Advice sought on breeding Acarichthys heckeli

[mischa]

Hi All
I have been fortunate enough to find a beautiful pair (I believe) of hecks. I have been sifting through various sites for advice and was hoping to add to the little I know from the advice of forum members who keep and/or breed these magnificent fish.

Any tips or advice reagarding keeping and breeding would be most welcome.

Cheers in advance
Erica :)

[Krumpet]

there is some info in thomas weidners eartheaters book. Apparently ythey need to be almost fully grown before they will spawn. Really don;t know much abuot them though, thats just what i've read and i could be wrong

Cheers

[mischa]

Hi Krumpet
I don't have access to the book, unfortunately. But thank you for your input.

Cheers
Erica (-:

[Krumpet]

if you like eartheaters, its probably worth the investment. Has just about every species of eartheaters and tells you all the details for each one.

Cheers

[mrfish]

I agree with Krumpet the book is a good investment.

I believe this Species to be a cave or large hollow spawner. So this would be a start. I have never bred them but this is based on what I have read.

Cheers

Mark

[mischa]

Hi Mark
I have also read that. I "converted", with the aid of the angle grinder and a file, a terracotta strawberry pot into a cave for the heckeliis. The male took up ownership of the cave quite quickly. I am hoping this is a good sign. The female gets chased by the male but there does not seem to be much malice in this. I have been feeding them with a good variety of live and dry foods, they love earthworms, in the hope this will condition them for breeding. Fingers crossed they will pair up and make good parents.

Cheers for your input
Erica (-:

[mrfish]

If the male has taken up a territory it is a start.

I hope all goes well.

Mark

[geo/discus breeder]

unfurtunatly heckeli are very hard to breed
ive herd of them breeding in groups of 6+ in a very large tank say 4x3x3
and with a very fine deep substrate about 6 inch deep
because they make a sort of cave in the bottem to breed in
most heckeli on the market are from a breeder's damb in queensland i was very suprised that they are
sorry i cant help

[mischa]

All advice is appreciated. I guess the cave is a start. Thank you regardless (-:

[geo/discus breeder]

ive found out that submerging pvc pipes below the gravel say a mound on top of it has worked for breeding caves