Looking for Suggestions !!

[Ranchu Rancher]

I brought my Ranchu inside when I found one of them dead. The rest are doing great and they look great also. They seemed to really like the green water. I placed the remaining fish in a 75gal tank. The temp. was 52 outside, I started the temp at 52 inside but it quickly shot up to 70. I am feeding them small meals twice a day. I put black plastic around the outside so I can control the light to this tank. I started with the same amount of light as they were getting outside . They have been inside for two weeks, and I have increased the lenght of time the light is on one time so far by 15 minutes. I am doing water changes every three days. Is there anything else I can do to increase my chances of getting them to breed ?


Gregg

[afnaveils]

Feed with bloodworms.

[Ranchu Rancher]

One of the two meals each day is bloodworms. The other is either my homemade food or Saki-Hikari.


gregg

[Virginia ranchu]

Gregg,

I think it is important to be able to observe your fish in order to tell if they might be ready to spawn. I imagine it is hard to see them with the black plastic on the tank and green water.

When I bring fish indoors in the winter, I keep the lights on a timer for 18 hours a day. I also keep them in clear water with regular water changes, and feed them well. You should start noticing the females getting ripe after about two to three weeks. Just before the females are ready to spawn, you will notice that they get soft, and they will appear to be "jiggling" when they swim. The males will show tubercles and may start to chase the females. Pay special attention to the fish in the early mornings when they usually spawn, also, it's worth paying more attention around full moons, as this sometimes correlates with spawning.

I highly recommend using spawning mops made from green nylon yard wrapped around a cork. My fish will spawn in these, and even if I am not home when they spawn, some of the eggs will be saved in the mops. If you catch them spawning, you can handspawn them after they have spawned into the mops.

keep us posted,

Rob

[sc569]

There is no quick way of doing this.

In koi, which I think will also apply to goldfish, there is the observation that a certain number of degree-days are needed for the fish's system to realize it is breeding time. This probably has to be preceded by a cool period if your fish are older than yearlings.

It really takes patience. Feed them very well and change the water often. You can read about how many of the hobbyists do their routines for inducing spawning in species that have never been bred before in back issues of Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

You may still be out of luck since the eggs had to be developed the year before. If they were not treated well, the eggs did not develop well and you will have to wait for the next season!

[Ranchu Rancher]

Rob: The tank in the house is clear,and I cut slits in the plastic so I can view them. I thought increasing the length of light slowly would help with getting them to breed, we just had a full moon next one will be december 31st. (blue moon).


Gregg

[Virginia ranchu]

Gregg,

There has been some research on this topic. Take a look at these Japanese papers. These things are rarely clear cut, but you can draw your own conclusion based on these data.

http://rms1.agsearch.agropedia.affrc.go.jp/contents/JASI/pdf/society/33-1443.pdf

http://rms1.agsearch.agropedia.affrc.go.jp/contents/JASI/pdf/society/44-1192.pdf

http://rms1.agsearch.agropedia.affrc.go.jp/contents/JASI/pdf/society/38-1585.pdf

Cheers,

Rob

[bekko]

That should work Gregg.

-steve

[Ranchu Rancher]

The articiles were interesting. It appears at normal temps longer light periods help.




Gregg

[Cincy Ranchu]

I would plan for a ramp up for about 10 days before a full moon. early january. Do not fatten them up too quickly, if your fish are line bred, you might consider separating the males and females for a few weeks.

I like ramping the feed with water changes in coinnection with the full moon, (take no chances for missed ques). I add gell food the last week and put them together