Captive Arowana Spawn on MFK's

davenmandy

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2012
1,781
459
122
There was a video floating around here recently on someone breeding rtgs in a tank full of other fish, just random.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wailua Boy

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,670
14,041
3,910
Naples, FL, USA

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,670
14,041
3,910
Naples, FL, USA
Thank you, Fatlungy.

I was able to contact John and he said not a problem. How's everything coming along?
thebiggerthebetter thebiggerthebetter
John snookn21? I'm sorry, I'm not following. What's not a problem?

Alf's not eating, so I assume he is holding babies in his mouth. Been 3+ weeks. Harvesting is done in 5-6 weeks, I was told, after the babies reach around 2".
 

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,670
14,041
3,910
Naples, FL, USA

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,670
14,041
3,910
Naples, FL, USA
The alpha male Alf started feeding about a week ago.

-- Either I missed the release
-- or the babies died in his mouth
-- or he never had them.

I'm pretty sure they spawned because all the signs had pointed to it, no inconsistencies versus prior spawns, everything checked out.

I might have noted that he stopped feeding too late and the 6 weeks had elapsed 2-3 weeks earlier than I figured, but I doubt this.

The most likely reason in my mind is my slowly increasing the water hardness by 5x-10x all the while they courted, spawned, and he held the babies in his mouth. I think the fry didn't survive the hardness experiments and perished in his mouth and he, of course, spit them out. In their 4500 gal, any freebie snack like that would get picked up within seconds.

Just my analysis worth $0.02
 

Hendre

Bawitius
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Jan 14, 2016
9,848
10,929
438
South Africa
Noob question. But how did you reduce the hardness? RO water I'm guessing.

Arowana spawning is hard it seems. Hopefully I can get my knives to spawn someday
 

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,670
14,041
3,910
Naples, FL, USA
Yes, RO. My water production description can be found in the first two links in my signature.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store