# Nanacara Anomala- are you gonna spawn or what?!



## ontariobetta (Mar 13, 2006)

I have 3 currently in a 35gal, one male 2 females. For the past 2 weeks now, I think they have been thinking of spawning. The female has turned her breeding colours (black and yellow), has been eyeing certain places in the tank, and has totally shredded everyone in the tank! My threadfin rainbows no longer have threads! The male has kinda been following her around a bit, only to be chased off. But now, they don't seem to interested anymore. They just kinda hang out in their usual place and everyone is getting along again. 

Is this usual pre-spawn behavior? Or are they just messing around?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

You could try a large water change to set them off. Try water that is a couple of degrees cooler, and do about 50%. This will often stimulate many types of fish. I'm sure others have had similar experiences. It is usually the other way around with the male ready, and the female not. The water change will only work if they are otherwise ready.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I agree with BillD. Being in Newmarket, I know the water there is pretty hard (GH) compared to TO. Along with BillD's suggestion, use about 25%RO with the new water. If your house has a water softening unit, then it's not neccessary. 

Not only using cooler water for water changes simulates spawning behaviour, but lower mineral content does as well. The reason for he 50% water change as the rainy season in nature is quite heavy and conductivity in the waterways drop quite dramatically, signifying the beginning of breeding.

HTH and fingers crossed for you .


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

Cooler w/c will work for most fish and even better just before (or during) a storm. The storms barometric pressure drops and the cooler water makes them think it is rainy season 

Good luck with them. If possible could your rainbows visit another tank as they may get even more agressive with eggs or fry.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

nightowl1350 said:


> Cooler w/c will work for most fish and even better just before (or during) a storm. The storms barometric pressure drops and the cooler water makes them think it is rainy season
> 
> Good luck with them. If possible could your rainbows visit another tank as they may get even more agressive with eggs or fry.


You can also simulate rain during a thunderstorm by opening windows (where water wont get in) to more evenly adjust the barometric pressure, then remove some water, and replace it with cold water as mentioned - but fill a fish bag with the cold water and stab 100 pin holes in it then move it back and forth across your tank. The fish really react like its rain.

Also- your GH is likely too high to ever really breed the anomola properly. You might get eggs but youd have very few fry survive.

If you have a small enough tank, or a big enough wallet, switch to pure water, either distilled or R/O (preferablly R/O D/I) and remineralize it yourself and get it the same as their water in the wild.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

wtac said:


> I agree with BillD. Being in Newmarket, I know the water there is pretty hard (GH) compared to TO. Along with BillD's suggestion, use about 25%RO with the new water. If your house has a water softening unit, then it's not neccessary.
> 
> Not only using cooler water for water changes simulates spawning behaviour, but lower mineral content does as well. The reason for he 50% water change as the rainy season in nature is quite heavy and conductivity in the waterways drop quite dramatically, signifying the beginning of breeding.
> 
> HTH and fingers crossed for you .


What you suggest is unsafe- atleast in toronto water. The kH of tornto water is only about 3. If you switched out 25% of it itd be under 2dkH and you'd have some problems.

And if you have an RO machine, why not use pure RO? Just recclaim the chemistry with Kent RO right and jack up the kH with Caco3 or a phosphate buffer or whatever. You can add acid before you add the kH buffer and make the pH whatever your heart desires. STABLE too.


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## ontariobetta (Mar 13, 2006)

He was refering to Newmarkets water, not TO.

The gh of my tank is about 5. I tried the cooler water thing, nothing. They just don't seem that intrested anymore. Oh well, maybe another time.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

ontariobetta said:


> He was refering to Newmarkets water, not TO.
> 
> The gh of my tank is about 5. I tried the cooler water thing, nothing. They just don't seem that intrested anymore. Oh well, maybe another time.


Not GH (and thats a lowwww GH, you using reverse osmosis?) I said kH. I dont think Newmarket's kH is particularly higher than Toronto's. Could be wrong.

You might also try removing the fast moving fish like the rainbows- and providing appropriate spawning locations (some fish like rocks some like caves some like leaves etc) Im not familiar with anomola breeding. And condition them with lots of fat and protein. You have to get them in the mood.


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## ontariobetta (Mar 13, 2006)

Out of the tap GH and KH are 12-13 here. 

I have 2 large pieces of driftwood (the kind that have the 'roots'), clay pots and rock caves(plastic). There are only 4 threadfins, and they stay at the surface, and no where else to put them. They get fed 3 times a day, live, frozen and pellets.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

ontariobetta said:


> Out of the tap GH and KH are 12-13 here.
> 
> I have 2 large pieces of driftwood (the kind that have the 'roots'), clay pots and rock caves(plastic). There are only 4 threadfins, and they stay at the surface, and no where else to put them. They get fed 3 times a day, live, frozen and pellets.


Regardless of where they stay they can still make the cichlids too nervous to spawn. Thats some friggin high KH. Dilute away


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## ontariobetta (Mar 13, 2006)

Good news: They spawned! 
Bad news: They killed my female apistos!

This morning when I turned on the lights I saw the bodies of my poor little females. I followed the trail, which led me to the back corner of the tank. There, on the side of the driftwood, was the female nana and about 25 eggs. 

How long do they take to hatch?


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

ontariobetta said:


> Good news: They spawned!
> Bad news: They killed my female apistos!
> 
> This morning when I turned on the lights I saw the bodies of my poor little females. I followed the trail, which led me to the back corner of the tank. There, on the side of the driftwood, was the female nana and about 25 eggs.
> ...


It didnt occur to you this would happen?

You dont want unevenly matched conspecifics like that...


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## ontariobetta (Mar 13, 2006)

Pablo said:


> It didnt occur to you this would happen?
> 
> You dont want unevenly matched conspecifics like that...


Nope. Guess I'm just a moron who knows nothing about fish. Wish I could be a fish expert like you


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

ontariobetta said:


> Nope. Guess I'm just a moron who knows nothing about fish. Wish I could be a fish expert like you


we cant all be perfect man... keep workin at it

didnt u read my sig? i like to joke jeeeez


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