# HMPK Dragon pair, Take 2.



## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

So after my previous failed spawn with this pair, I am reworking my set up.
I am keeping the same tank, and most of the same set up.
I am going to keep 50% of the same water, going to clean the bottom of the tank up more, and replace 50% of the water.
I am going to condition my pair for about another week or so. The female still has some rips in her fins but other than that she is doing just great. The male is just fine, but I will continue to condition him back up to full strength and ready to go again.

The other changes I am making is I am getting rid of the hornwort in the tank. I decided it was too hard to see the pair, and see what is going on in the tank. I will be stocking the tank with a sword plant, aluminum plant, and water wisteria. That way I can pretty much everything.
I do have some Xmas moss and a moss ball in the tank as well.

So here we go, take two is under way.


The Female










The male










The pair


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Those plants are gonna have a ton of infrusia or what ever it is called, for the fry to eat. I like the males main color.

I wish I coulld breed a pair sometime, I just need the room and money.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Thats the plant Kfryman. I also have 3 mystery snails currently in there to help with that.


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## betta lover1507 (Aug 6, 2011)

i love the female  good luck :-D


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks, hopefully it works this time.


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

Something don't look right to me.
I think your female came from a hm spawn.
My guess that your fry going to be long fin


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Hmm interesting. I will have to wait and see that will be really interesting to find out.
Though right now I am dealing with a set back.
My male as of today has become lethargic and not fully interested in food. he is just laying around. So I will be doing a 100% water change and adding AQ salt and IAL to see if I can head off what ever is happening.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Well I think I am going to lose Quetzalcoatl. He is being very lethargic, looking like he is gulping, and is starting to lay on his side. He was fine yesterday, and suddenly this today. There is a very good chance he will be dead before I go to bed, or by morning.
I can only hope I am wrong and that this will pass.
The female is just fine.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Agree with curly. The female has too long of anal fin. They probably come from a mix tail type spawn (very good fins to be expected).

Sorry about your boy though :/


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Ah I see. Well hopefully I will have the chance to find see what type of fins I can get. Luckily she is doing beyond wonderful and is actually very flirtatious with other males now.
As for the male I hope he pulls threw, if not then I will except his loss, and be forced to move on.
I will breed her with a different male at some point again. 
For now I will be concentrate and trying to get him healthy.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Amphibianite said:


> Ah I see. Well hopefully I will have the chance to find see what type of fins I can get. Luckily she is doing beyond wonderful and is actually very flirtatious with other males now.
> As for the male I hope he pulls threw, if not then I will except his loss, and be forced to move on.
> I will breed her with a different male at some point again.
> For now I will be concentrate and trying to get him healthy.


Nice, shorter finned halfmoons and deltas and possibly HMPKs.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Well I got my male in a Hospital tank and I think he will survive actually. It looks like he has a different disease than what I was thinking. I don't know what it is, but it causes extreme SBD and extreme finrot.

It it one of my other boys and lasted close to two months. I was trying everything and nothing was working. The first boy is finally on a full mend. He is a bit under nourished because he refused food 98% of the time. He eat well now and his fins and growing back nicely. Should be another month or so but he should make a full recovery.

What my male here has looks like the same time with the fins, every fin is becoming ragged.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Not sure what it is but this often happens to me if I over breed them or keep them in the breeding tank too long - ragged fins and lethargy. At first I thought it was the water but fry survived so it can't be the water unless fry has some sort of defence system. What ever it is, most of mine take longer to recover (if ever) compared to other known diseases. Most of them never become as active as they previously were and had to be bred in 1g shallow tubs.

I usually treat with Aq salt + IAL. If he gets worse, I use chemical products (local - don't know the ingredient). In my cases, the key to recovery is their willingness to eat. Once they eat, their immune system will help them recover.

Sorry about your guy. Hope he makes it.


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## Pewmew (Jul 30, 2011)

I really hope your male will pull through  I know how sad I will be if it's one of my baby


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## PitGurl (Feb 22, 2011)

What happened to your male sounds just like what happened to my CT male who I tried to spawn a couple of weeks ago. He was healthy going in to the spawn tank. He spawned with the female and was taking care of the nest. Then he started acting weird and all his fins started melting away. I pulled him out and started treated him with AQ salt. Sadly I lost the spawn but the male has recovered and his fins are growing back.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I sure hope your male pulls through *sends healing thoughts*
I had a wonderful male I REALLY wanted a spawn from, and the same thing happened, I lost him and the spawn. I hope that doesn't happen to you.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks everyone glad to know I am the only one who has faced this disease.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

I am not* darn 15 minute edit time...


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

15 min edit time also has happened to me...


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

It happens to all of us. 
Well the male is still alive. I have not done my morning feedings yet, but he ate last night.
I will be scrapping this spawn for at least a month. I don't want to risk killing him or infecting others.
It is time to move on with my other pair.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I really hope he pulls through. He sounds like a strong boy, he should get through this.

Which is your next pair?


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks, he is doing fine so far, hopefully live foods added in still and clean and medicated water will allow him to make a swift recovery.

My next pair is the HMxHMPK pair you saw, and another pair that I have decided on. I will PM you about them, because I think I will be it secret for a bit.


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

If u going to breed your next pair.
Don't breed them in the tank that your male got sick in


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Curly - Even if I completely sterilize the tank, sterilize the filter. Clean the plants, etc?
Also I would like to mention he was perfectly fine for about week out of the tank. This disease is something that has come up since he was removed from the breeding tank and returned to his normal tank.


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

Will that's a different story.
Always have bad luck with repeat breeding tank.
When the first pair one goes sour.
Filter n tank u can clean.
But plant idk.
It never goes right with me


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

I have never had problems reusing plants in tanks. From what I have read plants don't hold diseases. So rinsing them well should work fine. If it fails then I have no one to blame but myself, I believe that it should be fine though. Just a personal belief I do respect all information coming into me. I am always willing to listen and learn.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I use the same 10 gallon glass and 4 gallon tubs when I spawn lol. Just rinse really well, add new water, some IAL and add the pair.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

MrV, pretty much what I am planning on doing but using 20 gals. I am actually in the process of completely rearranging my room, which is my fish room. So I may not get to breeding this weekend again like I had planned. I will hopefully have it done this weekend and ready to breed this weekend as well, never know though.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

REARRANGE FASTER
jk


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

My parents gave in and let me have a fish room... dragging everything from my room down to the basement was a pain. But now I have enough room for several spawns and tanks. Breeding tropical fish in the same room you live is a pain. My room smelled like fish for months AFTER getting the fish room. I'm so glad I don't deal with that anymore LOL.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

Haha I am fine with it XD. We dont really have a spare room right now. So maybe when I can finally get a job and get my own place like I have been trying to for the last 5 years XD.
Until then my room works. Just packing up everything I don't use anymore and making room for more supplies. Going to be worth it though.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I have been asking for a fish room for the longest time! Though we haven't had any other rooms or walk in closets to have any tanks in.

We're moving again so I might have my own fish room.. It would really come in handy.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I would LOVE to have a fish room. My house is just too small for one.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

I think we would all love to have a dedicated fish room... well those of us who don't have one.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'd love to have a fishroom even though I don't breed.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I'd also love to have a fish room, oh well, maybe when I win the lottery...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

tpocicat said:


> I'd also love to have a fish room, oh well, maybe when I win the lottery...


You and me both! Lol


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