# Paratilapia have finally spawned!



## Cory (May 2, 2008)

So after many moons my pet project to breed P. Polleni succeeded. I was putting the fish to sleep when I noticed the female slowly emerging from the pot the pair had been guarding the past few months. Usually they just hovered around it but the male then also went inside to take a look before emerging. I decided to take a look myself and low and behold there was a huge pile of orangy eggs in the pot. First time I've seen eggs laid in a cluster like this, all my other fish attached each individual egg to the surface but these guys just laid them in a clump that's attached to the pot at the bottom. Looks to be 300+ eggs. I got really lucky that the pair which formed happened to be between one fish from each of the two bloodlines. I hope they parent the eggs well, I can't wait to see how their fry turn out. Pic of the pair is below. Will try to add an egg shot tonight!


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## tooslow (Apr 16, 2008)

congrats! i love when they have little ones.


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

Wow those are some nice fish... How big do they get and what size tank do they need?


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Thanks for the comments  

The largest males grow to be about 10" I think 9" or so is pretty standard. Females are substantially smaller. A full grown pair can do fine in a 75 gal but it's a good idea to think of them like oscars in terms of filtration and such because they are big messy carnivores. I am technically running enough filtration on their 65 now to filter a 155 gallon tank. Any less than that and the water would get that dirty look and that's with fish that aren't full grown lol. 
Ultimately, the plan is to move them to my 115 gal, not sure if I will just keep one pair or two as a second pair has formed in the same tank and looks to be readying to spawn as well lol. 

Unfortunately the pics don't show the fish's true beauty. These guys were big in the hobby 30 + yrs ago but faded out. Now they're making a come back. Critically endangered in the wild too, perhaps extinct so keeping them is preserving the species .


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## Angelgirl_24 (Jul 26, 2009)

Very nice pair you have there  I am thinking I might want to start another project lol...... its not a hobby its an addiction


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Interesting looking fish...can't wait to see what developes.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Very nice congrats on the spawn


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

Ahh I wish I could keep 'em in a 30 gallon


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

> Very nice pair you have there I am thinking I might want to start another project lol...... its not a hobby its an addiction


Thanks ! You should see them in person. They're a great fish to keep, the only ones that will eat right out of my hand and I didn't even try to train them they just learned on their own. The guy I got the 1st group from is really nice and in scarborough so if you decide you want some I can give you his number. Im predicting that the offspring of my fish will be nicer than his though lol; the 2nd group I bought has nicer colours. The mix of the nice colour with the nice body shape of the first group should be stunning! They wont be ready for a while though .



gucci17 said:


> Interesting looking fish...can't wait to see what developes.


Me neither! Unfortunately they ate their first spawn but I was expecting that to happen based on what has so far been a loose pair bond. The other pair that has formed since the spawning has caused trouble though as the males are fighting to the point of having torn up lips and each is keeping to his own side out of sight of the other. I guess Im lucky they're evenly matched so one doesn't slaughter the other. Going to have to separate them though. Should hopefully have lots of little ones soon though. I will be pulling the eggs and rearing them myself in the future, I've seen cichlid parenting behavior enough times not to need to see it again lol.



> Very nice congrats on the spawn


Thanks ! Next time there will be pictures.



> Ahh I wish I could keep 'em in a 30 gallon


Me too lol ! Then I could keep more fish . Small ones are fine in a 30 but eventually a bigger tank becomes necessary.


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## blackninja (Dec 3, 2009)

Cory said:


> Thanks ! You should see them in person. They're a great fish to keep, the only ones that will eat right out of my hand and I didn't even try to train them they just learned on their own. The guy I got the 1st group from is really nice and in scarborough so if you decide you want some I can give you his number. Im predicting that the offspring of my fish will be nicer than his though lol; the 2nd group I bought has nicer colours. The mix of the nice colour with the nice body shape of the first group should be stunning! They wont be ready for a while though .
> 
> Me neither! Unfortunately they ate their first spawn but I was expecting that to happen based on what has so far been a loose pair bond. The other pair that has formed since the spawning has caused trouble though as the males are fighting to the point of having torn up lips and each is keeping to his own side out of sight of the other. I guess Im lucky they're evenly matched so one doesn't slaughter the other. Going to have to separate them though. Should hopefully have lots of little ones soon though. I will be pulling the eggs and rearing them myself in the future, I've seen cichlid parenting behavior enough times not to need to see it again lol.
> 
> ...


Hi Cory, sorry I missed your post about your polleni spawning. I was knee deep in alligator country. I hope you can create the interest these fish deserve and work with other endangered fish from Malagasy. Keep us posted. HERE IS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

nice looking fish. Would make great subjects.


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## blackninja (Dec 3, 2009)

Riceburner said:


> nice looking fish. Would make great subjects.


They are one of the oldest known primitive/old world fish with some unique qualities. Here is my papa polleni.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Thanks for the congrats Vince and others  That was a long time ago but the pair is now getting ready to spawn again. The pollenis underwent a few tank moves where I split the group of 10 into 5 and then subdivided the 5 again into a tank of 3 and a tank of 2. Seems "the boss" as my fiance calls him is about ready to make babies again lol. 

RB: If you mean subjects for photography, you can come and snap as many shots as you like lol. I'd love to have pictures of my fish at the quality you take pictures. 

And yes, all of my male Polleni are from Vince (blackninja) and all the females are from Spencer Jack. 

