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ok, there's something in the water at the moment... sterbai last week, today, my black phantoms were spawning for about two hours!!

i have 7 males and 2 females, and they went OFF!! i have never seen the boys so black, and the harried females a pinkish grey, so pale! they were being chased and absolutely mobbed by the boys, darting around the tank furiously, the gents breaking off to do a little fin-flaring to show who's boss, then back to the chase, their destinations being my small, dense sword plant rosettes, where the she-fish would spawn about 20-30 eggs at a time, probably at 10 minute intervals. this went on and on. i love my phantoms, but never thought they could be THIS beautiful!! even now, 2 hours after spawning ceased, they are all still much darker and 'shinier', somehow. (ah, afterglow! hehehe!)

the corydoras and royal whiptails made short work of the eggs, but i'm feeling quite proud of the would-be mums and dads!

Last edited by jase101 at 16-Apr-2005 03:25

Sweet. Sounds pretty similar to the lemon tetra spawning process. I'm not surprised, seeing as how they are closely related. Good job with all that.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

That sounds great jase101. You're really doing a great job with all those spawnings.


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Congratulations, and welcome to the "Tetras Spawning In The Community Aquarium" club.

Now of course what you need to do is set up a 24" x 12" x 12" breeding aquarium for them (we'll turn you into a Multiple Tank Syndrome patient by hook or by crook - muhahaha ).

Since they've already spawned in your current setup, your water should be perfectly fine. Only difference I'd specify in the breeding aquarium is this: get a decent sized clump of Java Moss for them to use as a spawning medium, and set up an egg trap. While not quite as notorious in the egg eating department as my beloved Lemons, Black Phantoms will help themselves to caviar if the opportunity arises. So, it's glass rods or marbles time in the breeding aquarium, along with a big clump of Java Moss. Then you can have all the fun of raising a nice batch of baby Black Phantoms. Which will introduce you in turn to the delights of cultivating infusoria in jars of pongy water full of rotting lettuce, squashed peas and banana scrapings


Last edited by Calilasseia at 16-Apr-2005 09:49

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002