Breeding report of Baryancistrus beginni (L239)
 

I thought it would be nice to share my experience on my first breeding of L239 with you :y_smile_g

Mid September I collected my fish from a friend who had ordered them for me. They are wild caught and so, needed some good feeding and nice clean water.
About three weeks ago they started showing the first signs of what looked like a trapping. But it all looked a bit funny, practicing. Not really trapping, more blocking the entrance.

The first time I saw it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwu1S9ng9Zw

Then after two weeks they did started again, this time the other male:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXVLoiztY-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYVbIm_YO6g

Later that night it started to get more serious and actually looked like trapping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOjipFkJV8k

And then came New Years day :y_smile_g I found eggs!! Amazing!!!! And really awesome :y_smile_g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loJG7YQQues

The male was extremely nervous and left the eggs behind after 24 hours. So I incubated the eggs myself.

Day 1





Day 2



Day 3



Day 4



Today was hatching day :p





I will update this topic every day if you like it :)

Hi Jacqueline,

congrats and thanks for the great pics !
Please continue to inform us and I'm sure not only me want to see more pictures...
It's always interesting to see and learn about successful spawnings of non-standard species.

Cheers,
Karsten

Hi Jaqueline,

I join Karsten's appeal to continue posting on the devellopment of your youngsters.

Good luck,
Christian

Hello Jaqueline

Thank you for the great narrative! I really like it :-)
Hope you soon write more about it...

Best regards
Tatjana

Sadly this is the last time I will be updating my very first spawn of Baryancistrus Beginni (L239) :-(

For many it's the egg incubation period that gives the most problems, but for me with these special eggs that went fine, great even. The problem started straight after hatching. I think about 50% of the fry had some kind of hemorrhaging from hatching (I did not artificially help them hatch). Some had leaking yolk sacks, some had a little patch of fungus on them. I did the normal routine of water change, nothing different then when they were still in the eggs, same water everything. Some of the fry were lying on their sides and when moving they started spinning instead of wiggling. Hoping for the best I left them and went to bed. The next morning some were already dead but looking at them, they were not doing so bad after all. Or so it seemed... Did another clean up and water change. That's when I noticed they weren't doing all that good, a lot of spinners... After work I looked at them again and more were dead. From the 29 that hatched I now only had 10 left and only 6 of them looked to be reasonable (as seen on the video). I saw some of the fry making these weird movements as if they were spasming (I will upload this video too, please comment on that if you have seen it before and what it could be). I was staring to think it had to do with the waterchanges. Maybe they react to sensitive to the water changes, so I did't do a water change this morning. But coming home just now, all fry except one -who isn't looking to great- have died. So I'm pretty eager to find out were the problem lies, hoping I will have some fry to show for the next time they spawn.... It would be better if the male sticks by his brood the next time and doesn't flee the site at first sight of eggs.........

https://youtu.be/0lfBpngdaD4

Fry in spasm. Why is this happening and what can I do about it? I like to understand so I know what to do next time...

https://youtu.be/DfRGno57wlc

Than you for this post!

Sorry for the loss of so much of these small wigglers. Fry at this age is very sensitive. Please try to avoid bacteria infections through the container bottom. Pumping in fresh & clean water ist the key. I have good results to reduce bacteria (and give some shelter) with dried walnut leaves. And last but not least: The farther will do it the best way.

I keep my fingers crossed for the next time.

Yes of course it's always better to let the male do his job. But if he leaves them you can do two things. Also leave the eggs and let them be eaten by others in the group or try to save them and maybe get some fry. I choose the last option, as I do many times with eggs that are rejected or kicked out by the male. You learn from it, good and bad things. If you make a mistake it gives an opportunity to learn from it but I need to understand were it all went wrong...