My Parospromenus

[Peter Finke]

[quote=”Teunis” post=2242]… isn’t it a waste to keep them hidden in small breeding tanks, where I only look at them 3-4 times a week to make sure that they are okay… wouldn’t it be much nicer to be able to see them all day swimming around in the living room tank….[/quote]

You know my opinion already: It’s a waste to put them in a decorative tank b e f o r e you bred them. Afterwards, you have enough young to do with them what you like, but the first thing ever with endangered rare fish is seriously trying to multiply them.

[Teunis]

Thank you gentlemen,

I agree Peter, consuming rare fish is not right. however I also think that preserving species is more than just multiply them.

[Peter Finke]

Certainly, Teunis, it’s far more: doing political work regarding Malaysia and Indonesia and developing a realistic strategy. I think it must contain at least five points: 1. thinking anew and conducting others to think anew, 2. installing and monitoring reserves, 3. renaturalization measures at different places, 4. directing money in other directions, and 5. a media strategy. In all elements one has to involve the aquarium business, the aquaristic media and the aquarists themselves.

But in my opinion this should be accompagnied by sustaining the present aquarium stocks of the different species. Before we started our godfather-program all species that had been imported died out again within several years. Since then we have them.

This is not the most important point, but it is an important point. There is a litte bit of education in it, I am afraid. The more people see this, the better. (Excuse me!)

[Teunis]

finally I managed to take some reasonable pictures from a Paro 🙂

edit; the image does not show here..
link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8fewag3nm1iez49/2013-10-11%2014-17-45.JPG

I have edited your post, and put in the image. I think you needed to rename it (too long name or maybe problem is dropbox) Hope its working here. Beautiful picture – kind regards Helene, webmaster

[helene schoubye]

What is the white stuff you can see in the picture ?

[helene schoubye]

Looks like a nagyi by the way 🙂 ..

[Teunis]

thanks Helene,

the white stuff is some kind of fungus that often grows on fresh wood in the aquarium. its usually disappears after a few weeks. I think it grows on the sugars remaining in the twigs, it is easy to remove during the weekly water change. (With a hose)

it was sold to me as a nagyi, lovely species and not that shy

[Teunis]

I cleaned up the ornaticauda tank al little, its still a big mess but it should reflect a peatswamp stream, so I think that’s ok… the water could use a little more colour…

the fish don’t like me near the tank, so no pics of them.

[Peter Finke]

The white side-wall and the whole light regime does not fit to a blackwater swamp. Darken the glasses by black paper from outside, especially the back, and put some Boraras as companions in, then they will like you (but: No young will appear).

[Teunis]

I’ll go for a brown background behind the tank. just need to find the right colour.

companions make fish usually less shy, and some Sundadanio might look great in there, but no young…..
:dry:

[Teunis]

after a water change one of the males showed himself;

[Peter Finke]

Without doubt P. ornaticauda, although not in display colours.

Teunis: It would be informative – for many readers – if you told us where you got this from: a private breeder or the trade. If the trade: which country and which town and which date. Where other species available there at the same time? Have these been named correctly?

You could identify the females, too: shorter, blunter dorsal, not whitish borders at the anal, in normal colouring no red “flag” in the caudal fin.

For a peat swamp tank, dried leaves of oak or beech should be added and the whole milieu should look darker. Your water seems to be clear water. P. ornaticauda is a typical blackwater species, and one of the more difficult to breed. It depends on good pairs and really ripe animals. In order to see the extraordinary intensive pairing colours and the astonishing zig-zag dance you need to give them the adequate environment. Plants are of minor importance, the (very small) cave, the tea-coloured water, the subdued light and the dancing space is necessary. If you happened to get a good pair, they will do it in clear water to, but not with a pH of 6 or more. 4,5 is good, 3,5 is possible (but not without adjustment time of about a week.

[Teunis]

Peter, they are from commercial trade, Ruinemans is the wholesaler, they were sold as wild caught but no further specifications where provided.

the tank dimensions are 50cm x 25cm x 30 cm water level 20cm.
water has the colour of weak tea, but the camera filters that out:
automatic white balance:

white balance based on light above the tank:

lightning is strong for 3 hours every evening (55 watt PL), during the day there is only daylight, in the morning a little direct sunlight.

somehow the pH doesn’t stay as low as it should, after a water change pH is 5, a few days later is nearly 6…

[Teunis]

some crapy shots of courtship behaviour:

[Peter Finke]

Teunis, I wish you the very best for young ornaticauda. It could be extremely difficult to locate (and control) the clutch in such a complex surrounding. Of course that must not be the case, but then you will to have much patience to wait for young, It may take weeks until suddenly some are visible …
Good luck anyway!

[Author]

Posts