This is a large barb originally from India. We’ve had this barb for several years. My records don’t show exactly when or from whom we got them. Regardless of the source, they've proven to be reliable spawners. Also, we’ve found they are perfect for African cichlid tanks. They are not overly ... Read More
breeding
Blue Peacock
The photo is a six-month ago male Blue Peacock. This fish has an interesting history and pedigree. In 2003, after Hurricane Claudette crushed our first greenhouse in Goliad and destroyed much of our breeding stock of rainbowfishes and livebearers, we decided to expand into cichlids, especially ... Read More
Poecilia gillii, La Marguerita, Panama
This is one of the wild short fin mollies (non-sailfins) we just processed. We got this fish at the American Livebearer Association’s 2012 convention auction in Florida. They were sold by John Boylan who collected them February 27, 2009, at La Margarita, Panama. Here’s what John recently wrote me ... Read More
Green Lyretail Sailfin Molly
Ashley and I processed the Green Lyretail Sailfin Mollies today. This a is relatively old strain of ours, having been developed in the late 1990s by crossing some Red Leopard Lyretail Mollies from an Asian farm with Poecilia latipinna, San Antonio River, which we had collected in 1998. As usual ... Read More
Red Cherry Shrimp, Neocaridina denticulata senensis
This pretty little shrimp makes a great nano-tank or plant tank specimen. They are not shy and their bright coloration makes them stand out. While they are considered algae eaters, I’ve found they don’t. They sit on the algae and eat bits of food adhering to the plant, but they do not eat ... Read More
Freckle Hifin Genetic Tests
I recently sent off a column to Tropical Fish Hobbyist (TFH) magazine about a strain of Hifin Platies we have that breeds true. For those of you who don’t know, the hifin gene is a homozygous lethal in swordtails and platies. Fish that inherit two hifin genes, one from each parent, die as embryos. ... Read More
Our Herichthys carpintis (Pearl Scale Cichlid) Spawned in Community Tank
This morning I came into the office to find our pair of Herichthys carpintis, the Pearl Scale Cichlid or Green Texas Cichlid, had spawned in the 130 gallon aquarium. I wasn't happy. Having seen them building a spawning pit, I'd planned today to clear a vat for them and move them to it for spawning. ... Read More
Blue Iridescent Sword
Once again the urge to create a new fish struck. So, today, while going through our blue mickey mouse maculatus, I imagined the iridescent blue of the platies on a swordtail. I selected a few female platies and, after some thought, picked a male swordtail to father the new color strain. Which sword ... Read More
White Mickey Mouse Sword
Today, while sorting through our White Mickey Mouse Maculatus Platies to select breeders for our breeding colony, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have this color pattern on a swordtail?” No sooner than thought, I set aside eight female platies. After finishing with the platies, I picked a ... Read More