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Ah well, hopefully theyll keep doing it. The setup is actually my old tetra setup all I did was move the tetras on to another, so theres only some madagascans and some ottos in it now. The tank pretty much looks like it does in this picture except I upped the filtration a little to create a bit more flow, and trimmed the plants back, and I moved the echinoda to create a bit more swimming space in the middle.Its a 44 gal. The conditions are probably only a tiny bit more acidic than recommended, and the lights are bright but theres lots of surface planting. My planting is typically a bit disorganised looking, with the plants there for functionality rather than beauty, but I think the fish appreciate the slightly raggy natural look. Im not sure they appreciate really well designed dutch style planting over the more natural look, I think that sort of thing is more for our pleasure. I have often read that if you get the balance right between light and cover right, the surface plants encourage a spawn, so maybe thats what did it. Since they are quite rare in nature, should they breed again and if I get healthy fry I will post a transcript of the conditions with all details of temps, water quality, food, photoperiod , photos etc so people can give it a go.

I have a sneaking suspicion though, that it may be the change in conditions from a bare shop tank to a planted one that did the trick. Changes in seasonal levels of vegetation may trigger a lot of fish to spawn. I also dont really maintain water qualities the same as the shop, Im a believer in getting them over to more natural water qualities asap, especially since these rainbows are not extensively multigenerationally captive bred I see little point in it. Straight back to natural perameters for these fellas

I also only did a partial water change before they went in, and tetras had been breeding recently too, so perhaps there were still breeding hormones in the water that set them off, thats something ive noticed with a lot of rainbows, once one species starts breeding, often they all do!

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/longhairedgit/IMG_3902.jpg


and yes I should have quarantined them properly, but like a lot of experienced keepers, do as I say , not as I do .lol. Its only whitespot though,and ive caught it at the first sign so hopefully everything will be fine.
It might have even already been in the water from the tetras time, but they werent affected cos they were otherwise healthy, and the rainbows had the stress of a move and were more susceptible. I dont know anyone in the uk who doesnt get whitespot now and again, it seems to do well here, but I never lost a fish because of it yet.






Last edited by longhairedgit at 29-Nov-2005 02:46

I wouldn't count on it. Malachite messes up eggs something awful. Congrats on the spawn, though.

Congrats on the spawn.
I'd go with happy.
Do you have any pictures of the setup?

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Cake or death?