Breeding Golden snakeskins

[Kaza]

Well finally my golden snakeskins have bred, over 100 babies. So I have the same problem that many seems to have with the pale coloured fish, the babies couldnt find the parents and when a few did the parents flicked them off. By day 4 no babies left :cry:
Here we go again, their eggs are due to hatch tomorrow, the pair next door have wrigglers which hatched today. Should I take the eggs tomorrow just before hatching and give to the other parents. Or watch until free swimming and sneak half in with the other pair? Will they notice the size difference or what? Any advice would be appreciated.

I have noticed with normal coloured pairs my babies leave the cone and are straight on the parents, no wandering around at all, where as these GSS were all over the tank. It also looks strange as they are sort of clear with black eyes and stomachs. Whereas the others are all black. I know that is because they will be golden coloured but would the other parents notice.

[Trebs]

I'm breeding golden pidgeon snakeskins myself at the moment. I had your problem to begin with.
I found this setup worked for me -

18" cube tank 2/3 full. 3 sides of the tank are exposed, one side is covered by white polystyrene.
I use a white PVC pipe (vertical) as a spawning surface.
one sponge filter with a yellow sponge and covered in a white nylon filter material bag. Flow about 60% of max.
subdued lights on 24hrs once the pair have laid. I just have a 40W globe in a small laundry, no aquarium light on the tank.
When the wrigglers start to begin free swimming remove 1/2 the remaining water.
Leave the water at this level for about 3 days.
Gradually fill to 2/3 full over 2-3 days.
After another 5 days fill the remainer of the tank.

I found I did not need to lower the water below 2/3rd's after they had successfully raised one spawn. The parents also got a lot better at keeping the fry together.

As far as mixing with another spawn, yes the parents will notice a size difference. I added a small spawn that was 4 days younger. The parents ate their own babies (the larger) and kept the new ones.

[Kaza]

Thanks for that Trebs, I am not sure what to do at the moment. The older wrigglers are just turk based, so would like to save the GSS if I can. I think I will remove half and see what happens. The good thing with discus if it doesnt work they breed again in under a week.

[sunshinediscus]

Good reply Trebs. I've noticed what you said regarding care of the fry after they have raised the 1st batch to be true. I've often wondered that the parents almost need to build up the mucous for the fry to feed on the first time around, then it stays there for subsequent spawns as the fry always seem more attracted to the parents after that initial batch.

How do the parents look now?? I still remember seeing them in Norman Lams shop that day i met you, they were beautiful young adults then, must be spectacular by now.

Rod

[Trebs]

I'm especially happy with how the male as turned out.
They started breeding for me about a week after I bought them so they haven't had a chance to grow any more. The first successful batch I got from them are now up to 20 cent piece size. Should start getting an idea of their patterns/colour soon.

I'll try and take some more photos of the parents. Hopefully they'll turn out better than the first lot did.

[DiscusMan]

trebs,

100% the best thing to do is lower the water level.

I lower my level down so that the parent fish have just enough room to swim upright. I remove all filter mediums and have only a air stone running in the tank. Heater is inserted but black top not placed in the water. If tank has black protection strips on corneres, remove them. Put the white polystyrene foam on back and both sides. Of course water changes are done to keep water clean with no filter.

In the ned you are trying to make it so that the parents are the darkest object in the tank as that is what they are attracted to.

I have a pair of goldens and have used this method for there last 6 spawns. Evfen after all this they didnt get the forth lot to attach so it takes a bit of persistence.

should take a couple of days for them to figure out that hte parents are the food source and they will do it very suddenly. Also as stated keep a night light on in the room and if possible place it as to enhance the darkness of the fish at night so right above them is not much use i think.

Good luck with them

Wayne

[jim]

When are you thinking of selling your GSS Trebs :-)

[Del]

I'd be interested in seeing some photos and if you are planning to sell I'd be interested too!?

[Trebs]

I have about 40-50 that are about 20 cent piece size. I'll be looking to sell some in about 4-6 weeks. I've got a LFS lined up to take most of them but if you get in beforehand you can have the pick of the bunch. PM me if you are interested.

Another good trick is to feed the parents on colour bit. They go from gold to orange/gold and are easier for the fry to find.

[jim]

Hi Trebs..

How much you wanna sell...and where are you located...thx

[leanne31]

Karen have you solved the problems with the gss yet.

Leanne