I will put in a full spawning report later. My Tequila splitfin goodeids have not been very productive. I have only obtained a couple fry by colony breeding. It may be a combination of low numbers of offspring coupled with fry predation. Recently I put a pregnant female in her own 5.5 gallon tank and obtained a grand total of 6 fry on Oct 6, 2023.

Spawning Report:  Gambusia vittata   Name:    John Satterlee Scientific Name of Fish:  Gambusia vittata Hobby Name of Fish:  Gulf gambusia Method of Reproduction:  Livebearer Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: 5 juveniles I reared Origin of Parents:  Tank raised   Approximate number of fry:  At least 20 Date of First Hatch or Birth:  Sept 25, 2023 Date of Free Swimming If Hatched:  N/A Approx. Number of Fry at 60 Days:  >15   Aquarium Conditions: pH:  7.2 General Hardness:  150 ppm Average Temperature (72-76 F) Salinity:  none Average Nitrate:  < 40 ppm Aquarium Size:  5.5 gallon Water Source:  Rockville MD tap water with Seachem Prime Water Changes:  80% once a month Filtration System:  sponge filter Additives:  Crushed coral Décor: Live Plants:  Valisneria, hornwort No hardscape   Substrate:  Home depot pebbles Lighting Type and Timing:  Home Depot light, 12 hrs on/12 hrs off Food Fed to Parents and How Often:  Tetra Color Tropical Flakes morning and evening.  Freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every 1-2 days.    Food Fed to Fry and How Often:  Finely ground dry fry food (Aquarium Coop) morning and evening, freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every 1-2 days.   Additional comments:  They are colony breeding, and the adults for the most part do not appear to eat the fry.  The adults and the fry are extremely skittish making them tough to photograph and to catch.   According to Fishbase: “Etymology: Gambusia: Gambusia: From the Cuban term, Gambusino, which means "nothing", usually in the context of a joke or a farce. Fishing for gambusinos = when one catches nothing (Ref. 45335)(https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=45335).”

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Does anyone have suggestions for local stone/rock suppliers that might have nice rocks for fresh water aquariums?

Spawning Report: Girardinus metallicus Name: John Satterlee Scientific Name of Fish: Girardinus metallicus Hobby Name of Fish: Black chin/metallic livebearer Method of Reproduction: Livebearer Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: 1 male and 2 females Origin of Parents: Tank Raised, from PVAS auction several months ago Approximate number of fry: 30 Date of Hatch or Birth: Sep 17, 2022 Date of Free Swimming If Hatched: N/A Approx. Number of Fry at 30 Days: TBD Approx. Number of Fry at 60 Days: Aquarium Conditions: pH: 7.2 General Hardness: 150 ppm Average Temperature (72-76 F) Salinity: none Average Nitrate: < 40 ppm Aquarium Size: standard 5 gallon Water Source: Rockville MD tap water with Seachem Prime Water Changes: 80% once a month Filtration System: sponge filter Additives: ½ cup of crushed coral Décor: Live Plants: Water lettuce, guppy grass to keep nitrates down Spawning mops and sponge filters to provide hiding spots Substrate: pebbles Lighting Type and Timing: Home Depot light, 12 hrs on/12 hrs off Food Fed to Parents and How Often: Tetra Color Tropical Flakes morning and evening. Freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every other day. Food Fed to Fry and How Often: Finely ground dry fry food morning and evening, Freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every other day. Additional comments: These fish are quite hardy and have been breeding like clockwork with large numbers of fry. This latest batch of fry are enjoying their new abode using “Dean’s Fry System”. It is very convenient for feeding the fry and for keeping track of their growth. The fry are kept with the overhead lights off, so they only receive indirect lighting from nearby tanks. Also they have a little guppy grass for cover and to provide some biofilm/nutrients.

Name: John Satterlee Scientific Name of Fish: Poecilia reticulata Hobby Name of Fish: Yellow cobra guppies Method of Reproduction: Livebearer Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: 2 male and 4 females Origin of Parents: Tank Raised, obtained a year or so ago from Steven Kwartler (International Fancy Guppy Association award winner) Approximate number of fry: 15 Date of Hatch or Birth: Sep 14, 2022 Date of Free Swimming If Hatched: N/A Approx. Number of Fry at 30 Days: TBD Approx. Number of Fry at 60 Days: Aquarium Conditions: pH: 7.2 General Hardness: 150 ppm Average Temperature (72-76 F) Salinity: none Average Nitrate: < 40 ppm Aquarium Size: standard 5 gallon Water Source: Rockville MD tap water with Seachem Prime Water Changes: 80% once a month Filtration System: sponge filter Additives: ½ cup of crushed coral Décor: Live Plants: Water lettuce, guppy grass to keep nitrates down and to provide hiding spots for the fry. Spawning mops and sponge filters to provide fry hiding spots. Substrate: bare bottom Lighting Type and Timing: Home Depot light, 12 hrs on/12 hrs off Food Fed to Parents and How Often: Tetra Color Tropical Flakes morning and evening. Freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every other day. Food Fed to Fry and How Often: Finely ground dry fry food morning and evening, Fresh hatched baby brine shrimp every other day. Additional comments: I have been raising around 8 different strains of fancy guppies over the past two years. I have over 500 guppies currently. This strain is stable---the parents and offspring almost always took alike with rare exceptions. This is not the case for some other guppy strains. After every other batch of fry, I set up a new set of breeders with the best looking 2 males and 4 females I can find. This latest batch of fry are enjoying their new abode in “Dean’s Fry System”. It is very convenient for feeding the fry and for keeping track of their growth. The fry are kept with the overhead lights off, so they only receive indirect lighting from nearby tanks. Also they have a little guppy grass for cover and to provide biofilm/nutrients. I am wondering if the ability to feed the fry in a focused way using the fry system during this critical period of their development will help to generate larger and/or more robust adult animals down the road.