Chromaphyosemion loennbergii Makondo

[RonWill]

Hi all,
Just wanted to share my headache... because I can't get these buggers to produce viable eggs. There's a few juvenile that's growing out and I think there might be enough to get the next generation going but like the Bamukong, these fellas are real stingy with egg production.

Anyway, here's a pic of my last breeding pair. Enjoy!


Does anyone have a clue what I should try (besides using a chiller).

[Al Baldwin]

Ronnie,

I have always found that feeding live worms will greatly boost egg production with Killies. When I finally found a good source for black worms I was amazed at the increase in viable eggs from my PLA and AUS. Frequent small water changes also seems to increase egg production whan cooler water is used.

[RonWill]

Thanks, Al. For my breeders, their main diet is tubifex plus Tim Addis's granules and have maintained the temp between 26~27ºC. Any indications whether these LOE prefer lower temps?

The past week in SG has been pretty wet with heavy thunderstorms. Probably the main reason why I managed to collect off-season but viable eggs from the other species (still nothing yet from the LOE though).

I'll change some of their water and see if any good comes out of it. BTW, what is the pH in your tanks?

[Al Baldwin]

Ronnie,

I looked around for some information to help you and found the following on the BKA site:

Location code:
Makondo CCP 28/7
Water conditions: Moderately soft and acidic Water temperature: 20-23oC
Disposition: Active, but not aggresive Community tank?: Doubtful, only with VERY calm fish
Spawning Method: Peat (or similar) spawning substrate Breeding problems: none
Sex ratio: Roughly equal Breeding difficulty: Average
Sucess: Average Years Experience:
Other Comments: For breeding I used an aquarium of 20x20x30 cm. It is tight covered and equipped with an internal filter. The water should have about 200 to 300 ìS (not more than 6° DGH) pH 6,5 and water temperature approximately 22 to 24°C. In case the tap water has higher values one can mix it with soft water like this from an osmose apparatus. Working with fiber peat moss is recommended and if using soft water the pH value will decrease. It is possible to work also with a top mop. But using fiber peat I had better success. Before breeding the females were kept separately and fed with heavy food. The breeding set exists of one male and two females. The fish will be brought into an optimal spawning mood with a result of water change of 1/3 and changing the fiber moss. So the pH- value will be lowered. After an other week a 1/3 of the water should be changed. It does not matter if the peat moss whirls up. A further week later the breeding pair and 2/3 of the water I remove from this aquarium. This water can be used for a new breeding set. The rest of the water and the peat moss with the eggs will be given into a dish. Then I pourr 2 liter soft water of approximately 100 ìs to the peat with the eggs. Several days later you can see the small fishes on the surface of the water. They will fed with vinegar eels and new hatched Artemia nauplii immediately. Dead food must be removed daily and a mouldy skin on the water surface, too. After 3 weeks it is recommended to pousr the fish with the water into a bigger aquarium. To prevent Oodinium it is useful to add tap water in the course of a week in small portions into this aquarium. Feeding sifted Cyclops nauplii and regularly changing of water is necessary for good growth. When the youngster are large enough one can install an interior filter.
Date this record created: 12th August 2003 Breeding date:
Breeder: Rudolf Pohlmann Location: DKG-study group Chromaphyosemion


Note that the breeder used peat fiber vs the usual plants and mops setup that most use for this species.

I keep my tanks usually at a PH of 7.0 -7.3 so when I feed bbs they live longer than when exposed to acid water.

[imported_john]

Hello,
seems difficulty can vary a lot from a population to the other.
I've got one pair of the 'Nkakanzok CBL01/13' population, and I hardly get one egg a day. On the other side, a friend of mine to whom I brought back wild fishes from the last AKFB congress already has dozens of fry growing up.

I got my first loennbergi last year, but didn't manage to get more than one egg, which eventually became a male.
I got an other pair at the last congress from the person who collected them and he told me that it wasn't a prolific fish.
So I'm working hard, and finally getting some results ...

They're in a 1.6 gallon ( 6 L ) tank, filled with soft mineral water ( GH 5, KH 4, pH 7 ), a handful of peat fibre and a bottom mop. I put the peat because I thought it was better for them to spawn, but I'm collecting all the eggs on the mop. They're fed with drosophila and granules in large quantity as they are really big eaters.
I think the ideal temperature for them is around 23°C, although they are quite tolerant to that ( but maybe egg production could suffer from higher temp. ).
They are really nice fishes indeed. Good luck with yours.


