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Last night (21/03/2005) I was in the chat room, and while I was there, the Lemon Tetras that live in my Panda Fun Palace™ began spawning. Frenziedly. To the extent that they've rearranged some of my Java Moss!

But, to my astonishment, two of my Cardinals then took off behind the Java Moss that partially cloaks one of the caves in my bogwood 'boot', and started spawning in there in the dark. Although there's a good curtain of Java Moss on the 'boot', it was still possible to see what was going on.

I've noticed that one or two of my Cardinals have 'cave dwelling' tendencies, and I suspected for a long time that it had something to do with the fact that in the wild, Cardinals spawn in stretches of water that are completely cut off from overhead lighting by enclosing forest canopy. Well, now it seems they've proved the point.

Has anyone else here ever had Cardinals spawn in a community aquarium?

Once again, it shows I must be doing something right if my Lemons AND my Cardinals spawn in there. Although I suspect having two Characin species spawn simultaneously in a community aquarium is something of a record! Perhaps the local water company's adding hormones to the tap water!




Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Wow, that's great to hear! A spawning of both of the tetra species that I own, in the same tank? And it is a community, no less. I would love to be able to spawn my cardinal tetras, but I haven't made a concerted effort so far. Something must have happened to touch the fish off, since lemons hardly ever spawn at night...

Whatever you did, you did it right. Good job on the spawnings!

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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."

Love is in the air (er, water) ....

That's incredible news, especially getting the cardinals to spawn in a community tank. Clearly, you're doing something right in there, Calilasseia!

Congratulations & sure you're doing something right Calilasseia.
With both Tetra's spawning t the same time in the same tank.




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Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
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Cardinals reputedly dislike lighting in all stages of spawning (egg release, embryonic development, hatching), and yet mine have spawned countless times in the open. Java moss is used to collect the eggs, and I just let them lie there until they hatch, if, in fact, they do at all. These spawns, however, have only yielded 9 viable fry thus far.

i used to separate my cardinals to breed them but got tired n let them breed in my community tanks n they had a good success but never dropped that many eggs
ive bred them in the same tank as neons, glolites, black neons, green neons(colour variation of true neons), black phantoms

i have never kept lemons but congrats none the less n hope u get some fry

I think the Pandas snacking on caviar will put paid to any Characin fry somehow. All the more reason for setting up yet another breeding aquarium. See if I can get some Characin fry.

And, since my Cardinals have showm willing, it might be nice to try and raise some. All I need is some peat for a filter box

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Congrats, Cali. It's obvious from all of your spawning success that you keep your water and tank conditions pristine all to the liking of the occupants./:'

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

That's awesome Cal. What were the water parameters? I am conditioning some Cardinals to breed right now. I tried once already with no success, so I'm going to go for it again. That's amazing how they spawned at the same time as the lemons. Was there a recent water change or maybe a pressure change in your area right before it happened? Congrats again, that's exciting news.

Tank dimensions: 24" x 12" x 12".

Parameters:

Ammonia : zero
Nitrites : zero
Nitrates : hovering around 5ppm, rarely gets above 10, because I change 50% of the water twice per week and gravel vac deeply each time.

pH : usually hovers around 6.8. Tap water is naturally slightly acidic.

Hardness: around 8-10°dH (that's total hardness: don't know what the carbonate hardness is but I suspect it's fairly low).

Filtration: undergravel filter powered by AquaClear 201 powerhead operating at about 1/3 of full speed. Current is sufficient to persuade the Pandas to surf the bubbles!

Substrate: rounded gravel, particle size around 3mm or thereabouts.

No CO2 injection or fertilisers used (fish provide all my plants with enough nutrients, thank you!)

Aquascape: one bogwood 'boot' covered in Java Moss, with Java FErns growing on the top. One bogwood arch, made up of two pieces, forming a tripod arch, again covered in Java Moss and Java Ferns. Two Amazon Swordplants (was originally one, but it split in two) as centrepieces. Sprigs of Hornwort floating in the aquarium, and growing prodigiously (needs severe pruning about once every 4 days, as it can grow at 3 inches per day in my aquarium!).

No Blackwater Tonic or other additives used.

Population now comprises:

4 Otocinclus (I did have 7, but 3 of them have vanished: I suspect at least one of them will turn up when I do the next big cleanup under the arch)
8 Panda Corys
6 Cardinals
5 Lemon Tetras (there were 6, but one has vanished, and I suspect the Pandas snacked upon it during the night when it expired)
4 Beckford's Pencil Fish (there were 6, but one of my males is a 'wife beater' and killed off two of my females about a year ago - sigh)

Lemons spawn intemittently, independently of water change days, Pandas spawn at least once per week, and sometimes twice per week, usually after a large live food banquet and a water change. Cardinals not known to spawn until recently. Beckford's Pencil males too busy jousting with each other to show interest in the remaining female!

Pandas have spawned a total of 71 times since May 5th, 2003. Last recorded spawning was 16th March, 2005.

Oh, and as I write this, the Pandas look as if they're getting frisky again


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Huh, so nothing out of the ordinary to trigger your Cardinals it sounds like. I guess they just kinda felt like it. Sounds like an exciting tank you have there I'd love to see a picture of it.

Time for me to post this link yet again

Select "Next" to get the detail shots after this one.

Bookmark that album link and hunt down my other fish pics too, including my Panda spawning shots

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Congrats,

I would love to get some lemons, if only i could find some nice looking ones. The LFS gets them once in a while but they are very pale looking ones.

Don

That is normal with lemon tetras. They tend to be stressed out in any store you see them in (honestly, who wouldn't be?), which makes their colors fade away. However, if you take them home, care for them, and feed them well, they will brighten up quite nicely. That was the case with my lemons, and they now look quite attractive.

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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."

It looks like it's time for the obligatory article link again

Lemon Tetra Article

Includes the reasons why Lemons at the dealer's all look pale and insipid, and how to turn yours into intense blasts of yellow with the right TLC

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

didn't know they grew pale in the store, i'll keep that in mind.

Calilasseia thanks for the linkage. I printed that out and will read it tomorrow when i am more awake..

Don