I was recently given some N. palmqvisti eggs from a local hobbyist.  My first attempt at hatching them was moderately successful since I did get a few fry, but they all died within about four days. 

I used the same approach I've come to use on my gardneri and australes: I run an air line in the hatching tub for the first ten to fifteen minutes just to break up the peat, then add some green hair algae from an established tank and a small amount of vinegar eels for the CO2 and wait a couple of days.  The only thing I did differently this time was using salt in the water (concentration was roughly 1tsp salt per gallon), which the breeder recommended to prevent velvet.

I don't have any really specific procedure for the first few days and I don't usually have problems with fry dying.  Doing what I usually do, I fed some bbs and raised the water level an inch or or two on each of the first two days.  Two fry died after I did this.  The next day, I transferred the remaining fry to a newly vacant, filtered and cycled 2.5 gallon tank where they also died, possibly from the water chemistry fluctuation although I did attempt to mitigate it.

This is my first time with a Notho species, or any annual species so any feedback is much appreciated!

Andrea,

My experience with Nothos is somewhat limited and dated by 15+ years, however, I have raised palmqvisti.  As I recall they require water temperatures of 75dgF, or better, and fairly high pH, > 8.2.  You might do some research as to water temperature and pH before you try another hatch.  The other aspects you describe sound great for starting out fry.

I hope this helps,

Jim Langan 

Hey Jim,

Thank you!  Should have thought of that.  I'll take a look online and I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to get back in touch with the breeder too.  Glad to hear the hatching part sounds good though!

Andrea,

I'm fairly practical if you're getting fry, they're hatching out, only other part of the equation, is environmental, or feeding. Sounds like you have infusoria around the plants for them, so environmental is remaining.

Good Luck!

Jim Langan

Hello,

It looks like you are doing everything right.

Compare what you are doing against this: http://tgenade.freeshell.org/myfish/notho.pdf

I wouldn't bother with vinegar eels, and avoid water changes in the first week as some fry are sensitive to changes in temp and osmolarity in the water.

I have recently had some issues like this where broods of fry have suddenly died or languished and not grown. I put this down to some or other bacteria in the water and am now investing extra effort to limit exposure of the new fry to the water in my other tanks.  I need to get a new bulb for my UV filter...

Be careful not to overfeed. Any rotting bbs will kill the fry.

Hi,

Thank you so much for the link!  What a fantastic write-up, I've been looking for something just like it!  I've tried hatching them again and did get a few more but they are, unfortunately, doing the same thing you've observed where they languish and don't seem to grow or eat or show the appropriate level of development for their age.  I'm still going to try another hatch in a couple of weeks and keep all of this advice in mind.

Thanks again!