Re: My experience with Sulawesi Cardinals & Yellow Cheeks
Originally Posted by
chromes03
"I do not perform regular water change regularly, but I do top up the water once in a while."
Hey Sthh,
I tried the "top up water for myself" and I had many Cardinals dissappear from my tank..Now I have switched to 10% w/c every week and don't see any dead shrimps lying around...Congrats on your 3 generation...I am currently working on breeding them too and have seen 3rd generation babies...Just currently found several F1 babies finally berried...
I started off w/ yellow cheeks too and only 1 adult left and 3 growing babies I happen to find in my tank...trying to get them to breed...they are so sensitivve...how are yours doing?
Henry
Hi Henry,
The current batch of Sulawesi shrimps I have are now finally used to abuse. I managed to perform large water change (50%) with no casualty.
There was once when I took out a rock, and all the dirt and mulm was disturbed and going all over the tank, forcing me to do a large water change. (worried about ammonia spike). Then I realised that they are ok with it, and since have been doing water change of 20% to 40%. They actually do become more active after that.
However, this is what I usually do for water change. I put the anti-chlorine, add the water, and then also add a pinch of "Goldfish Water Buffer" from Baxter Lab to buffer up the PH. (That was the only thing I have and I was desparate then). However, I don't advocate large water change for newly setup tank. I did my large water change nearly 4 months later, when the shrimps are better adjusted.
Have you been overfeeding your shrimps? Mine usually graze on algaes, and get a little pinch of shrimp food now and then. That should minimise leftover food and mulm on the substrate, and your nitrate level. Otherwise, water top-up shouldn't cause casualties.
I finally realise why my yellow cheeks are not reproducing. The 3 that I have left are all females!, and 2 are actually yellow stripe rather than yellow cheek. They look really similiar, except that the yellow cheek got an extra yellow dot on the cheek! It took me 6 months to realise they are a different species, and I found the pictures from an Indonesian website .. aristocratama.. The yellow cheeks doesn't become transparent when the lights are off, but the yellow stripes turns bluish... Interesting.
I am now looking around for some males.
What species of Sulawesi are available in US? Are there any of those blue Sulawesi? They will really compliment the reds of the Cardinals.
Once your females are berried, they will constantly be productive! Congrats! I think you can start a captive breeding farm in US, and I am sure there is a huge demand for captive breed. Keep up with the updates.
STHH
Last edited by sthh; 20th Aug 2009 at 09:55.
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