L-183 breeding parameters

It's me Brian again. I have been very diligent to be prepared for the 3rd try spawning of my L-183. The first 2 spawns have not produced fry but I am trying to perfect the water parameters to give the third time a better chance. I wanted to put out my water parameters and see if anyone could suggest something I might be missing?

I am using RO water with Seachem equilibrium to bring the water to about 95ppm TDS. I have tea-colored water due to addition of one Indian Almond leaf. bare bottom tank. water changes about 2 times per week (approx. 30%), PH is about 6.7, no measurable nitrates or nitrites, 0 ammonia. Temp about 80 degrees F (26 Celsius), Lights on during the day. I usually feed zucchini or kale overnight and remove in the morning. I've tried the prepared wafers and pellets and they seem to ignore those.

anything I may be missing?

Oh, and the pair are in a 20 gallon tank with no other fish....

Thanks for any tips

I know everyone likes pictures, so here ya go. I also wanted to add that I turned the cave facing away from the front in case it was creaping them out by me looking in there.

So the eggs are not hatching or the babies are not surviving past a certain point?

Eggs not hatching:
Dud male...

Babies not surviving past a few days out of the cave- I am thinking that as you take the food source out, they are getting hungry, make sure the food (zuchinni & cucumber is best for itty babies) is in there 24hrs a day, change it morning & night if you have to

I personally raid my boys cave at 4 days post hatch. I put them in a kitchen sieve, overtop of my bubbles. I then add a slither or 2 of wood for them to hang on to & every day I put in a 1cm round of cucumber to start & then Zuchinni once they are past 1cm - the cuc is softer. I let them free at about 2.5cm (6-8 weeks )

It may seem like a lot of work but I have had a less then 2% death rate doing this

It's the eggs not hatching so far. It's a young pair and they have only produced eggs twice. The first time eggs were kicked out of the cave. Second time the eggs appear to have been eaten after about 5 days care from the male. I am not ready to label the male a dud just yet. I'm hoping it's just inexperience and he will come around to take better care.

So my plan is to research the water parameters first. I want to be sure the eggs didn't hatch because of my water or set-up first. It's possible the male gave it a good try but the eggs didn't hatch, so he gave up??

If the next eggs don't hatch also, I my resort to taking the eggs away and hatching them away from the male, but it would be much preferable if the male was able to handle it.

I honestly would strip the eggs from the male. Put them in a strainer with a cherry shrimp or 2 (only if you have them already) just to make sure no fungus develop.

Place the strainer over the flow from the filter so that water is flowing through it.

Then once they hatch add the drift wood so they can hang on to something & then follow my directions as previous post

Update about my breeding pair of L-183. !!!

absolutely nothing. (laughing).

They are healthy and seemingly happy, but no spawning activity.

recently we have had daily afternoon rains. For the last 4 days I have done 10% water changes each afternoon with cool RO water. It drops the temp a bit in the tank and I leave the heater on so in a few hours it comes back up. I am also letting the TDS drop to about 70. Hope the rains help me trigger a spawning.

I have also noticed that it seems they are eating more than normal. Good sign?

still trying to initiate a spawn. Today it's starting to rain again. I am doing a 15% water change. I've gradually lowered the tds to about 70. Added Indian Almond leaf. My Plecos are eating great and look healthy but so far no 3rd spawn.

I read on the food section of Bristlenose world that someone is associating sweet potato with 2 spawns so I am just starting to add this to the menu. tried yesterday for the first time and I cannot see that they touched it. I left a small blanched piece overnight and took out this morning. will try again tonight along with 1/2 the normal size bit of unblanched zucchini.

Bad luck about them not breeding yet.

Peppermints are damn annoying for this. I always found mine bred when I stopped triggering them...

keep going and best of luck