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N, strauchii breeding

Molch

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Thanks for the pics, Tim. They are so cute! :D
But I´m wondering about their color differences.

yes, I noticed too: is there a variation or are the darker ones just younger? The adults don't have much color variation, do they?
 

Molch

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I'm curious also about the "gold dust" variant of this species: Is it a rare mutation? Common mutation? Was it found in the wild or bred in captivity? Are there several individuals known or was it a one-time only freak?
 

Tim Robin

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It seems to me that they lighten as they get older. I don't recall any being as light when they hatched as they are now that they are eating. It seems there was another post some time ago that Jen had similar findings.
 

Azhael

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The gold dust variant is a naturally ocurring variation. As far as i´m aware noone has isolated it in captivity, simply because the species itself is not that easy to breed. I hope they never do, though xD
They have appeared in captive breedings in the past, that´s for sure.
There are certainly a number of individuals known, but i ignore how common the mutation is in natural populations. It could be locally common, specific to a particular location, or more or less evenly rare throughout their distribution.


Congrats again, Tim, keep up the good work. I hope you end up with lots of juveniles xD
 

Tim Robin

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The larvae are doing very well and growing fast. They are eating a lot of baby brine shrimp, chopped black worms, and some frozen daphnia. They are rather hard to photograph, so not the best picture but you can see they have all 4 legs now. It looks like some will be available when they have lost their gills. :lol:

042-1.jpg
 

Tim Robin

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The larvae continue to grow and eat a lot. Some are approaching the 2 inch mark. My question is, when do I need to worry about escapees? At what size/length do they start to venture out of the water?
 

Jennewt

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You don't need to worry until they start to get adult coloration (distinct yellow polka-dots).
 

Tim Robin

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Ok thanks Jen. I will keep an eye on them. They are so fun, they love to take food right from the pipet. It is like spoon feeding them.
 

Molch

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awesome. If I may ask, what kind of a setup did you raise them in?
 

Tim Robin

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awesome. If I may ask, what kind of a setup did you raise them in?

I faithfully moved the eggs daily from Gladware tub to tub. Once hatched, I keep them in the tub for a week or more. The eating larvae are now in two large Sterilite storage containers. Each container has a filter and an air supply. The larvae seem to do very well with the moving/circulating water. I do a partial water change daily as it seems I still have a trace amount of ammonia. They tolerate the water changes just fine too. I have attached a few pictures that may help visualize what I have described.

026-1.jpg


029.jpg
 

Molch

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thanks Tim, that looks very sweet - is that a duetto filter lying in the corner? Do you feed brine shrimp in this setup, and if you do, doesn't it get sucked into the filter?
 

Tim Robin

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Yes it is a duetto filter, you are good!! I unplug the filter every morning at feeding time for about 2-3 hours. Then I plug it back in and by then the BBS have moved to the perimeter or have been consumed. It seems to work quite well.
 

taapua

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Have you thought of adding some fast-growing plant in their tubs, like Hornwort, to help with the ammonia?
 

Tim Robin

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I have thought of adding a live plant, but have not done it yet. The larger of the two tanks, the one I set up first has now cycled and ammonia is absent. I still change water daily and they are doing very well. They are growing like weeds. Here are a couple of the larger ones They are coloring up nicely. I am going to have to start watching for jumpers. :D

012-4.jpg


010-3.jpg
 

tmarmoratus

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Very cool! I love raising the larvae of a species that has bred for me for the first time. Very good times.
 

Molch

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beautiful critters. Love the emerging polka dots!
 

Tim Robin

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Spots, spots everywhere!!!! They are picky eaters. I have seen them spit out a frozen blood worm. They like their BBS and black worms. I guess I may have to order more black worms.

004-2.jpg
 
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