Some photos :
Chrom. loennbergi Bidou ABC 05/35 ( Wild male, a bit stressed ):


Chrom. loennbergi Nkakanzok CBL 01/13 ( young male ) :

[Rivulus]

The right code location for Chromaphyosemion loennbergii Makondo is CCP 82/7 (Cameroun Chauche Poliak 1982 n°7).

[RonWill]

I looked around for some information to help you and found the following on the BKA site...

Hi Al,
Thanks for the BKA link but for now it's getting warm here in SG and I'm fortunate to just maintain a consistent 26ºC, let alone 20~23ºC. There a bowl of peat fibre in the Makondo tank but nothing yet, not even a fuzz ball.

From 4 fry I collected over the cool Monsoon season, I now have a young adult trio. The male has colored up and they are in another breeding tank stuffed with moss so thick I hardly see them. They seem to like it and let's see if I can find fry during water changes.

John,
Your male LOE 'Bidou ABC 05/35' and 'Nkakanzok CBL 01/13' are very nice specimens and hope you find the key to what make them tick. Any updates of eggs or fry? Is your friend's wild fishes still prolific and what species are those? You mentioned bringing back wild fishes from the last AKFB congress so what other goodies did you get?

Hi Ciceron,
I usually don't amend or add collection codes if the sender didn't include them in the first place.

My Makondo were originally from a group purchase of 6 pairs, I think, from David Mikkelsen, USA. Over time, I was maintaining the last surviving local pair and what I have now is their next generation.

It doesn't amount to much to remain with just a pair or two but IME, these fellas aren't easy. Their growth rate is much slower than other Chromaphyosemion and if I compare the results I've gotten from SPP Tiko, it is one tankful of young adults and juvenile, against a trio of Makondo.

The right code location for Chromaphyosemion loennbergii Makondo is CCP 82/7 (Cameroun Chauche Poliak 1982 n°7)

How many collections of LOE Makondo is being circulated in the hobby? If there's only one, then it's probably safe to amend our local killie census (but I'll still need to refer back with David first).

[imported_john]

Hi,
the fishes have now been spawning for around 3 weeks and I manage to collect a few eggs everyday.
For the moment I have about 10 fry and 20 eggs, all looking good.

I got a satisfying picture of my breeding male :

Chrom. loennbergi Nkakanzok CBL01/13


It's the only fish I kept, the others went to some friends'.
Wild fishes :
Chrom. melanogaster ABC 05/23
Chrom. splendopleure ABC 05/20
Chrom. loennbergi ABC 05/67
Chrom. loennbergi ABC 05/60
Chrom. loennbergi ABC 05/35
Chrom. punctulatum ABC 05/49

and some others :
Chrom. lugens Afan Essokie HLM99/28
Chrom. volcanum Mambanda CMM50
Chrom. alpha Cap Esterias

[RonWill]

I got a satisfying picture of my breeding male

...... (I think the dot-dot-dot best express me speechless and drooling) WOW!!! that male has colored up beautifully. May you continue to do well with them and hopefully, one day, SG keepers will also get the chance to establish them locally.

About your breeding setup;
1. What tank size, temperature, pH and water depth (does it make any difference?).

2. What's that brown fibrous material in the picture?

3. How large are the breeders? Any idea how 'old' they are? Spawning in pair/trio/group?

4. Anything you suspect that may have triggered the spawning or is it 'that time of the year'?

I ought to have more questions

BTW, that list of wild killies looks impressive (not that I know anything about them except for Chrom. alpha). Any pics?

[imported_john]

Hi,
they're in a 1.5 gallon tank filled with half of soft, neutral water ( GH 5 KH 4 pH7 ).
I've put a handfull of peat fibre and a bottom mop .
I've got one pair in this tank, the male is 5 cm long, the female is a little smaller. I don't know how old they are, but probably not more than 1 y o .

The temperature has been changing here, but when I was collecting eggs it was fluctuating between 22 and 24°C.

I'm sorry, I don't have any pic of the other fishes, but you can find some here : www.chromaphyosemion.com .

[whuntley]

Another small point on the curve.

I have generally found the suggested temperatures in Radda and Purzl to be a good guide for propagation. They listed these guys as 24-26C.

Wright