Should I or shouldn't I? Need input on Galaxy Rasbora...

[thegrandpoohbah]

My wonderful GF has offered to buy me 12 Galaxy Rasbora as an early bday present. I am undecided if I want them or not since they are endangered in the wild and I don't like the idea that I would be contributing to this problem. However, it would be really cool if I could manage to breed them and help preserve the species. Only problem is there isn't much info on breeding them and I'm not sure if I am up to the task. I would house them in a 10G for quarantine and then they would eventually be moved to my 33G with a few non-aggressive tank mates. Please let me know what you think.

[CACAdmin]

Look at it this way, someone is going to buy these fish. Far better it be you who is aware of their endangered status in the wild and who will attempt to breed them in an effort to preserve the species, than someone who will get them just because they are 'pretty fish'.

[Osprey]

Apparently it isn't that difficult to get them to spawn (much the same as other rasboras; drop the temp and pH a little after conditioning). Feeding the fry might be problematic due to their size... I think I've heard of people using green water successfully, though.

[blainep]

Go for it !

I'm planning to do the same thing. Tank is planned, breeding setup planned, fry food planned as well.

Jay is correct in saying somebody's going to buy them, might as well attempt to do some good with them !

[Melody]

Then us and the stores can do our part and get them from captive breeding programs. I think that's also part of our responsibility as breeders. We can't paint the stores as big bad boxes, unless we are willing to sell them what we breed so they don't 'have' to get them in from people who may be collecting them in the wild.

[madattiver]

I agree with everything that has been said so far.. I also thought of doing the same here as I saw a lfs with them in stock last week. It would be quite a good breeding project.. and out of all the fish you could choose at the moment, these guys would be number 1. Every person that takes on this project helps with the survival of this fish in the wild.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Despite all the encouragement here, I have decided against getting the Galaxy rasboras. The number one reason being that I have no experience with breeding outside of livebearers, and let's face it that isn't exactly rocket science. I also went to the LFS and had another look at them today and I realized that they were so small still that I couldn't accurately sex them. Finally, I don't think I want it on my conscience if one died while in my care. At any rate, thank you to everyone who provided input.

[Melody]

You have an exceptional conscience and your decision should be commended whether we agree with you or not :smile: . You're a very responsible hobbyist which is always a great pleasure to see.

[Melody]

For anyone else considering this, Practical Fishkeeping (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1210) mag has an article on the new genus description, which also gives some detailed information on spawning the fish and its habitat.

[thegrandpoohbah]

You have an exceptional conscience and your decision should be commended whether we agree with you or not :smile: . You're a very responsible hobbyist which is always a great pleasure to see.

:Blush:Stop it Mel, you're making me blush!

[Melody]

And he's CUTE too!!!!

:Neener:

[madattiver]

I also went to the LFS and had another look at them today and I realized that they were so small still that I couldn't accurately sex them.

yes.. these are a very small fish.. "The type specimens range in size from 14-21mm".. so sexing them would have to be done by a trained eye.. or sitting there staring at those fish for quite some time.

[Melody]

Or buying lots & lots! Just never buy six. I don't know how many breeders I know who have bought 6 unsexed fish and didn't get both sexes. Less, they get both, more they get both, but rarely six. Go figure.

With the stress they're under from being caught, shipped & in a captive environment for the first time, I'm betting most couldn't sex them. Between their colouring being off and, the fact that they've probably not been fed properly and frankly, aren't 'in the mood' for breeding after all that, you'd be hard pressed to tell what's what & who's who.

I hate thinking about what wild-caught fish endure. They must be petrified in captivity. Makes me want to bring them home and put them in a dark, heavily planted tank and slowly adjust them.

[madattiver]

I actually have a empty 5 gallon tank on the new stand. I think I am going to set it up and throw a bunch of javamoss in there as well as a heater to get the right temps and go down to the lfs with these fish and see if there is a chance I can sex them. They are in a small mom and pop shop, so basically like a fishroom.. not a big commercial boxstore.. there is a decent chance they are settled in there as they have been there for a few weeks. I may try to get two pairs for the 5 gal and go from there on my mass breeding program for these guys. I hope to be able to spread them around as much as possible. All I need is a vinigar eel culture and I should be good to go.

[CACAdmin]

If you do get them, I hope you have great success breeding them.

[madattiver]

If you do get them, I hope you have great success breeding them.

Me too!!! ;)

[thegrandpoohbah]

madattiver, you may not need the heater. It seems that they prefer cooler water, ~75F. Good luck!

[madattiver]

madattiver, you may not need the heater. It seems that they prefer cooler water, ~75F. Good luck!

I think I will.. tanks at that level are siting around 66 degrees in the new fishroom.. tollerable for corys.. not for spawning these guys. a 25 watt heater should be all I need to get the temps within reason

[fishykisses]

i think i'm going to do the same thing - if a few of us here can get them breeding - it can only do good things.

[Toirtis]

Breeding them is not difficult....several Alberta aquarists have already had great success doing so.

[Melody]

Hiya Christian, great to hear from you :smile: . Good for the Alberta hobbyists! Let us know when they're distributing, if you would please. The sooner we can purchase fish that we know are privately bred, the better.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Good for the Alberta hobbyists! Let us know when they're distributing, if you would please. The sooner we can purchase fish that we know are privately bred, the better.
Agreed!

[madattiver]

fingers crossed I should have some by tomorrow.. and I hope I can spawn then quickly and spread the joy.. lol

[Melody]

The more the better! Then we can direct people in every Province. Don't forget the stores - we need to provide them with a private market if we expect them to carry captive bred species. We'll reach more of the market that way too.

[Toirtis]

Hiya Christian, great to hear from you :smile: . Good for the Alberta hobbyists! Let us know when they're distributing, if you would please. The sooner we can purchase fish that we know are privately bred, the better.

