- Only breed high quality fish.
- Only try to spawn fish that is healthy.
- Water quality, water temperature, diet, aquarium set up etcetera should always be optimal, not just when you try to coax your fish into spawning.
- Aphyosemion sjoestedti (also known as Blue Gularis) can be breed even in small aquariums. A one gallon aquarium is actually enough, as long as you manage to keep the water quality up.
- Successful spawning has taken place in aquariums with plenty of substrate as well as in clean slate bottomed aquariums.
- Get your adult fish into breeding condition by feeding them plenty of meaty food. You can for instance give them white worms and chopped up earthworms.
Different ways of raising Aphyosemion sjoestedt fry
Removing the adults
One of the most commonly use technique is to place a small group of adult Aphyosemion sjoestedti in a breeding aquarium decorated with plenty of plants, including floating plants. The adult fish are left in the aquarium for 2-3 weeks, and is then moved back to their normal home. During this period, they will have had plenty of time to spawn and the plants are normally filled with fertilized eggs. Aphyosemion sjoestedti eggs hatch roughly 16-18 days after they are laid.
Using spawning mop and a fry raising aquarium
Another method involves the use of a spawning mop. Wait for the fish to use the mop as spawning site, and then place the mop in a hatching aquarium. Since the mop will contain both fertilized and unfertilized eggs, you have to watch the hatching aquarium closely and remove any eggs that show signs of fungal attacks. Professional breeders sometimes pick the eggs from the mop by hand instead of placing the entire mop in a hatchling aquarium, since hand-picking normally leads to a higher survival rate. You have to be really gentle when handling the eggs.
Peat moss incubation
During peat moss incubation, the eggs are place on damp peat moss instead of an aquarium filled with water. The peat moss should be kept in a tightly closed box to preserve moist and prevent infestations. Store the box at room temperature in a dark location. When using the peat moss incubation method, you have to wait six weeks for the eggs to hatch. When the eggs develop a chestnut brown color and you can see small, black spots through shell (these are the eyes), it is time to make the eggs hatch. Place eggs in a small pill bottle, exhale into the bottle, and close the cap tightly. Place the pill bottle in your pocket where it will be wormed by your body heat and let it stay there for a few hours. We still do not know why this method is so effective when it comes to hatching Aphyosemion sjoestedti eggs, but it may be the combination of movement and carbon dioxide build up.
Feeding Aphyosemion sjoestedt fry
Microworms are a suitable first food for Aphyosemion sjoestedti fry. When they fry are about three days old you can start giving them newly hatched brine shrimp.
A quick not about the males
Males should be separated when they are around two inches long, otherwise they will start fighting each other.
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