Kribensis

Hi folks

I returned to fish-keeping at Christmas following a break of about 16 years.
I got a 48x18x18 Renia tank and have struggled to stock it in a way I am
happy with.

I had some tiger barbs, but they returned to the petshop as they began to
nip my gouramis.

Stocking was

1 angel - growing incredibly quickly, more than doubled in size in two
months.
2 dwarf gouramis - a beautiful blue male and a female.
4 Corys - 2 bronze and 2 pepper
7 black neons (on-loan from my daughter)

I have been looking for some rams but I was not sure if my tank was mature
enough. In addition to that any I have seen have looked pretty bad- has the
stock deteriorated in the last 15 years or so?

Two weeks ago my male gourami tried to build a bubble nest, but after a few
days he gave up.

Then last weekend whilst looking in petshops I had an impulse buy of a pair
of kribensis. I bought them on Saturday and, guess what, they spawned on
Tuesday!!!

We bought some square pots and put them in the tank and the eggs have now
hatched. We have not seen the fry yet, I think the mother must carry them in
her mouth, but the pair are guarding the mouth of one of the pots. This is
the third one they have been in.

I am feeding liquifry number 1 dripped in over whichever pot they are in. I
doubt if they will survive, but we will wait and see.

There hasn't been a huge amount of disruption to the other fish either. As
long as they keep away from whatever area the kribs are at, there is enough
room in the tank for all of them.

Neb