Farlowella Tale

TwoTankAmin · 07-23-2008, 10:23 AM

A few years back I bought 3 farlos but never knew exactly which ones until recently when I finally joined Planet Catfish having used its resources for many years. They turned out likely to be vittata. I got them because I thought they were an unusual looking fish that ate algae.

I had them for a year+ in my high tech 50 gal. planted tank and never knew what sexes they might be. That issue was resolved somewhat when I got bowled over by their totally unexpected first spawn. I knew I had at least one of each sex. Over the past 18 months or so I have had 4 spawns and managed to raise up about 5 fry. They have to be one of the toughest fry I have dealt with and for sure one of the slowest growing.

A few weeks ago I was gutted when I found the large spawning male on his back in the vals. All I knew then was I had 2 falros left and one was a fm and the other unsexed.

Last night I went to feed the 50 and I noticed that both farlows were side by side on the front glass (where all the previous spawns had occurred) and that one was clearly wider than the other. Could it be they were a pair? And, if so, were they close to spawning. I also noticed them interacting- there was some snout poking and then the presumed male would deatch from the glass, float about two inches back while remaining vertical in the water and then do a few pirouettes and return to the glass.

I was convinced this was pre-spawning behavior and I ran for my camera in the hopes of capturing courting and, if lucky, actual spawning pictures. When I moved from a farther away shot to a macro mode one, I must have spooked the female and she bolted off the glass. So I left the camera set up on the tripod in the hopes she would return and some good pics would result.

When the tank lights went out at 11:30, she still had not returned and I eventually went to sleep. Upon waking this morning I shone a flashlight on a farlo that was on the front glass but I didn't see any eggs. Oh well, I must have had it wrong.

A few hours later after the tank lights had come on I was sitting here on the phone ordering some pc bulbs and I glanced at the tank. There were eggs under a farlo dad. I had missed it all for photo purposes, but I am still excited by the event. The egg count is 30.

Pictures will be posted in this thread when I get them on the net.

JinxXx0085 · 07-23-2008, 10:49 AM

That's one sweet tale TTA!! It sucks about the largest farlo though. Any idea why he passed on?
I look forward to see the pictures!

DaisyTattoo · 07-23-2008, 11:48 AM

Good luck with the babies! I have a royal farlo and he is one of my favorite fish. I know he was the most expensive anyway

wesleydnunder · 07-23-2008, 02:01 PM

How much to ship some of that Magic Water to Texas?

Mark

TwoTankAmin · 07-23-2008, 02:55 PM

As promised, here are a couple of pics, sorry they are not the best but I have an old cheap camera:

The couple together last night- fm on the right-

And dad on eggs today-

Trixie · 07-23-2008, 08:15 PM

Really, really REALLY cool pics. They just didn't want to be photographed....

DirtyDawg10 · 07-24-2008, 01:38 PM

Nice pics, TTA!

rich311k · 07-25-2008, 08:27 PM

That is awesome.

Emg · 07-26-2008, 10:12 AM

Very cool T ! and...I don't know what your talking about....those pics are GREAT !

Bunny13 · 07-26-2008, 10:39 AM

The pictures are awesome. Good luck with the babies!

mostlycichlids · 07-27-2008, 04:21 PM

Awesome pics TTA! Good Luck!

TwoTankAmin · 08-14-2008, 08:55 PM

When the last batch hatched out they were lunch. I didn't pull the eggs and didn't spot the hatching.

But last night they got jiggy again and dad is on 40 eggs on the front glass. It will be even harder to think about pulling them since I have recently added 5 hypancistrus contradens and 11 L-134s.

