most of us in Toronto have liquid rock for water. My pH is in the 7.5-8.0 range and am going to have to break down and get a water purification system soon.

I have CPD's in my tank with my Zebras and they school quite nicely in there. Strangely enough I have got all of mine from Big Als as every so often they have them in stock. I think right now I have a little over 10 of them in the 40gallon breeder tank. The tanks inhabitants are RCS, CPD and L46 and seems to be a good mix.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Ross, it seems like we have similar tanks... I have my trio of L260 in with RCS, CRS and the CPDs. My water after a few days in tank is usually of medium hardness (the last time I tested), but nothing near soft, probably due to the abundance of driftwood in the tanks I have.

haha, I'd definitely like a tank with zebras tho 

I will try the RO with the queen arabesques too. The two ladies I have are looking fat 

I_dude: I've read quite a few articles on the cpds, as well as searches through scientific literature, and the wikipedia article is a good article written for a wider audience.

Hypancistrus sp. L260 'Queen Arabesque Pleco'


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

So a thunderstorm has just started, so I have airline tubing feeding into the tank RO water, and it will be followed up by extensive feeding the next few days.

Hope something good happens!


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> So a thunderstorm has just started, so I have airline tubing feeding into the tank RO water, and it will be followed up by extensive feeding the next few days.
> 
> Hope something good happens!


Crossables crossed for you!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!!

seen: a male and female (looking a little round ) circling each other really tightly ( like chasing each other's tails) sinking towards substrate, then back up, then back down, then again and again....


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Start saying aloud on how you are going on vacation for 2 weeks.  So far they've spawned everytime I've gone away, the pleco's too!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Today was a bad day in the lab, so maybe I could use a vacation...and my supervisor is away for two weeks... hmm.......

In their tank was 4 threadfin rainbows also, so I took them out and threw them into the 75. Hopefully without them they'll be a bit freer to spawn!


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Have a great vacation! We'll miss you around here!!!!!    

Ya think they heard me? lol

Can you have a word with the emerald rasboras for me? lol


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

Man I'd love to have a school of the CPD's in my 90.
Beautiful fish.

ENJOY YOUR VACATION!!!

(just doin my part)


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Well, the last few days there has been more circling and more courting behaviors, but no fry yet. Well, they'll probably have to be at least a week or two after hatching before I notice them, so maybe I just have to wait a few more days


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Mine are ignoring the jungle of java moss and hiding under the sponge filter. New tactic I've put in broad leafed silk plants and now they are starting to swim around the tank more and I see some circling/chasing going on. 

Maybe we can compare notes lol. Just did water r/o water change #2. When I ignored them completely they spawned, rotten fish! They are on their own now as I have to set up a few more spawning tanks.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Actually, speaking of places they like to hang out, they like to hang out under the anubias I have planted in the back behind some driftwood. They hide out there most of the time, except for one male who is antisocial and hangs out in front of the driftwood.

Well, I think the removal of the rainbow fish helped, as well as the WC. Will have to see if any fry happen in the next few weeks, as there's definitely some courting behaviour, and the females are looking less round now.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Well, I'M GOING AWAY TO QUEBEC FOR 5 DAYS!!!

Doing a 40% cool water WC today before I leave. Hopefully they get the message


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