I haven't had Craterocephalus stramineus (the generic name changed a few
years
ago) myself yet (hope to have it soon as the Australian exporter is very
active
and has also sent fish to Germany already - and to UK), but a friend had
them
(he's a good breeder) and I think also Gilbert Maebe (excellent breeder) had
them and they couldn't breed them for more than one generation. Don't know
why
yet. They can't subscribe Bruce's words of easy keeping and breeding. And
also
the parent fishes became less and less with the time without any signs of
illnes.
Harro
Blackmasts (Q. now C. stramineus) - They like really hard water and perhaps
some
salt added and need some algae or plant material regularly in their diet if
they are to
stay vigorous and fertile. They can live to over 3-4 years in captivity and
get to be
about 3" SL with quite a strong thick body. They also like lots of light .
All the places where they are found in abundance have extremely hard water,
even
to the point of TUFA formation so shellgrit substrate and tufa rock as for
Rift-lake fish
would help. If you had some rocks ouside in a pond to grow algae and
regularly rotated
them to your tank it would help too. Adrians friend Rod Campbell had them
going for
years in a tank that got some sunlight and they almost lived on algae.
When freshly caught they succumb very quickly to capture shock and ammonia
damage
(at those high pH levels) but once settled in seem hardy enough if kept
appropriately
Regards,
Bruce.
Bruce Hansen, A.N.G.F.A., Advancing Australian Aquatics.
Bruce Hansen, ANGFA, caring for our aquatic ecosystems.
Please visit us at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~fisher/angfa.htm