As most of you know Peter doled his fish out to several of us out here to
watch during his vacation. Well some of the fish I'm watching are 2 groups
of Botias. I figured it might be fun to try and spawn them while they were
here and I had the opportunity.
Well I've been reading up on them and it's amazing the kind of information
I'm finding on breeding them. Everything from egg scatterers to livebearers.
It looks as though no one has actually done it, or at least if they did they
sure didn't write about it. I have heard rumors that perhaps they have been
hormone induced to spawn in some Asian farms, but I havn't been able to find
any really good information.
Right now they are 20 gallon tanks with just Peter's UGF in a bucket, and
some rocks. I wanted to buy glass covers for the tanks, stick a shop light
over it and add plants in planters. I also wanted to cover a piece of wood
with ferns and add that too. I was thinking of using peat and a bit of soil
in the planters. Lot's of floating plants, probably just throw some najas in
that is overtaking some of the other tanks and let it float on top. I was
thinking of cramming all the bottom space in between the filter and planters
with rocks, I figured I'd add a lot of small ones too that the adults
couldn't get between. Then start doing water changes with some RO water,
maybe I should use a watering can so it simulates rain fall, and use
slightly cooler water too. I've been feeding them on snails, flake, mosquito
larva and frozen blood worms.
I want to do something soon now though, because 2 of them, 1 in particular,
looks for all the world like I'd figure a loach full of eggs would look.
Truly for all I know this could just be a fat male but I don't think so.
Anyway if anyone knows anything about their breeding at all please tell me.
Thanks,
Rhonda