SPAWNING the BLUE TETRA
by: WILMA DUNCAN

My weekly visit to the local fish store would not end in vain as it usually did. As I stared into all the display tanks, nothing sparked an interest until I was staring at the 99 cent weekly special fish tank. Here you can pick up a few fish for a few bucks and feel like you got a great  bargain. Sometimes this works and sometimes you end up with sick and dying fish. This tank held several Cyprinidae, but this was not what I wanted, as I had previously spawned the long  finned variety and the Queen Danio.  I wanted something unusual. Then I saw 3 fish, not of  the Cyprinidae specie, with drab silver color. I knew they were of the Characin family, their mouth a dead giveaway.

The Characin family is found in Tropical America and Africa and most possess both teeth in the jaws and have the adipose fin. Most are fairly hardy but do prefer slightly acidic water with  a temperature of 72 to 78 degrees. Feedings of live foods and a great flake food soon puts  them in top condition, where you see the wonderful colors for which they are known.

The shopkeeper told me these fish were Danios and she had received them 3 weeks ago. I  tried telling her they what specie they were, but she did not believe me. I purchased all 3 and  hurried home to acclimate them to my water. My pH is 7.4 and on the alkaline side. Since I knew what type of water conditions the store had, and being housed in this for 3 weeks, told  me they had adjusted to a pH similar to mine.

I left them in the quarantine tank for 3 weeks before removing them to the community tank.  During their stay in the quarantine tank, I feed them live brine shrimp and flake food. Instead  of the drab silver they were now showing a shiny silver and a blue streak down the side  reaching the caudal fin. Very beautiful ! I searched for the scientific name and soon discovered they were known as Boehlkea Fredcochui - blue-tetra.

After a couple of months, I decided to try for a spawn from these blue beauties. I prepared a
bare bottomed ten gallon tank, which I filled 2/3 full with water from the community tetra
tank. I placed a large clump of Java Moss on one side and a bunch of Cabomba on the other
side of the tank. I set the temperature at 76 degrees, added an air stone and left the tank
running for another day before adding the fish.

After adding all 3 blue tetras late in the evening, I allowed them to become familiar with their
new surrounds for a couple of hours. I then turned off the tank light and went to bed. The next
morning, when I checked on them, I found them spawning. The male spawned both of the
females. I watched the male drive the female into the Java Moss, then into the Cabomba. I
could not believe the spawning color of each fish, the blue darkened until it had taken on a
purplish hue.  I left them to spawn and returned a few hours later. I removed all three and
placed them in the community tank

I covered the breeding tank with a dark blue towel and turned off the aquarium light. I had
read that tetra eggs are sensitive to light and I wanted to take no chances. The next moring,
with fish flashlight in hand, I explored the breeding tank. Eggs were everywhere, on the bare
bottom, in the Java Moss, sticking to the Cabomba. If they hatched, I would have hundreds
of fry. I returned late evening to see how the eggs were processing and saw they were a
healthy amber color and the size of my gold barb eggs. When would they hatch? 38 hours
or 60 hours? None of my books spoke of the time required for hatching.

Day three should have shown results, but this was not so. The eggs were still amber and slightly
more pronounced. Surely there would be fry by the next day.

Day four, no fry, eggs still amber, showing no signs of fungus or hatching. What was wrong?
Did I have fertile fish? Had I not cleaned the tank properly, thus allowing bacteria to grow? My
breeding tanks were always cleaned with a weak solution of bleach, so I felt sure this was not
the problem. Maybe sixty hours was required to hatch. I must be patient !

Day six, still no fry. Something was very wrong. Eggs were still amber and showing no fungus. I
turned my computer on and asked for expert help. I knew of one person who could guide me in
this adventure. The TetraExpert. Just about every hobbyist has heard of him. He is known for
his many types of spawn and talks at area fish clubs. I was relieved to read an email reply from
him. My problem was solved. Unfortunately, it was too late to save the fry. I had committed the
unpardonable in breeding tetras. I had overlooked the water chemistry. The eggs needed acidic
water. My 7.4 pH and alkaline water was not suitable for hatching tetra eggs. Now my fry were
entombed inside the egg and would suffocate. I was so upset with myself for overlooking this
one important factor in breeding tetras.

I left the eggs for ten days and nothing happened so I tore down the tank and cleaned it
thoroughly. In a few weeks, I would give it another try.

This would not happen however, I had lost the trio to an ick epidemic in the community tank.  A
friend had purchased a few Amazon sword plants from a LFS and I transferred the parasite to
my community tank when I added these plants. I lost several of my tetras during this battle, as
tetras cannot tolerate many of the known ick medications.

I hope in the future to find another breeding group and have a successful spawn.