07-23-2008, 10:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
TwoTankAmin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Westchester Co., NY Posts: 721	Farlowella Tale A few years back I bought 3 farlos but never knew exactly which ones until recently when I finally joined Planet Catfish having used its resources for many years. They turned out likely to be vittata. I got them because I thought they were an unusual looking fish that ate algae. I had them for a year+ in my high tech 50 gal. planted tank and never knew what sexes they might be. That issue was resolved somewhat when I got bowled over by their totally unexpected first spawn. I knew I had at least one of each sex. Over the past 18 months or so I have had 4 spawns and managed to raise up about 5 fry. They have to be one of the toughest fry I have dealt with and for sure one of the slowest growing. A few weeks ago I was gutted when I found the large spawning male on his back in the vals. All I knew then was I had 2 falros left and one was a fm and the other unsexed. Last night I went to feed the 50 and I noticed that both farlows were side by side on the front glass (where all the previous spawns had occurred) and that one was clearly wider than the other. Could it be they were a pair? And, if so, were they close to spawning. I also noticed them interacting- there was some snout poking and then the presumed male would deatch from the glass, float about two inches back while remaining vertical in the water and then do a few pirouettes and return to the glass. I was convinced this was pre-spawning behavior and I ran for my camera in the hopes of capturing courting and, if lucky, actual spawning pictures. When I moved from a farther away shot to a macro mode one, I must have spooked the female and she bolted off the glass. So I left the camera set up on the tripod in the hopes she would return and some good pics would result. When the tank lights went out at 11:30, she still had not returned and I eventually went to sleep. Upon waking this morning I shone a flashlight on a farlo that was on the front glass but I didn't see any eggs. Oh well, I must have had it wrong. A few hours later after the tank lights had come on I was sitting here on the phone ordering some pc bulbs and I glanced at the tank. There were eggs under a farlo dad. I had missed it all for photo purposes, but I am still excited by the event. The egg count is 30. Pictures will be posted in this thread when I get them on the net. __________________ Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

07-23-2008, 10:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
JinxXx0085 Jinxy Jinx Join Date: May 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 705	That's one sweet tale TTA!! It sucks about the largest farlo though. Any idea why he passed on? I look forward to see the pictures! __________________ CrazyStrangeGal

07-23-2008, 11:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
DaisyTattoo It's a girl Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, Illinois Posts: 3,056	Good luck with the babies! I have a royal farlo and he is one of my favorite fish. I know he was the most expensive anyway __________________ It's not easy being a mother. If it were, fathers would do it.

07-23-2008, 02:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
wesleydnunder Resident Cannibal Join Date: May 2006 Location: La Marque, Tx. Posts: 2,303	How much to ship some of that Magic Water to Texas? Mark __________________ If it can't be fixxed with a hammer, then you've got an electrical problem.

07-23-2008, 02:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
TwoTankAmin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Westchester Co., NY Posts: 721	As promised, here are a couple of pics, sorry they are not the best but I have an old cheap camera: The couple together last night- fm on the right- And dad on eggs today- __________________ Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

07-23-2008, 08:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Trixie Meow. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 1,434	Really, really REALLY cool pics. They just didn't want to be photographed.... __________________

07-24-2008, 01:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
DirtyDawg10 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,283	Nice pics, TTA! __________________ Derek Self-Proclaimed FUTURE Fish Master IN TRAINING

07-25-2008, 08:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
rich311k Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 250	That is awesome.

07-26-2008, 10:12 AM	#9 (permalink)
Emg Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Northeastern Ct Posts: 3,187	Very cool T ! and...I don't know what your talking about....those pics are GREAT ! __________________ Blog of my tanks and critters....come check em out and don't forget the archives ! http://emgstanks.blogspot.com/ Eileen

07-26-2008, 10:39 AM	#10 (permalink)
Bunny13 Dela-where? Join Date: May 2006 Location: Delaware at the moment Posts: 1,010	The pictures are awesome. Good luck with the babies! __________________ Rachael Sherman's Lagoon Photo Journal of my 20Gallon Planted Tank "As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction."

07-27-2008, 04:21 PM	#11 (permalink)
mostlycichlids Mostly Cichlids Join Date: May 2006 Location: Georgetown, Colorado Posts: 1,172	Awesome pics TTA! Good Luck! __________________ Don't take it personal, Just roll with it! MY FORUM: www.freshwatermadness.darkbb.com

08-14-2008, 08:55 PM	#12 (permalink)
TwoTankAmin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Westchester Co., NY Posts: 721	When the last batch hatched out they were lunch. I didn't pull the eggs and didn't spot the hatching. But last night they got jiggy again and dad is on 40 eggs on the front glass. It will be even harder to think about pulling them since I have recently added 5 hypancistrus contradens and 11 L-134s. __________________ Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

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