# Black Calvus Breeding help



## Calvus World (May 25, 2014)

Hey All,

I'm new to this site and was wondering if I was able to get a little help??

So I was was just sitting star gazing at my black calvus tank and notice the Female shaking over a shell, then I noticed 1 of the males doing the same thing just after. After they finished I looked in the shell and there is a heap of little white balls (I think eggs).

Now the female sit's in the shell while the big male sit's at the opening.

I noticed that the little white balls where missing, I don't know what happened, guessing it's due to it being their 1st time.

I have just been reading that the male shouldn't be able to fit into the shell that the female is in, what i should i do seeing as my female has picked one of the biggest shell's that the male can fit right into.

Will they still breed? or should I go on the hunt for smaller shell's and remove the bigger ones till the they get bigger?

Cheers Doug


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## lorax84 (Feb 19, 2013)

I wouldn't go changing anything too quickly. It was the 1st spawn and from the sound of it the eggs were not actually fertilized. Fertilized eggs are not white. Now if you see them give it another go and the same thing happens you might want to switch out the shell but if they are breeding with what they have now I wouldn't touch a thing until you are sure you have to.


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## Calvus World (May 25, 2014)

haven't seen em try since then, the girl never comes out of the shell, well I think she is in the shell, can't find her.

Ill leave em for while longer.

Thanks for the response


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

If she is in the shell, she may be guarding fry.


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## Calvus World (May 25, 2014)

so it turn's out that they were breeding and the female was guarding fry, I noticed fry swimming around the tank


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Great News!!


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Fry swimming around the tank is not a good thing though.........they will eventually eat their fry. Ideally you want to remove them when the egg sack is mostly gone, and put them in a separate tank.


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## Calvus World (May 25, 2014)

Yea I noticed that, I got only 16.

I didn't even realize that they actually spawned


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## Skie (Apr 13, 2014)

Here are some ideas that I have found to work best:
1. Clean water
2. Frozen brine. Live brine is a good treat. Mixed in with some frozen mysis
3. (And the trick) calvus caves. Calvus caves are little wedged caves that ONLY the female can fit in comfortable.

After 6-7 days remove the cave that the spawn occurred in to a separate smaller tank.

Take a airpump along with a small airstone and gently place it in the cave along with the eggs. Be sure to use a good gang valve to regulate air flow. To much air flowing and the eggs can be easily destroyed.This will simulate fanning that the female would do.

If you want more detail inbox me with out hesitation. I have bred wild white and red calvus/comps and learned from a good source. I don't mind helping!!


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