New project started! I purchased 6 wild-caught juvenile Microctenopoma ansorgii from Dave's Rare Fish and they are currently housed in a bare bottom 20 gallon with java moss, java fern, the sponge filter, and a Cattappa leave for cover.
Seems like I have multiple males:
There was some initial sparring to establish territories, but that has since settled down. They are still small, here is a picture of one with a ramshorn snail for scale:
I hope to grow these out a bit and get a spawn out of them. I definitely have a few that look like they could be females as well, wish me luck!
These guys readily took to small sinking pellets, frozen daphnia and, of course, live chopped blackworms. They are the only fish in the tank at the moment and from the reading that I did ahead of time I was a little worried that they would just hide all the time as a result. That has turned out not to be the case, they have a lot of personality and already swim right up to the front glass of the tank expecting food every time I walk by.
Lee
Starting to see vertical stripes, like on the adults.
Getting bigger!
Definitely getting bigger, some of the larger ones are eating bbs now.
Did you find anyone yet to get that additional pair off your hands?
And...there is a bubble nest in the back right-hand corner of the tank!
Awesome! I've always found these little guys interesting. Never kept them. Best luck to you with breeding. Oh, if I had tank space . . .
I just finished setting up the 15-gallon tank pictured above, still want to put a dark background on and then plan to move a pair of these guys into it this next week. Hoping to see some spawning soon. The males are a bit too distracted with each other in the 20 gallon I have them in now to finish building a bubble nest, but they color up and display to each other periodically.
P.S. - I ended up with what looks like 3 pairs to me, if anyone is interested one of the others send me a PM.
http://www.davesfish.com/
Very best luck to you! Will need to chase down this Dave, and his treasury of Rare Fish! 😁