A Primer for Peat-Spawning Killies
by Curt Smith
From the Youngstown Aquarist, Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society
Aquarticles
If you have never spawned annual Killies in peat moss, you've never experienced the
hobby's zenith in anticipation, elation and disappointment. Once the peat with eggs
(hopefully) is removed from the spawning tank, bagged and tagged, you begin a two to nine
month wait, perhaps even longer. You have witnessed the parents cavorting in the container
holding the peat but there is no assurance of a hatch unless the parents have proven
themselves before, and even then it is not 100%.
As I've often said before, we don't breed fish - fish breed fish! We just give them
conditions that are acceptable to them and they respond with what they do naturally. Peat
spawners are no exception.
What kind of peat do you use? That's up to you, but one of the easiest methods of
preparing peat for annuals is to use non-fertilized peat pellets (Jiffy Pellets). Throw a
bunch in a container of water, wait until they are soaked and swollen, carefully remove
the webbing and break up the pellet. Let it sit for awhile so that most of the peat sinks
to the bottom of the container - not all will sink. Skim off the no sinking layer and pour
off any debris left on the top. Then pour the remainder into a large fine fish net and
rinse well under running water, then wring the net and store the resultant fibers in a
plastic fish bag until needed. You can use regular peat but it requires boiling, or
sitting in water for a week or two to make it sink. There are other fibers now being used,
they all require some peat mixed into them to guarantee a good hatch (something about the
properties of the peat tannins).
When you have your pair of annuals set up, place a container of peat in the tank. You
will observe them cavorting in it from time to time. After a week to ten days, remove the
peat container and dump the contents into a large fine fish net. Also siphon any peat from
the bottom into the same net. When collecting the peat, you should do a water change
(about 50%) and then replace the container, filled with new peat. Rinse the peat-laden net
under chlorinated tap water (chlorine is a super fungicide), wring as much water as you
can from the net, dump onto a newspaper and pour it into a plastic fish bag. Always
completely label the bag as to species, date collected, and date of hatching. I promise
you that you won't remember after two or three months if it is not labeled. Then store the
bag in a dark, warm container until the hatching day arrives.
Time passes slowly until the moment of truth finally arrives. Once the peat from the
storage bag is dumped back into water, things happen quickly - sometimes within two hours
or so, but a day is needed before the majority are hatched. So the next day the height of
elation or disappointment is attained when, flashlight in hand, the hatching container is
carefully scanned for silvery slivers or movement. What will it be - a full hatch or an
empty container? Sometimes they are difficult to see against the dark peat background, and
early apprehension turns more positive when one hatchling is finally located, because
after one is found your eyes become attuned to what you are seeking and others are soon
spotted as well.
I like to set up my growing containers beforehand with one half the desired amount of
aged water, some Java Moss and a large ramshorn snail so that some infusoria is available
when they are transferred. The quicker you siphon the fry out of the hatching container
the easier the chore. After a couple of days they have their running shoes on and can be
difficult to corral and transfer. Even though you want to siphon out some of the peat
water to finish filling the growth container, avoid solid peat partials on the bottom. A
hint from Ron Romigh: When attempting to siphon the fry after hatching, move the container
to a dark corner where they are easier to spot and siphon under a flashlight's beam.
Annuals aren't hard, they just require time and patience. Again, label your bag before
incubating.
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