Should not be long...I know of several local aquarists with fry now, and several more that will likely have fry by late spring.

[madattiver]

just about 2 hours from now I will be heading to the lfs who had the galaxies in to check if they are still there.. so hopefully I can have my little breeding group in their tank by lunchtime.. I sure hope they still have them... :D

[CACAdmin]

I hope so too. Good luck!

[madattiver]

thanks.. I hope the price tag of them have scared others off of them.. and I sure hope if they are there I can accurately sex them.. I will have to keep my fingers crossed until I go there

[madattiver]

well I did it.. I made the first step in the direction of a spawning group. There was only 3 of them left at the lfs, so I bought them all. I can sex out 1 male for sure, a possible second male, and what I am hoping is a female with the third one. I will let them settle and then try to more accurately sex them out. I sure the heck hope it is a female... :err:

[CACAdmin]

Glad to hear you had some success and there were some left... I too hope you've got a female in that trio.

[Melody]

Going ever so slightly into left field here - what are the prices of them in stores across the various Provinces? I haven't noticed them here, but I haven't been looking for them either.

[thegrandpoohbah]

$12.99 here in the Lower Mainland.

[Melody]

Although not cheap, that's really not bad for a wild-caught that is brand new on the market.

[madattiver]

I paid $12.99 for mine too

[Melody]

OH great, now ours will go up. We pride ourselves in being the most expensive Province you know :rolleyes: lol.

[madattiver]

don't worry.. when I did another look at my trio.. it looked like I may have had 3 females and no males.. and with me worrying that I wouldn't be able to spawn them I had to go back to the only other place that sold them and paid $23 for the only male they had.. as they only had 3 left available too.

at least now I can almost gurantee I have both sexes.. now it is up to the fish to do their part of the process

[Melody]

That's ok, it doesn't count if you buy them separately. You only have to feel bad if you hand it all out at once. :WhoMe:

OR you can do what I did for the Lyre Swords & call it an investment. ;)

[madattiver]

I like the investment idea.. good call

[Melody]

Granted, I don't have to answer to anyone armed with a frying pan.....

[Melody]

The National Geographic has covered the story of these fish as well...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070307-new-fish.html

[Soggybottom]

Nice looking fish! I hope the high price has meant only people interested in breeding them have bought them.
Can we start calling dibs on the waiting list yet?

[madattiver]

the fish I have are finally starting to fatten up.. I have been feeding them small portions 2-3 times a day since I bought them as they looked a little underfed when I bought them.. the females are starting to round out. I hope that means I will start to see some spawning action fairly quickly from these guys.

[Melody]

Wild caught fish often go through the wringer when they're caught for mass distributors. They're often starved in holding, especially those that are in high demand, because they're shipped out as quick as they can catch them. Good wholesalers would insist that they be fed & have their strength built up again before reshipping, and I do find that Canadian wholesalers have policies in that regard that you don't see as often elsewhere.

However, they're still stressed to the nth degree, being wild in the first place, then put into a captive environment, then shipped to wholesalers, placed again in a captive environment, then reshipped again to stores or smaller wholesalers. Then they're bagged again either from the smaller wholesaler or from the store. Then they adjust to your tanks. In there you have several necessary starvation periods so they don't foul the water for shipping, along with whatever lack of care they may encounter at the less than reputable distributors.

I wouldn't be in the mood to spawn either....lol.

[amber2461]

Hey Mattiver

Any latest news on your fishes ? It has been almost a month now and I am curious to know the outcome.

Cheers

[Melody]

Me too!

[madattiver]

sorry everyone, I just got back last night from 2 weeks hollidays..

and much too my surprise.. I came home to a tank full of galaxy rasbora fry.. I am not really sure how many there are, but I am guessing 10 or so. Some are free swimming, others are clinging to the side of the glass.. I am so excited about this and have read that once they start spawning, they will continue to do so almost daily laying a few eggs each day.

Now it's time to set up the brine shrimp factory.

[CACAdmin]

:red_dance: Congrats! :cheers: Nice homecoming present. :yes:

[Melody]

:pompom: :Applaud::Celebrate: :thumbup: :red_dance:

WOW!!! That was too easy! Congrat's & welcome back.

I was beginning to worry about you actually. I don't know what I'm going to do as this forum grows across the country - I feel I have to worry about every single person in it....lol.

[madattiver]

lol... ya.. I am alright.. back safe and ready to get back in the fishroom and raise some of these little guys

[Pamelajo]

Congrats and welcome back.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Wow, congrats. That didn't take long at all. I call dibs if you ever want to ship any out this way for sale.

[amber2461]

I call second the dibs .... hehehehehe ... welcome back, your presence has been misssssssssssssss -ED!

Cheers

[mykiss]

Hi all. In case you guys are interested I'm expecting a shipment next week which are not wild caught.

Sorry, not to jump your thread Wallace but as we all know, there's a concern about taking wild caught individuals and the influence on their habitat and stocks. However, purchasing wild caught and breeding and selling isn't as bad....but who am I to judge.

Back to your question....I'd say breed them! lol

Anyways, next week I'll have the shipment of non-wild caught Galaxies in and I'm sure I'll have extras for sale f people are interested. I'm not posting in the classified section cause I don't know if I have enough for everyone...lol Cheers

[amber2461]

Well, if you do have some extras, drop me a PM, will buy them off you.

Cheers

[happy_pitbull]

Galaxie rasboras? Do you guys mean the celestial pearl danios?

I want some :(



Min

[mykiss]

Yup, same thing but the correct name is really celestial pearl danios

[_BaDgUy_]

Can anyone give me some hints on breeding these guys!! :)

I've got enough time on my hands to start working with them!