Im not 100% committed to breeding them because of the sheer number of babes they have and the space needed to grow them out. You may not remember why I told you I bought them Vince but I saw them at someone else's place in London and had to have the fish just to have it lol. Usually I buy everything to breed though . These guys are just so sociable and interesting to watch, not to mention pretty and they are fun to hand feed (even when they bite ). Next time they spawn I might save some fry though just to see how they turn out . 

Thanks again for the congratulations!


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

blackninja said:


> They are one of the oldest known primitive/old world fish with some unique qualities.


They are 'primitive' (more accurately 'basal') cichlids, but not primitive fish. The cichlids of India and Madagascar split from the remaining cichlid lineages in the late Mesozoic (Cretaceous, IIRC) when India and Madagascar split off from the part of Gondwanaland that later became Africa. Cichlids were probably a fairly new and generalized group at the time. After this split there were only three other lineages with surviving members -- one gave rise to all new world cichlids, one gave rise to the African genus Heterochromis, and the third was the ancestor of all other African cichlid lineages.

One of the primitive traits of Paratilapia is, as Cory mentioned, that they deposit their eggs in a clump, rather than individually like the African and new world cichlid lineages.

Very interesting and beautiful fish. Too bad they need so much space. Keep us informed, Cory.


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## blackninja (Dec 3, 2009)

Cory said:


> Thanks for the congrats Vince and others  That was a long time ago but the pair is now getting ready to spawn again. The pollenis underwent a few tank moves where I split the group of 10 into 5 and then subdivided the 5 again into a tank of 3 and a tank of 2. Seems "the boss" as my fiance calls him is about ready to make babies again lol.
> 
> RB: If you mean subjects for photography, you can come and snap as many shots as you like lol. I'd love to have pictures of my fish at the quality you take pictures.
> 
> ...


If you guys are interested in getting some quality 1" juvenile Polleni check PJ's Pets at Scarb TownCenter. They had a special on. They have a few of my adult ninjas but the juvies are imported.


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## blackninja (Dec 3, 2009)

bae said:


> They are 'primitive' (more accurately 'basal') cichlids, but not primitive fish. The cichlids of India and Madagascar split from the remaining cichlid lineages in the late Mesozoic (Cretaceous, IIRC) when India and Madagascar split off from the part of Gondwanaland that later became Africa. Cichlids were probably a fairly new and generalized group at the time. After this split there were only three other lineages with surviving members -- one gave rise to all new world cichlids, one gave rise to the African genus Heterochromis, and the third was the ancestor of all other African cichlid lineages.
> 
> One of the primitive traits of Paratilapia is, as Cory mentioned, that they deposit their eggs in a clump, rather than individually like the African and new world cichlid lineages.
> 
> Very interesting and beautiful fish. Too bad they need so much space. Keep us informed, Cory.


Quite understandable why the average hobbyist may find it hard to keep these interesting and beautiful fish because they require a larger tank and they are not willing to make that commitment. 
But for a fish that is interesting, beautiful and endangered one would think the serious hobbyist should easily see a compelling reason to make such a commitment or remain in awe of those who have. LoL. 
Prehistoric, primitive, basal, old world cichlid. WoW. I knew I was onto something.....Happy thanksgiving guys. Cheers!!!!!


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Yes they are a commitment Vince, I agree, but a worthwhile one. I don't think people can really understand the concept of a "pet fish" until they keep these lol. Mine aren't "trained" per se but they are the closest thing to my dog in the fish room and the only ones of my fish that are brave enough (and big enough) to bite my entire finger . 

We have one male, "Mr. Lonely," who doesn't have a female companion. Originally I planned to give him to a friend but both myself and my fiance were so attached to him we just decided to keep him and give him his own tank later on with a female red terror or something. They are awesome fish, and when they go into full display they look amazing. 

I have to ask though Vince... do yours eat Algae? At least one of mine, probably more have decided Green algae is the cat's meow and are eating it off the glass in their tank like plecos . Only that it looks like big bites are taken out of it instead of the algae being evenly gone . Green poo is everywhere haha. It's not like I underfeed them, but they seem to like snacking on it while I'm gone lol. Any similar experience?


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## blackninja (Dec 3, 2009)

Cory said:


> Yes they are a commitment Vince, I agree, but a worthwhile one. I don't think people can really understand the concept of a "pet fish" until they keep these lol. Mine aren't "trained" per se but they are the closest thing to my dog in the fish room and the only ones of my fish that are brave enough (and big enough) to bite my entire finger .
> 
> We have one male, "Mr. Lonely," who doesn't have a female companion. Originally I planned to give him to a friend but both myself and my fiance were so attached to him we just decided to keep him and give him his own tank later on with a female red terror or something. They are awesome fish, and when they go into full display they look amazing.
> 
> I have to ask though Vince... do yours eat Algae? At least one of mine, probably more have decided Green algae is the cat's meow and are eating it off the glass in their tank like plecos . Only that it looks like big bites are taken out of it instead of the algae being evenly gone . Green poo is everywhere haha. It's not like I underfeed them, but they seem to like snacking on it while I'm gone lol. Any similar experience?


I don't have algae growing in my tanks not that I am fussy about it but I just get hell for not keeping the tanks clean. They love crickets, bloodworms and will eat the homemade stuff the wife makes which has kelp, shrimp, spirulina, vitamins, peas, carrots, spinach etc. and then there is the flowerhorn pellets.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Hey, highly suggest you two put eachother on ignore and do not fight on public forum anymore. If I have to delete crap like that again I'll hand out suspensions.


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