Re: Pelvicachromis kribensis -Reply -Reply

["Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson@calweb.com>]

At 10:38 AM 2/17/98 -0600, William Vannerson wrote:
>>>You make it sound like the folks who are turning fish into clubs for
>BAP points are very cold and calculating. <<
>
>Kaycy,
>That was not my intent.  I'm sorry if my comments came accross that
>way.  In fact, the Kribs I have I bought at a BAP auction.  Six young fry
>for $2.  So I have benefited from the clubs BAP program directly and am
>thankful and supportive of the program.  Plus, the members are always
>ready and willing to help answer questions and give advice, no matter
>what the species.
>
>The point I was trying to make was that many members may no longer
>keep the old standards, such as Kribs, because they've "been there. 
>Done that."  And, after all, even the mose enthusiastic cichli-diot can
>maintain only so many tanks.  So it's out with the old and in with the new.
>
>I really did not intend to make a political statement with my comments.  I
>was just trying to identify a possible explanation why you don't see so
>many people keeping Kribs.
>
>Bill Vannerson
>http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/william_vannerson
Bill, I thank you for your clarification. I am sorry if I took it the wrong
way but, it did seem to be against the BAP programs.

I myself am spawning a pair of wild kribs. (Pelvicachromis pulcher) I have
them in a 55 gallon community tank and they are set up at one end of the
tank and I have a divider that I can place in the tank when they spawn. The
most I have been able to get them to do in there is hatch out the fry but
once the fry become free swimming they are eaten by the parents. Because of
this I take the fry/eggs when spawned. I have had troubles hatching the eggs
artificially but am still working on it. I do have one batch from them that
I hatched in a net hanging in a basket in our 100 gallon community tank.
These fry are approximately 1/2 - 3/4". I tried hatching this last batch a
different way with no success. Breeding and raising fish is a lot of trial
and error. I have that with some of my more sensitive corys as well. My
normal routines for hatching the other cory eggs are not successful for
other corys. With my apistos, most of the time if I have a good pair I
usually leave the fry with the adults. If need be I hatch them separately. I
write a lot of articles on my fish and take a lot of photos of all the fish,
breeders, eggs, fry etc. I have gone over old articles (I'm constantly
updating them) and found that I don't do some things the same way as before.
Trial and error. This type of experience takes years of development and I am
all for everyone breeding fish to keep as accurate records as possible with
their progress. I admit we have a lot of tanks to work with and plan on
expanding and other hobbyists only have a few tanks available to them. In
this case working with one or two species at a time is still very valuable
information for those who may also be trying that particular species. For
instance, I learned in 1994 for Kribs spawn best in a community setting.
Preferably a 55. A 30 long may do, but 55 is best. I have tried spawning
them on their own and have lost a good breeding pair (in the communities) in
a 20 long from the male killing the female or vice-versa.

The most important thing that a person who keeps fish and wants to breed
them is trial and error. Don't give up till you find the solution whether
that is on your own (most in my case) or by the experiences of others. Even
though someone else may be able to keep the fish going doesn't mean that
their way will work for you. I have read a lot of books on the fish I like
and the best information I can come up with is from my own experiences. Use
others experiences and book information as a starting point. Go on from
there and just maybe, we can keep all the apistos off the endangered list
because they are still around and people understand them better.

Sorry for the soap box.

Kaycy