Dear FishFolk,

Well the fish I went to the ALA convention for have produced the first fry for me. I got two pair of Skiffia francesae, the Golden Skiffia, in the silent auction. I was looking for these at the San Antonio convention but there weren't any to be seen. However Jim Langhammer donated >20 pairs to the VPF auction this year. It is the ALA SPF fish of 2009.

These livebearers are extinct in the wild and were only collected once. The average price per pair in the auction was $51. I also picked up two pair for Kyle (snakeskinner) who is on this forum.

I noticed one of the females looking very thin this morning when I was feeding them. The other looks about ready to explode. I saw at least 3 large fry skulking around the bottom and plants. They are in a 29 gallon with a pair of Dermogenys halfbeaks on the surface, kuhli loaches on the bottom and cherry shrimp everywhere. There's lots of rootwood and plants for cover.

The colony has begun,

Earl

One of my young females that I got at the convention dropped fry this morning as well. I could not locate the other young female that is pregnant, but I am not too worried yet because there are loads of hiding places. The fry seemed well developed and are very fast swimmers.

One of my large adult females is beginning to look pregnant to me as well. I have never seen so much courting and displaying before as I have with these Skiffia francesae. That might be because I am paying so much attention though.

Here's to lots more fry and some thriving colonies!

Great news, guys!

I bred that fish back in 1985, it was so easy back then that it seemed like everyone had them. However, after a few generations they started getting weaker and nearly died out. I believe only one or two people managed to maintain large enough colonies to keep them healthy.

Good luck, I hope you see many more fry in the future!

Sounds like a winner to me Earl and Joel. I was interested but I do understand my limits and thought it best that they go to someone who could actually increase their numbers. Nice start guys.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
My pair are looking fantastic.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

Eric

Can't wait to get my hands on these S.francesae one day.

Quote:

I found my other young female. Her sides were pinched in, so she dropped her fry as well. I decided to isolate seven of the fry and raise them separately. It's probably not necessary, but I'm a little nervous with this first batch. I'd rather err on the side of caution. Fun stuff!

Congratulations guys hope you all get many more.

Dear Joel and the others,

If I could catch my Skiffia fry I would isolate them too. However, they are hiding right at the bottom of a 29 gallon in the rootwood and plants. They are large.

I just keep pouring in the live food. Yesterday was daphnia, mosquito larvae and bbs. Today I've fed them bbs and later they are getting grindal worms. I give them spirulina flakes every other day. The live food is really just to keep the adults from eating the young. I think that Jim Langhammer found that too much live food led to difficulty in birthing for the females.

Still waiting for the other female to drop fry. She is big.

Best wishes,

Earl

Dear FishFolk,

The other Skiffia francesae female dropped her fry last night. There are fry all over the bottom of the tank.
Now they just have to survive.

Best wishes,

Earl