Matsuyama TVR fry- 4 wks old

[Virginia ranchu]

My Matsuyama fry are four weeks old now and doing well. They are getting flake food, frozen blood worms and home made gel food.

Cheers,

Rob

http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/Virginia_Ranchu/?action=view&current=MVI_1030.flv

[eros]

Rob,

Looks very promising. How many babies are left?



Ross

[Veil Gal]

Rob, Looks like a nice spawn with some consistency in type. Well done! Michelle

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Michelle and Ross,

Thanks for your comments. One thing I have learned is that if I don't cull hard and early, my fry will all be stunted for lack for room. This particular group of about 20 are my favorites, and I am keeping them in a shallow 55 gallon stock tanks with a wet/dry filter assembly. The "uniformity" is not by chance, I have selected for best tails and decent size. I have another thirty or so in various twenty gallon tanks. These are the "maybes" that sometimes get promoted to keepers. It's hard to say how they will turn out at this young age. The only thing I can really select for is tail and peduncle.

There were no dorsal spikes or single tails in the spawn, but I did get a few with no anal fins...those were culled. It is not considered a fault for a TVR to have only a single anal fin, but I prefer to use only the double anal-finned fish as breeders.

I'll keep you posted with their progress.

Cheers,

Rob

[suphi]

They look great. Keep posting pics so we can see how they develop. I think I underfed my fry when they were around that age that's why they're pretty small now compared to my new ones.

[Veil Gal]

I know this is a very subjective topic--but I really think that it is important. What you feed fry and how much--that is the question:youtellme:.....

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Suphi,

I think your babies grew nicely. Don't give up on them yet. Though I think it's hard to compare home-grown ranchu with those cultivated on a farm, such as the beautiful specimens you just acquired. While the genetics are probably similar, it is hard to provide the same space, nutrition, green water, live food, etc.

My strategy has been to select the best few and focus on those. Any efforts to keep many fry have usually resulted in poor quality due to water conditions, space and nutrition. This year, I am feeding a lot more frozen bloodworms, and i'll see if this improves wen development as reported. I also keep my tosai indoors for the first winter, and then overwinter outdoors as nisai.

Cheers,

Rob

[bigbettadan]

Look great Rob! Hope to see them soon........

Dan

[suphi]

Rob, I'm not giving up on mine at all since I don't keep that many fish. My old TVRs are still growing at a steady pace and they're getting extra feeds compared to the SVRs. They actually look pretty well-proportioned to me, just small. I notice even more wen development now, and one guy with a sharp bend on the back now appears quite smooth (not sure if deeper water did the trick or the fact that they're just getting bigger).

Blood worms are really good for wen growth. Everybody I know who raises fish for competition swears by it.

[bigbettadan]

I just got a better look. Wow. Very nice. They were always my favorite line of Garys.......

Dan

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Dan,

Gary and I and several others got our original Matsuyamas from a guy named Steve Carney. These fish tend to be very long-bodied. It is nice that others have the strain. If I start to see inbreeding problems, I could outcross to somone else's stock.

Cheers,

Rob

[bigbettadan]

I will help if I can!
Dan

[Veil Gal]

What ever happened to Steve? He was really involved with the goldfish and really enthusiastic about the hobby.

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Michelle,

I haven't heard from Steve is a long time. I believe he had to drop out of his ranchu business or hobby due to the demands of his job. I know he was doing a lot of traveling. I hope he will return someday when time permits.

Rob

[harzan]

vr....

any updated pics?

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Harris,

I have about a dozen of these Matsuyama fry in the house (my favorites), and about another 15 outside in a green water pond.

Here is an updated video clip.

http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/Virginia_Ranchu/?action=view&current=MVI_1169.flv

Cheers,

Rob

[harzan]

I really enjoy looking at what others are working on. I can see why they are your favorites.

I wish more of us here would post thier pics or vids. We do not get too many comments, but I see many look at them.

Thanks again

[devins23]

Rob, your 3 month old ranchus are looking great! They look very healthy and plump. Thanks for sharing with us.

[bigbettadan]

Wow, looking great!

Dan

[Veil Gal]

Rob, Those ranchu are really developing nicely. Makes me want some.....:-*

[Tedster]

Ranchu look great Rob. See you at the Social next month!

TT

[Virginia ranchu]

Thanks Ted. I'm looking forward to it.

Rob

[bigbettadan]

Can't believe it is only a month away..... Can't wait!

Dan