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View Full Version : I breed half blacks



LizStreithorst
01-04-2015, 06:25 PM
I didn't set out to breed Half Blacks. It just kind of happened to me due to circumstance. I used to be all into Discus :rolleyes: Thank God I came to my senses. I've out crossed and backcrossed my HBs to get the genetics I like, but my fish need new blood.

I'm getting a whole bunch of breeding age blues of various types from a nice man named Ed. I can't wait to coss what I have with what he sends me. This guy Ed knows quality. I have seen pics of his fish.

chocolateplaty
01-04-2015, 07:42 PM
I wish I could breed half blacks, but getting the quality I desire is not easy. Also I do not think I have the lighting correct for after they spawn. This last spawn is now 2 months old and very few have turned. Anyone want to share the lighting problem?

Breeders do not want to send fish 2-3 days and so far I haven't been willing to pay for next day air. Now that I am getting what I like with all my blues I just might consider overnight if the half blacks are blues.

Danburns
01-04-2015, 07:50 PM
Sounds great! Bringing in new blood at the right time can take stock to a new level if careful selection is followed. You have the eye for it, your half-blacks look great!

LizStreithorst
01-05-2015, 09:59 AM
I don't know if lighting is as important as people think. From my experience the turning percentage depends on the pair. It's strange, though. I saved a pair from a batch that had an extremely high turning percentage. They parent raised on their first try and gave me tons of fry which I sent all over the country. This pair turned out to have the lowest turning percentage of any pair I have ever bred. I tried them a second time and raised their kids under brighter light. The outcome was the same. HB's can be a puzzle, indeed.

BTW, I used to not send breeding pairs other than overnight because I had only always shipped Discus and it's the only way Discus people ship. When nobody kept buying my fish because the shiping cost the same as the fish themselves I decided to try USPS Priority which is usually 2 days and sometimes 3. I've shipped a bunch of pairs this way and have yet to have a DOA. I know that the day will come, but it hasn't come yet.

I'll be sending an excellent parent raising pair to a nice man in IL next Monday. I'll be sweating bullets hoping that disaster doesn't stike this time. I have the greatest percentage of problems shipping to IL. The box arrives in 2 days if I'm lucky. All I know is that I do everything in my power to do everything perfectly on my end. Once the box is in the hands of the postal gods there's nothing I can do but sweat bullets and pray.

catsma_97504
01-07-2015, 09:48 PM
I would wait another week to ship. With that arctic front causing below 0 temps those heat packs will be zapped.

Best of luck working with Ed's fish.

LizStreithorst
01-10-2015, 01:52 PM
I checked the weather for his zip code for early next week. I have emailed him.

And thanks for your well wishes about Ed's fish. He knows a good Angelfish when he sees one. I can't wait!

Wrightsway09
10-05-2015, 05:06 PM
I would be interested in some of your blue hb's