Your experience with breeding Electric Blue Acara

[CichlidAddict]

My EBA pair laid eggs the first time and I siphoned off the hatchlings into a 10g. There were initially perhaps 50+ fry, but after two weeks, they dwindled down to around 20. I am feeding them with daphnia I cultivate. I hope some of them will make it. What's your experience with breeding EBA. Do they typically die off over time, and if they make it, do they breed true or I'll end up with mixed regular and EBA?

 

[zendog]

Congratulations on your spawn. I have only left them with the parents in the early days and mine did a great job taking care of them, including keeping a hungry pack of Corys from getting at the fry. I fed them mostly golden pearls (5-50 size at first then 100-200) and crushed flake. I left them with the parents for a few weeks then moved them on to a 10gallon. I would wind up with 30+ (maybe 40+) from each spawn going into the 10 gallon although more died off during grow out. Mine bred true.

I don't know if the die off during grow out was because they have some genetic weaknesses due to all the inbreeding in the line or perhaps it was just the care they received while I was away for a few weeks and someone else was feeding them ... most of they losses seemed to happen while I was gone.

Good luck.

 

[CSnyder00]

Fry die off is common. It's not just for EBA's. I have die off with my Jack Dempseys, my plecos, and many other fish I've bred. Some just don't make it. I'm with Zendog. Try leaving them with the parents first. That may be more advantageous.

 

[CichlidAddict]

The parents are in the community tank with 30 other tankmates, some three times as large as the EBA, so there is no chance the fry can survive in the community tank. It was just pure luck that they moved the hatchlings to a rock where I can easily siphon them out. It was only their first spawn and I got it. I had tried and desperately want to breed other CA/SA for years with no luck, just one failure after another. Hope this one works out, even a few surviving ones will be a satisfaction.

 

[CSnyder00]

Well I wish you luck. I've bred a few CA/SA. Just don't forget that there is always a chance that they will breed again, even if you lose this batch. It's a learning process, and not an easy one.

 

[FishEggs]

I had Emperor Tetras breeding in my community tank with lots of other fish in the mix. i never expected to see any fry in there especially since they scatter eggs and don't parent at all. To my surprise i would get 4-5 tiny little fry surviving every month. If you have enough hiding places for them some will survive but just the smartest and the fittest.

 

[CichlidAddict]

I have fry grow up in my crowded community tank too, but they are Tanganyikan cave dweller species such as Brichardi or Julies. Their fry are smart and stay hidden in the caves to grow up. But EBA is open spawner and their fry are stupid and school in the open to get eaten.

No one answer my question yet, do EBA breed true or expect to have regular and EB offsprings.

 

[Wet Sleeves]

Yes, they will all be EBA.

 

[Wet Sleeves]

Oops, Sept. 26 2016. Guess you figured this one out by now