My first spawn of African pike characin (Hepsetus odoe)

[giseok jung]

giseok jung
There is a breeding report in Korean on HealingAqua; I skimmed over it somewhat and it might be worth a read if you haven't taken a look at it already.

국내최초 아프리칸 파이크 번식 힐링아쿠아 일상 - 힐링아쿠아

힐링아쿠아 일상

healingaqua.co.kr

Thanks, I've already read that breeding report and that was the first time breeding in my country.
There are some more interesting breeding reports on that site so take a look if you are interested.
(Also the Cuban gars that sold on Predetory fins lately were bred by Healing Aqua)

It’s fascinating that a Characin can breed like labyrinth fish and provide bi parrental care of youngs. There are many convergent evolution of body shape across fish species, but convergent reproductive behavior of bubble nesting is rare, specially in Characin which typically scatter eggs, abandon and eat youngs. The babies are quite large, comparable to mouth brooding cichlid than labrinth bubble nesters. How large are the parents? Pike characin can reach 28 inch and your tank, 48x24x20 inch, hardly enough room for adult fish if they reach max size.

My specimens were about 30~35cm and it's quite difficult reach more than 40cm in aquarium.
I used to kept them in my 210*75*90cm tank with many bichirs and breeding tank was 120*60*50cm.
They actually act quite like Betta species when they breed so they don't really need very large tank for breeding.

 

[tiger15]

They actually act quite like Betta species when they breed so they don't really need very large tank for breeding.

Not entirely. Betta embrace each other to induce female to drop eggs. Both pick up eggs and blow them to the bubble nest. When it is all done, male betta will drive female away and guard the eggs solo. I don’t think Pike characin embrace each other but both parents take care of eggs.

Do Pike Characin build bubble nest jointly and how do they bring the eggs to the nest?

 

[giseok jung]

Not entirely. Betta embrace each other to induce female to drop eggs. Both pick up eggs and blow them to the bubble nest. When it is all done, male betta will drive female away and guard the eggs solo. I don’t think Pike characin embrace each other but both parents take care of eggs.

Do Pike Characin build bubble nest jointly and how do they bring the eggs to the nest?

Only male build the bubble nest and they spawn directly to their nest (belly side up) so they don't need to pick up sunk eggs.
Seems female do guarding their nest from predetors while male keep focus on making more bubbles and maintain it's nest till the eggs hatch.
Male do carry frys with its mouth when the frys try to escape from the nest before they are ready.

 

[HarleyK]

giseok jung Your efforts, your successes, your dedication to the fish and the hobby all embody the best of /\/\onsterFishKeepers. You shining a spotlight on Pike Characin, bringing us all together to share information … it makes me smile every time I open this thread. Thank you for this!

 

[giseok jung]

giseok jung Your efforts, your successes, your dedication to the fish and the hobby all embody the best of /\/\onsterFishKeepers. You shining a spotlight on Pike Characin, bringing us all together to share information … it makes me smile every time I open this thread. Thank you for this!

Thank you very much too!
What you achieved and shared on MFK in the past helped me very much to get this success!

 

[giseok jung]

Update.
They looks just like their parents now, just much smaller.

They are extreramly carnivalistic but I still have more than 100 frys survived.
I'm thinking to change their food to carp fry + artifical feeds to reduce carnivalism in a few day.

 

[giseok jung]

This might can be my last update of them on large group.
They start acceping frozen bloodworms and other frozen foods so I decided they are now safe to find new home in this weekend.

Of course I will keep some for myself and keep update how they grow up!

 

[giseok jung]

I uploaded more detail breeding report of Hepsetus odoe on my blog.

Because it's written on Korean, I recommend to try translator when you read it.
https://m.blog.naver.com/gisuk30/223427841283

 

[giseok jung]

I sent them to my friends shop and other local fishkeepers and now I have 9 specimens to keep myself.
They growing up super fast and hope I can see them schooling with their parents in near future.

The bichirs on the bottom are my home breed P. delhezi with 3 different strains (two of them appear on those photos) and golden ornate I bred last year.

 

[phreeflow]

They all look great! Especially the golden ornate