V. massi "forktail loach"

[marisseas]

I've encounter a seller of these guys and want to put some in a well planted tank. However I'd like to try and spawn them. I know this has never been done but any hints/ideas you would suggest?

[NancyD]

I have 3 v. maassi, 2 females that are filled with eggs & 1 male. As far as I know they haven't spawned but they're in a tank with pangios & lepidocephalyths (sp) that would probably eat any eggs or fry. I think they'd breed similarly to pangios & those are usually accidental events.

I used to have them in a 20g long planted tank & they were out a fair bit. Now they're almost always hiding in a 40g long.

[marisseas]

Thanks. Do you have a strong water flow in your setup?

[NancyD]

I have 2 HOB filters on a 4 ft tank, Aqua clear 50s, I think, so not very strong flow. The live under some wood where the food gets blown through, that may be why I see them less.
I keep cherry shrimp & bladder snails with them in case they want those as live food but while I find some empty shells the invert population grows slowly. I also feed flake, pellets, shaved frozen blood worms, cyclops & brine shrimp, they don't seem to be fussy eaters.

I started with 4 but 1 was attacked by 1 of the others & eventually died. Maybe 2 males, I couldn't tell then.2 small pangios were also harassed at times but some live under the wood with all 3 now. The aggressor bit when the front of the dorsal attaches. It chased the othe maassi but the pangios were only bitten.

[marisseas]

Thanks for the help!