It was a very Bitter Sweet evening yesterday.
Came home and found one of my brevis had jumped out of the water ontop of the glass top on my 45 gallon. I had hoped that my pair in a seperate 10 was about to spawn as the female has disapeared two weeks ago. However after not even seeing her for so long, I figured that she had died. I decided to put what I thought was the lone male out of the 10 gallon in with the other brevis in the 45 gallon. As I waw searching the 10 looking for the body of the female, I was attacked by the male when I got close to one particular shell. I started looking, and low and behold there be fry in my tank! I counted 4-6, which I thought was pretty good for as young as the pair was.
So I decided to leave well enough alone and let the male stay with the fry, when out of nowhere I saw the female sticking her head out of her shell. That was even better! But then I found out why she was not seen for so long. She finaly came all the way out of the shell, and she had just a nub of a tail fin, and good chunks missing out of her dorsal and anal fins. The male had been absolutley brutial with her.
I removed the male into the 45 gallon, and left the female with the fry. May or may not have been the smartest move, as I know neither parent are known for great parental skills after the hatch. I supose time will tell on that. But on the bright side, the female shows no signs of infection, is not too thin, and is already eating well. So I am hoping for a full recovery from her.
I will put them back togeather agian after she heals well and has had ample time for recovery. I will at least put them into a 20 gallon this time, with about twice as many shells and more rock work.
Looks as if everything is on the up and up. (Just keeping my fingers crossed)
Came home and found one of my brevis had jumped out of the water ontop of the glass top on my 45 gallon. I had hoped that my pair in a seperate 10 was about to spawn as the female has disapeared two weeks ago. However after not even seeing her for so long, I figured that she had died. I decided to put what I thought was the lone male out of the 10 gallon in with the other brevis in the 45 gallon. As I waw searching the 10 looking for the body of the female, I was attacked by the male when I got close to one particular shell. I started looking, and low and behold there be fry in my tank! I counted 4-6, which I thought was pretty good for as young as the pair was.
So I decided to leave well enough alone and let the male stay with the fry, when out of nowhere I saw the female sticking her head out of her shell. That was even better! But then I found out why she was not seen for so long. She finaly came all the way out of the shell, and she had just a nub of a tail fin, and good chunks missing out of her dorsal and anal fins. The male had been absolutley brutial with her.
I removed the male into the 45 gallon, and left the female with the fry. May or may not have been the smartest move, as I know neither parent are known for great parental skills after the hatch. I supose time will tell on that. But on the bright side, the female shows no signs of infection, is not too thin, and is already eating well. So I am hoping for a full recovery from her.
I will put them back togeather agian after she heals well and has had ample time for recovery. I will at least put them into a 20 gallon this time, with about twice as many shells and more rock work.
Looks as if everything is on the up and up. (Just keeping my fingers crossed)
