I'll start this blog with a brief run down of why I'm attempting this for the first time.

I've kept Fundulopanchax gardneri - Steel Blue Killifish in my community tank for almost two years. I began with one pair and over time a few of their eggs hatched and the fry grew successfully, but when I added Yo-Yo Loaches (Botia almorhae) no more babies made it as the Yo-Yos love to follow any spawning fish around and hoover up the eggs.

Earlier this week I decided to take the two females and one of the males out and put them into a separate tank for spawning to increase their number, but the day I set up the spawning tank, disaster struck. I lost both females and with only males remaining I looked for anyone selling these beautiful fish. I had no luck, apart from finding one source selling them at more than I am willing to pay right now. The obvious alternative was to buy fertile eggs and incubate them.

I found a listing on a well-known internet auction site for 20+ fertile eggs, placed my bid and waited. I was the lucky winner and this morning my Postman delivered a small Jiffy envelope containing a sealed polythene bag of peat holding the eggs. Now I need to keep the peat warm, but not too warm, and moist, but not wet for the next week or so before adding water and watching for the fry to hatch. I'll be inspecting the eggs daily and looking for the characteristic dark eye spots that show they are ready for the rainy season - and waiting to hatch.



19th March
While waiting for "wetting day" I thought I'd just post a picture showing what I'm aiming for.

Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri