They are actually full grown now, or what I think is full grown. It wont drop at all, in fact that was probably the low. They did fine last year.
Gymnogeophagus Terrapurpura Growout!
- Thread starter The Masked Shadow
- Start date
The gymnos have been thriving. In total there are 9, 3 from last years spawn, and the original group. No deaths from the originals, though one seems to have a hunched back, i assume from aggression. I has to add extra decorations, pots and such for hides. Some havent been eating as much, i assume from aggression but im not completely sure.
The weather has been a bit off in socal, so this is their first spawn. Its the biggest one that is the mother. Fortunately she is the most aggressive and will defend her babies well. Imgoing to give her another try raising fry.
The weather has been a bit off in socal, so this is their first spawn. Its the biggest one that is the mother. Fortunately she is the most aggressive and will defend her babies well. Imgoing to give her another try raising fry.
I was just wondering recently how this tank was doing; good to see that it's still a going concern.
My G.rhabdotus (kissing cousins to your terrapurpura) bred like mice outdoors last summer, and then spent the winter in an unheated basement tank at around 60-65F. Like yours, their metabolism slowed way down and growth was minimal. I don't think this is anything to worry about; it's likely the exact thing they experience in their native waters as the seasons change. Their adaptation to these changing temps is one of the main things about them that attracted me...and it's also why you can get away with keeping them outside all year, despite your terrifyingly frigid 40F weather...
I put my fish outside a bit too early, lulled into a false sense of security by a freak warm spell during spring. They wound up enduring almost a week in the 40F's, but bounced right back when things warmed up. I actually placed all my fry into a 350gallon stock tank, somewhere around 60 fish, and they are growing so fast now that you can practically watch them expand; they are mostly between 1.5 and 2.5 inches in size. Today I noticed some new fry in that tank; I suspect I will need to thin out the numbers before the end of summer.
My G.rhabdotus (kissing cousins to your terrapurpura) bred like mice outdoors last summer, and then spent the winter in an unheated basement tank at around 60-65F. Like yours, their metabolism slowed way down and growth was minimal. I don't think this is anything to worry about; it's likely the exact thing they experience in their native waters as the seasons change. Their adaptation to these changing temps is one of the main things about them that attracted me...and it's also why you can get away with keeping them outside all year, despite your terrifyingly frigid 40F weather...
I put my fish outside a bit too early, lulled into a false sense of security by a freak warm spell during spring. They wound up enduring almost a week in the 40F's, but bounced right back when things warmed up. I actually placed all my fry into a 350gallon stock tank, somewhere around 60 fish, and they are growing so fast now that you can practically watch them expand; they are mostly between 1.5 and 2.5 inches in size. Today I noticed some new fry in that tank; I suspect I will need to thin out the numbers before the end of summer.
How’s the visibility of the fish in the pond? Do you see them often?
Not sure about terrapurpura, but one of the things that I love about the rhabdotus is the fact that, despite being eartheater types, they use all levels in the pond or in a tank. They will happily eat from the substrate, from the surface or anywhere in between; combined with their tameness, it makes them really easy to see and enjoy.
G. balzanii, which were one of my must-have fish for a long time, virtually never fed anywhere except at or very near the bottom, especially as they matured. Much harder to enjoy outdoors, from above.
How about the terrapurpura? Are they extremely bottom-oriented?
Yes, almost every single day, especially when pond UV clarifier is on. Terrapurpura and Rhabdotus are very similar fish and as
jjohnwm said, you will find them not only on bottom of the pond but also chilling under water lily like gold fish.G Mekinos and Labiatus are much more bottom oriented fish.
My terrapurpurra have been staying at the top of the water, I'm not really sure why. They also seem to have trouble eating flakes, which I've noticed for the past month and a half. But they seem healthy and happy. The fry are still alive, parent is protecting.
