SubRosa
BS Bulldozer
Hi everybody! I just broke down my outdoor aquarium, and have lots of fish that were born in it over the summer. These are not a commonly seen species in the hobby, and hardcore Killie enthusiasts are rather dismissive of it because of its ease of breeding. The fish are Rivulus cylindraceous, a topminnow native to Cuba. http://www.alfanita.se/alfanita_se_...ceus_Cascade_de_Soares_M_F_CRW_3880_1_640.jpg Male above, female below. Care on these is very easy if a couple requirements are met, but they are definitely a step up in care from Guppies. #1 soft water. These were in rainwater. I have kept them in a 50/50 mix of ro & tap that would have been around 100 ppm tds and they did fine. Many years ago I tried in water that was around 250 ppm and failed completely #2 Small whole animal foods, preferably living, frozen is ok. Probably will not eat flakes or pellets, although I admit to having never tried. #3 Should have lots of live plants in the tank, because the parents will eat anything that moves that they can swallow whole, their own young included. They lay eggs among the plants which take about 7-10 days to hatch. Until the young reach a size too big to be swallowed they rely on the shelter of plants for their survival. Otherwise fry are relatively large at birth and easy to raise on small live foods such as microworms or bbs. #4 These fish are a subtropical species. The water temp was in the upper 50Fs when I caught these fish and they were doing a good job of avoiding the net. Fish that I couldn't get because of running out of daylight were in water that was about 42F the next day, and were dead. These fish can be kept at room temp in any room a normal person would be halfway comfortable in, or in normal tropical conditions. They are EXCELLENT for mosquito control in outdoor water gardens of suitable size!!! And #5 Tight lid a must! These babies are like popcorn, and in an uncovered tank with water filled near the top you will likely lose them! If you are willing to try to meet these conditions, pay for a medium Priority Flat Rate ($11) and a heat pack ($2) if necessary, and as always are a contributing member to the community, post here and contact me by pm. I have several groups of fish that I can give out, so unless I get down to one group (doubtful!) no need to worry about numbers or getting in line. Thanks for reading this long winded ad!
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