New Macropharyngodon negrosensis pair spawned

Flame*Angel · #1 09/29/2004, 05:41 PM

I added a pair of black leopard wrasses to my brand new 300g tank just last Tuesday, Sept. 21st. They had been at the LFS for over 6 months and were paired up a few months ago. The male already had the striping on his head when I brought them home. They are in the 8' tank with just a red firefish and stellate dragonet (red scooter blenny).

This morning, Jenna, the female, was the first fish up - this is a first, she's always been the last. I noticed right away that she was acting differently - almost nervous, very much not at ease. She was definitely looking for her mate but it was more than that. When Jake, the male, got up her belly started changing colour. In a matter of minutes it went from the usual black to a very bright orange, almost glowing. Upon closer inspection it was also very swollen looking. Jake was also very interested in that belly. I realized then that she was carrying eggs!

I watched the fish all morning and took literally hundreds of pictures (all way too blurry

). The two fish swam together constantly with Jake nudging her belly with his nose now and then. Just before noon they disappeared behind the rocks. When they reappeared about a half an hour later Jenna's belly was black and no longer swollen. I didn't see any "spawn" in the water but in a tank this size with this much circulation I wouldn't anyway. Jake and Jenna have been just acting normally ever since. They've been sticking closer together than usual but otherwise you'd never say this happened. I'm glad I was here to see it.

I checked the breeders registry and did a search. As far as I can tell this may very well be a first. I WISH I could have gotten a single decent pic!

In my 120g reef tank I have a pair of ornate leopard wrasses with the male in the terminal stage but I haven't observed anything to make me think they have spawned.

Tarasco1 · #2 09/29/2004, 07:12 PM

Sweet! Keep us updated. I really like hearing about leopards, and it seems like you're doing something right!

Julio · #3 09/29/2004, 07:47 PM

Great to hear that!! can you post the pics anyway?

Gary Majchrzak · #4 09/30/2004, 05:00 AM

Just found this thread. Very interesting, Susan. What and how often were you (and the LFS) feeding the pair? Were they in a holding tank w/ LR at the LFS?

Flame*Angel · #5 09/30/2004, 06:55 AM

At the LFS they were in a 40g tank with sand and live rock. Little filtration (Aqua Clear), no skimmer and minimal circulation (one small powerhead). I'm not positive but I believe they only feed their fish once a day. They do feed frozen food though. I wanted them the first time I saw them but didn't have the new tank ready yet and the 120g reef was already pretty stocked. I remember telling the guys that if they were still there when I set up the new one that I'd bring them home. Then there were sooooooooooo many delays I figured there would be gone for sure. Apparently they aren't colourful enough for most people. It's the personalities of leopard wrasses that really appeals to me the most, and their peaceful ways. I have a pair of ornatus in the reef and they are similar in behavior but the male is MUCH bigger. The negrosensis pair are barely three inches.

When I brought them home they were well accustomed to life in captivity. They came out of the bags and started eating. They've had a lot of room as I don't have much in this tank yet (trying to get the smaller, docile fish in first) and there's 300lbs of good live rock (came in so fresh the tank didn't even cycle). I have very high circulation in this tank with a pair of Tunze Streams. The tank will be 5 weeks old tomorrow. I've been feeding them three times a day:

morning - one cube Hikari mysis & half teaspoon of Sweetwater Zooplankton (daphnia)

afternoon - one cube Hikari bloodworms & half teaspoon of Sweetwater Zooplankton

evening - one cube Hikari mysis & half teaspoon of Sweetwater Zooplankton

I've been using nothing but natural seawater in this tank and I do a 60 gallon (20%) water change every weekend. I use no additives, just a tablespoon of kalkwasser every 4 or 5 days to keep the pH up. I really think the natural seawater plays a part here. It was only since I switched from salt that my mandarins started breeding and my larger ornatus went into the terminal male colouration.

I believe they actually paired up in the store as the male already had the stripes on his head when I brought him home. He went through this colour change very recently though, within a week of me bringing him home. The female is just all black with fine speckles. Both have long yellow dorsal fins and the male has quite a bit more yellow as it goes into the stripes on his head and down his back.

