I to have my honey blue-eyes in an outdoor pond in Brisbane and they are
doing well. I started off with about twenty almost a year ago and would have
probably around 100 now. I noticed they spawned through winter in
relatively small amounts but since September there has been a lot of fry on
the surface. I have never seen any eggs, and still can't say whether they
are laying them on the substrate, the wall or the plants.
My "pond" is about 3/4m wide, 3/4m deep and 2m long. In winter the
temperature got down to around 12C and in summer it gets upto 35C. Ideally I
would like to shade it a bit through the warmer months to try to reduce the
max temp to 30C.
I remember a talk at ANGFA Qld by Chris Marshall who thought that a small
aquatic reed/sedge type plant called Eleocharis? might be important in the
breeding cycle of P. mellis. He could not say why at that stage as little
work had been done on this observation, but it was noted that P. mellis were
nearly always found amongst or around this plant. I do have some Eleocharis
and Triglochin (another sedge type plant) in my pond so maybe this is
helping. I haven't done any water testing for a long time but my tap water
is ph7 and very soft, I imagine the pond is more acidic with the algae and
vegetation.
I haven't tried werneri in an outdoor pond but it should be successful. They
come from shallow swampy areas so should be able to take the heat, I think
you would need to bring them inside over winter though. They shouldn't
cross breed with your blue-eyes, but the blue-eyes may try to take the eggs
or the fry. They are mid water feeders and I think green water would be the
easiest way to raise the fry as they have extremely small mouths and are
slow feeders.
Regards,
Baz.
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Wilson <arunta at qldnet.com.au>
To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au <rainbowfish at pcug.org.au>
Date: Monday, 24 November 1997 23:52
Subject: [RML] Iriatherina werneri
>I am writing for some advice concerning Iriatherina
>werneri. From what I've read I. werneri are compatible
>with most blue-eyes. At the moment I am keeping a few in
>a tank by themselves. Would some blue-eyes such as
>Pseudomugil gertrudae or P. mellis be suitable?
>The reason I am asking is that I'm hopeing to attempt to
>breed the werneri, and I've also read that they appear
>happiest in groups. My werneri are quite timid as I
>don't have many. My idea is to use the blue-eyes as
>dither fish and I will try and hatch any eggs that they
>produce also. The risk of hybridisation would be small
>as they are from separate families? Is this a good idea?
>I am aware that werneri are very hard to raise. I live
>in SE QLD and at this time of year would an outdoor
>container with green water be the go?
>Any other suggestions?
>Or should I just put them outside first off?
>
>I wrote about a month or more ago about breeding Pseudomugil
>mellis. I tried them outside in a much bigger container
>and I have seen the male courting but still no eggs or
>fry. I must be doing something wrong. Thats why I'm
>considering putting them back in a tank.
>
>Any suggestions?
>Thanks in advance
>
>Andrew
>