# Could gravel size be partly why my red natts aren't breeding?



## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i have a proven pair that i purchased, only two weeks ago, from another member. i've tossed them into a 75g by themselves and they are still quite skittish around me, even though they are in the 9" range. so much so they may hurt themselves when they freak out, crashing into the sides of my aquarium.

i'm thinking the fact that they have only been in the tank for two weeks, is the main reason they have not spawned yet, though the male seems ready, from time to time, though i could be mistaking it for just normal rbp aggression/territoriality, as i have never breed p's before.

i've turned the temp up, over 82, also to try and stimulate them.

the main question i have, is, could the size of the gravel that i have in the tank, be a factor in why they would/would not breed? i have a mix of larger and smaller gravel in there, mostly larger, 75% i would say. The larger is the size of a quarter, whereas the smaller isn't even the size of a dime. i'm thinking that too much large gravel might prevent the male from nest building? though at their size, 9", i think he could probably move the larger substrate around.

thoughts? as i said it is probably mostly having to acclimate to their new environment, but i want to be sure that i am not doing something, erroneously, that prevents them from breeding, in the long run.

i'm also considering adding another pygo, or two, just so it helps them to relax in the tank...safety in #'s.

thx


----------



## wally43 (Feb 23, 2007)

i thought the temp had to be lowered for them to breed like when u do water changes u should put a little colder water in to drop the temp a bit. dont quote me on this but thats what i thought
wally


----------



## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

the guy who sold me said a trick to try is to empty out most of the water, to their dorsal fins, then refill with cooler water and bring temp back over 82. similiar to what u said but to a higher degree.

man, my LFS has a beautiful 4-5" piraya, awesome coloring. i'm thinking of adding him to the tank.


----------



## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i'm thinking i have most of it right, just need to be a little more proactive with the water changes, maybe add a few things, and most of all...patience! at their size i think they could easily move the gravel if they wanted to build a nest.


----------

