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DiscusnAfricans

Past President
Anyone have any marbles laying around they'd like to get rid of? I'm planning to set up a breeding cave for a group of petricola, and need some marbles to add to the base. Dark colors would be preferred, but I'm open to just about anything. Thinking 20-30 should be plenty, but not exactly sure.

I got a new cave from South Central Cichlids designed for petricola use. I'll post some pics once I can find my marbles.:eek:
 

chriscoli

Administrator
I probably have some (from my MTG gaming days...) that you can have. Michaels, Joannes, Walmart, and all of those stores also carry them.
 

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
I probably have some (from my MTG gaming days...) that you can have. Michaels, Joannes, Walmart, and all of those stores also carry them.

Thanks Chris, that'd be awesome. Maybe bring them to the holiday party? I don't find myself in craft stores very often these days, but will keep that in mind.

I can't believe I missed the opportunity to say that!

I set it up like a t-ball for you!
 

69cichlids

Members
When I was on the hunt for marbles walmart only had multi-color packs. I ended up going to michaels. They have packs with about 30 marbles in it, I got a pack of dark blue and have had success with them laying eggs.

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DiscusnAfricans

Past President
When I was on the hunt for marbles walmart only had multi-color packs. I ended up going to michaels. They have packs with about 30 marbles in it, I got a pack of dark blue and have had success with them laying eggs.

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Thanks for the tip. Were the eggs visible with the dark marbles?
 

todda

Members
yes the eggs are visable on black marbles & all black marbles are hard to find. I ended up ordering some from Moon Marbles, heres a link >> http://www.moonmarble.com/p-765-opal-black-916.aspx

I have found that if I use a net and set it over the top of my glass & then pour the marbles in - that way I can leave about 1/2 the cup empty. the net holds the marbles and when the petricolas spray the eggs. They fall through the marbles and you can see the eggs much better in the bottom of your glass. This way you won't damage eggs when pulling the marbles out of your glass. I would also recommend a turkey baster to remove the eggs from the glass. I don't have good luck with petricolas. I get 10 out of 100 make it to a sellable size.
**heres abnother link about breeding them >> http://www.kwas.ca/Articles/Petricola.pdf
 

69cichlids

Members
They are visible on the blue marbles also, I have only gotten one batch of eggs so far and had no survive yet :(

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todda

Members
petricola are super touchy when small - I would recommend a seperate 10 gallon to put the eggs in once they are laid - extermely important to keep all foriegn material out of the area where your eggs are hatching and growing - use a turkey baster to remove any eggs that look like they are getting fuzzy - I have lost 100's of eggs overnight from fuzz/fungus. If anyone has tips for raising these little guys - I'd love to hear what has worked for you?
 

69cichlids

Members
I'm guessing in the 10 gallon you have a sponge filter and heater? I'm going to ask my brother in law for the contact info for a guy he gets his pleco from. I had gotten a few of my petricola from that breeder...hopefully he will be willing to give some advise and I'll post what he has to say.

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todda

Members
I have made a smaller breeder box to put inside the 10 gallon out of a plastic 1 gallon betta tank. I have a large rectangle cut out of one side of the breeder box with my dremel tool, then I used aquarium silicone around the edge. Then, I cut up a very fine fish net and used it as a screen over the opening. I keep the eggs in this box as they form tails, after I have removed them from the cup with marbles. I checking them often, looking for dead and fungused. When I find dead, I use a turkey baster to remove the dead. I have a little fluval nano filter that I have set up to run fresh water to the hatching box(kinda like in the PDF I send a link to). Yes I have a sponge filter and a heater in the 10 gallon. I also use hydrogen peroxide to help with the fungus(in PDF). I also feed them decapsulated baby brine shrimp( its very tricky to feed them too. If you feed too much the extra food will spoil and kill babies, but if you don't feed enouggh they will die from not being fed enough. here's a link to the decap baby brine shrimp> http://www.kensfish.com/moreinfo/decapsulated-brine-shrimp.html
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Alder cones (rachel sells them) are a wonder for knocking down fungus. I use them whenever I artificially hatch eggs...

Matt
 

todda

Members
(rachel sells them)? who is this? I looked for rachel in the memeber list and didn't see her name. I googled adle cones and I think i'd like to try some
 

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
At what size are these guys ready to make sweet love? They seem to be real slow growers!
I've heard some people say about 2 years, around 3" inches maybe. Of course it can vary for different people; will depend somewhat on what you're feeding them and how often. Mine are slow growers, but I only feed once a day max. Not everything is meant to grow to maturity quickly.
 
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