'09-'10 Neurergus kaiseri Captive Breeding report

[SludgeMunkey]

They look much darker in this picture due to the flash. They are actually kind of a light mustard color with the slightest hint of black speckling. I really need to break down and buy a real camera one of these days.

 

[NewtZoo]

Hey Monkey,
What are you feeding those guys right now? Im really pumped about this! To bad you had to separate the adults, the world could use a little more Neurergus! But then again you don't want to burn them out.......

 

[SludgeMunkey]

They will only eat Moina sp., cyclops, Artemia napuli, Simocephalus vetulus, Cerodaphnia dubia, and other small moving crustaceans for me. I have tried a few different "worm" feeders from vinegar eels to microworms, but they show no interest.

 

[Davo]

Hi Johny,
was wondering how you were rearing youre larvae and how it was going? I have eggs that are developing nicely in small containers with daily partial water changes.Once youre eggs hatched did you rear them with any filteration or added air stones? Or just daily water changes?

Many thanks Martin.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

After a very scary die off of about 45% of the larvae, I dumped the usual rearing tub method I use and went for full on 10 gallon pond tanks. This solved the die off problems.

By using heavily planted tanks with partial river rock substrates and keeping them well stocked with daphnia, cyclops, gammarus and black worms- the larvae growth exploded.

I do not use filtration or an airstone. I provide a 12/12 lighting schedule with a florescent plant grow light. I did include a small slab of limestone in each tank.

Water changes are required roughly every two weeks, determined by weekly water chemistry checks. (I admit I do not do changes that often, with all those plants and filter feeding microfoods in there water chemistry is amazing!) I am still keeping the water hardness quite high. This seems to be working well, so I will continue to do so.

I am keeping water temperatures at 62-68F. ( The weather has been very mild so I have been opening windows to cut electricity costs.)

The oldest of the larvae are now approaching two inches long!