Breeding Project: Cherry Barb

So I haven't updated this in a little while but that's because I hadn't much time to do any updating. On October 24, I left to return home for my reading week that happens every October. I was originally intending to take the young with me down as I would be able to feed and care for them, however, due to time restraints and the difficulty in attempting to net the young, I left with the adults instead.

I figured, since the larvae were taking so long to mature into fry, they would have a better chance at surviving by their lonesome with the yolk sac and a potential array of bacteria and microorganisms that may be prospering within the tank. Also, the parents being my lone breeding pair will come useful in future spawns as well. Speaking of which, on the 28th, peculiar behaviour was noticed. Upon further inspection, the pair were breeding quite readily, without conditioning or prompting as well. This could possibly mean that Cherry Barbs may readily breed under proper conditions but the young may never propagate due to egg and young predation.

With such short notice, marbles were thrown into their 1 gallon desk tank in an attempt to save the eggs by being out of reach for the parents. Marbles are a wonderful choice to being a method of egg collection for scatter spawners, in my opinion. This is because a layer of marbles provides large enough crevices that allow for the eggs to slip inbetween but not allow the adults to be able to get at the eggs. Though some breeders use two to three layers of marbles, I feel that one layer is sufficient enough.

Hopefully the move back to school with the adults as well as the eggs become successful and have this second, unexpected spawn propagate more than that of the first spawn.