I'll keep trying for pics although the bright orange belly is gone now. In the reef I have a pair of mandarins that breed every couple weeks so I'm hoping I will see this again. The leopards are constantly moving and that fine speckled pattern just blurs like you wouldn't believe. I'm usually pretty good at this but most of the pics I've taken so far you can barely make out a fish shape.

I'm in on a group order that's due to arrive tomorrow night and supposed to have a racoon and a longnose butterflyfish in it for me along with a huge cleanup crew. Hopefully the new fish won't interfere too much with the happy couple

Gary Majchrzak · #6 09/30/2004, 04:37 PM

Thanks for the informative reply.
I think you're right- the NSW and good husbandry skill has a lot to do with your fishes spawning success. So does feeding the (very good) foods that you mentioned.
Good luck with this new tank. Please post if you ever see Macropharyngodon eggs.

Flame*Angel · #7 10/01/2004, 06:20 PM

I'm starting to think I may have been wrong about the spawning. I've observed the same behavior with the same bright orange belly on the female every morning three days in a row now. It lasts a few hours starting about an hour after breakfast and is always over by noon. The bright swollen looking belly definitely incites a reaction from the male though. Could they really be spawning every day?

Julio · #8 10/01/2004, 06:59 PM

it is possible that they can spawn every day just like angels and tangs do so i would not be surprise, just check to see if you see any eggs or sperm being released.

Flame*Angel · #9 10/02/2004, 11:27 AM

I've yet to see any spawn or eggs but I think they're releasing it behind the rocks and the circulation is so high in this tank I don't think I would see it anyway.

Another new development today. After the female's belly turned bright orange the males belly turned white. He get's kind of whitish all over but this was different, it was in his belly/anal region and it was a patch that was very noticeable. After this they did a lot of very close swimming near the surface with their heads touching, side by side. It went on longer today too but again, after they came out from behind the rocks both belly's were normal and they went about their business of picking at the rocks.

It was amazing to watch them today. They were so close and cuddly it really makes you think that the fish must feel at least a strong affection towards each other.

Julio · #10 10/02/2004, 03:50 PM

can you guys record any of this breeding behavior for all of us to see.

Flame*Angel · #11 10/02/2004, 09:00 PM

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that. I haven't had any luck at all with my digital camera but I do have a video camera, that might work better. I'll give it a try tomorrow. If I can just catch them all snuggly at the surface it will be well worth the effort.

I'm really hoping they do this tomorrow. I just got a mail order in tonight with two new butterflyfish - a raccoon and a longnose. They came in a lot bigger than I was expecting. Hope this doesn't throw off the morning mating rituals!

tstone · #12 10/03/2004, 07:28 PM

This very cool stuff. Hope you can get some pics.

Tarasco1 · #13 10/13/2004, 10:00 PM

Are they still doing it, or have they stopped? Any updates?

Flame*Angel · #14 10/15/2004, 05:59 PM

Sorry guys, I've just had a couple really rough weeks with work and haven't been on RC much. I work at home and my new tank is in my office so I've been able to keep an eye on them. The pair spawn every single morning between 10 and 11am without fail. I can add new fish, flood the tank with bubbles while hooking up a skimmer, be digging around the rocks with my big tank forcepts, they don't care. Absolutely nothing interferes with their morning mating ritual. After they are finished the female eats an entire spirulina nibbler (press on algae tablet) herself. No one else in the tank likes them and she won't eat them any other time of day but after mating she eats the entire thing greedily. I'm giving up on pics and have made a couple attempts at video. Nothing great yet but I hope to get something decent over the weekend if I don't get stuck working again. I'm going to look into getting a webcam set up on this tank too. There's an end "window" that I think will be a perfect spot for one.

Tarasco1 · #15 10/18/2004, 12:31 PM

Every morning, huh? Sounds like a sweet schedule to me! Glad to hear that things are still going well. Webcam will be cool, can't wait.