Clint,
I was just home from a hospital trip and did not go. I know some others who may have. This Saturday is our Keystone Killy Group meeting in Washington, NJ (east of Easton) Check address at keystonekilly.org If you want to get a ride I am driving up and leaving here at 10:30 AM. Probably won't get back until 6-7 PM Typical meeting day. Tomorrow I will be here most of the day. A few errands to run so call first.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

Clint, The Keystone Killy Group has been in this area for over 25 years. The next meeting will be May 11. Check www.keystonekilly.otg for details. In the meantime, email me at leeHarper@@aol.com. I will welcome a visitor, if I am warned ahead of time.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

A few more thoughts and observations.
1. I am currently observing the following strains
Dwarf red
Niger Delta
German "b;au"
Warri
2. Dwarf red has always been a mop spawner
3. Warri has not attained maturity.
4. Niger Delta and "bau"behave similarly.
5. Eggs collected in peat and incubated in water do not hatch in 3 weeks.
6. Not relevant to this discussion, but once again, males and females raised together are not at risk of damaging aggression.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

Gary,
You raise some interesting points. The day length issue, for example. My fish room is in the basement and receives afternoon sum, which is obviously longer and brighter in Spring and Summer. However it is also lit by artificial lights every day from about 8 AM to midnight (when I am awake). The eggs stored in water are exposed to indirect light in 12 oz deli cups. The eggs in pear are inside an incubator and receive very little light. I should also mention that the eggs incubated in water are in tap water that contains the chlorine/chloramine as it comes out of the tap. that seems to inhibit deterioration.
The reference to 1970s articles is interesting. As you know, there is an index to JAKA/Killie Notes available on this web site. I encourage a search of those years.For example,
November/December 1977 Volume 10, Number 10
Comparative Observations on the Early Embryology of Nothobranchius korthausae and Epiplatys sheljuzhkoi. With Special Reference to Prediction the Onset of Diapause 1.
Anthony C. Terceira

If anyone needs a copy, let me know.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

One additional observation. Some eggs laid by Blue Gularis 3 weeks ago on mops have started to hatch after incubating in tap water. Previous experience with peat incubation was more like 5 weeks.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

One additional anecdotal report.
Today after a month of neglect due to health problems (mine), I searched for Maratecoara lacortei eggs in the deep container of peat. I found only one egg. The last time I collected eggs from this tank, I found about 25 eggs in the deep peat. So, I looked elsewhere and found about 10 more eggs in the shallow peat layer throughout the tank. Realizing there must be a reason for this I tested the water and found the TDS to be about 150 ppm. It should be well under 100 ppm for this species.The reason for the rise was the exhaustion of the mixed ion exchange resin that I use to reduce the TDS of the somewhat ancient RO unit. Apparently the fish respond to less than ideal conditions by not following their usual breeding pattern.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

This is a subject that has intrigued me for a while. I would like to stimulate discussion by noting the following observations.
• Young breeding fish lay eggs anywhere, as they mature they seem to follow more traditional guidelines
• Young Blue Gularis lay eggs in mops but as they grow older (a couple months) they prefer peat.
• Maratecoara lacortei lay eggs in shallow peat when younger, but usually as they grow older prefer deeper peat.
• I seldom find eggs of Pachypanchax species but young fish appear with the parents.
• Austrolebias species will lay eggs on a bare glass bottom when young, but either prefer peat or eat eggs that they can find when they get older.
• Aphyolebias peruensis seem to change where they lay eggs from shallow to deep peat and back again for reasons I do not understand.
• Young fish lay eggs that are fertile but slightly smaller than full grown breeders.
• Most Aphyosemion species are consistent mop spawners at all ages.

Lee Harper
Media, PA

While the collection data is important to keep, the fish without that data are just as nice to keep. They may be less valued in an online auction but will be just as valuable in a local sale or auction when their quality is observed. Many of the favorite fish do not have collections data. In some cases, such as Aphyosemion bitaeniatum, the collection site has a significance because of the difference in color and form.

Lee Harper
Media. PA

In my opinion, the best frozen food is high quality frozen bloodworms. Oregon Desert or Hikari are preferred brands, if they are well kept.

Lee Harper
Media PA

I have written several articles for JAKA over the years. I have one in the works and a couple others I am thinking about. I encourage everyone to write about something they have done that may be helpful for others. the editor cannot by himself, create articles.

Lee Harper
Media, PA