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Water Conditions- Not critical. Good
filtration,
Water Changes,
Temp- 68-76 Degrees
Behavior- Peaceful community fish, Best kept in
species only tank, due to its rarity.
Breeding- 5-20 young Every 60 days. Separate females
to drop young, Raise young
separately.
Size- 2.5 inches
This fish is
generally hardy and does well, but it has caused some trouble
for some fishkeepers, particularly
when they first are trying to get them started. Being as rare
as they are and not a very aggressive fish to
begin with, they are best kept in a tank by themselves or
with a small catfish, algae eating shrimp, etc.
When given at least a 10 gallon tank, moderately planted,
some aeration generated water movement and at least
10% weekly water changes they should do fine. Temperatures
here are generally 72-76 degrees, and this species
should be fed some type of live food occasionally to keep up
their color and desire to breed. For consistency
of water quality and concern for their status, they are kept
in 30 gallon tanks here, young are grown out in
10 gallon tanks.
They are fry eaters, and the females occasionally do not do
well when moved to a small container to have their
fry. Fortunately, some females are small enough to drop fry
in a net breeder, which should be kept in her home
tank. Bigger females must be moved to a 5 or 10 gallon
filtered, moderate to heavily planted tank of their own
or into a tank setup mentioned below. When moving her, siphon
a substantial portion of the water for the new tank
from her old. The stress of the move is lessened, and she
will be more likely to have her young successfully.
10-15 small young are born that can be immediately fed baby
brine shrimp. Though they may tolerate up to 78
degrees, these seem most comfortable between 70 and 74
degrees.
A trick for many livebearers is to allow the female to have
her young in a tank already populated by young that
are just large enough not to be eaten. The adult female does
not bother the young already in the tank, and
those young are too small to bother any new fry. When the new
fry are born, the larger young already occupying
the tank act as “dither” fish, and distract the female from
chasing and eating the new fry she just gave birth
to. I have a moderately planted 10 gallon tank of 2-4 week
old tequila fry always going, and rotate gravid
females into it to have their young. Though they generally do
not abort their drops or die when moved (as happens
fairly routinely with Ameca splendens) the females are more
comfortable when put into an already established tank
of young of their own species. I will remove her as soon as
she drops, then wait about 10 days before introducing
another gravid female. The young as they mature are then
eventually put in with the adults. It is probably best
to have her drop her fry in a tank by herself with lots of
plants, but this situation works well when tank space
is an issue, and is probably less stressful for the female
overall.
When conditions are not ideal, this fish- more so than any
other offered at this site- will generally continue
to eat and thrive, but will cease breeding. I have had older
populations that continued for years without dropping
young. When water changes were increased with more frequent
feedings, particularly of live food, I have found that
they will sometimes begin to have young again. Some
fishkeepers feel that mating older males to younger females
will get them going. Another solution has been to remove from the
population all of the males but 3 or 4 of the most
active, and keep an eye out for a female becoming gravid,
while increasing the amount of live food and the water
change schedule. Generally, their breeding is most consistent
when first sexually mature, declining as they age.
See other Care Guides
Here
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