# Copper Super Delta x Royal Blue HM spawn



## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

Well this was my plan B pair. My plan A ended horribly with both the male and female mysteriously dying. I still have no idea what went wrong!? 3 days later, plan B spawned and I'm really excited about this pair! 

The male is a gorgeous metallic copper and the female is a very vibrant royal blue with black head. I'm hoping to get some fully masked royal blues out of this spawn. The hint of red in the male kind of sucks but not much I can do right now. I'll have to try to select a male that isn't showing red to spawn back with the female. 

This was a hilarious spawning because the female held her ground against the male. She occupied one side of the tank and the male worked frantically on his nest. I wasn't too optimistic but a low pressure system hit us this morning, dumping about 8-inches of snow, and wouldn't ya know it, they spawned! 

Caught in the act

















Male

















Female, sorry for the poor quality photo, she has no red wash at all. Actually has a hint of yellow in her pelvic fins.


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## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

Removed the male this morning. Fry are nearly free-swimming and will get their first feeding of vinegar eels shortly. 

Spawn size looks pretty small but hard to tell because the nest is at the back of the breeding tub. Hopefully there's a few. Could be due to the fact that the male might be old. But could also be that it was both of their first time spawning.


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## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

Ya I have no idea why they died!? Only thing I can think of is a contaminant of some sort.

The both were perfectly healthy when I put them in the spawning tub. Next day they had excessive slime and the male's were clamped. Removed the pair and put into fresh water. I added meds and the male died that evening. Female dropped all her eggs and died the next morning. :-/

I scrubbed the tub and added the second pair and they were fine. Spawned with no issues.


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## royalbluehalfmoon78 (Jan 6, 2017)

wow that female is absolutely stunning :O


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## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

royalbluehalfmoon78 said:


> wow that female is absolutely stunning :O


Ya she's great eh? I'm hoping to try this spawn out again shortly. Hopefully the second go around will produce a larger spawn.


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## royalbluehalfmoon78 (Jan 6, 2017)

Didgeridoo said:


> Ya she's great eh? I'm hoping to try this spawn out again shortly. Hopefully the second go around will produce a larger spawn.


you so should, shes absolutely amazing!!! would create some nice colours too


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## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

royalbluehalfmoon78 said:


> you so should, shes absolutely amazing!!! would create some nice colours too


I'd love to get some full masked royal blues...that's my goal out of this spawn. It's hard to tell how many fry are kicking, but the ones remaining have full little bellies!


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## Didgeridoo (Nov 10, 2016)

Well I figured out the problem, why I was getting such small spawns. I haven't been using rain water! Our tap water is amazing but it's very hard and full of minerals. I picked up some reverse osmosis water to try on the next spawn.

The 20 or so fry are doing well and growing quick! Well a couple of them are, the rest are growing at a normal pace. They're getting lots of baby brine to keep their bellies orange!


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