had eggs , now have swimmers .... but next prob

[Ozboc]

Ok gone through all the probs --- parents eating eggs - they are now allowing them to hatch in the community tank --- but when have put the parents into the other tank they eat the eggs , kind of out of protest to not bing in the large tank ....

so back to the main tank - they laid eggs on the glass this time -- they have hatched -- and all the little swimmers are just on the glass - they wont swim to the parents - i have tried different lighting at different angles to make the parents look like a large shadow - but they wont move ....

last lot lasted 3 days ---

any suggestions ??

Boc

[ILLUSN]

drop the water level, just enough to keep the parents covered while upright, if they still havn't attached after day 3, add a tablespoon of salt.

[Ozboc]

drop the water level, just enough to keep the parents covered while upright, if they still havn't attached after day 3, add a tablespoon of salt.



problem is , its in my display tank --- 700 Litres + with about 10 other fish .....

yes tried them in there own 4 foot tank -- they didn't like it and eat eggs every time ....... ( always relocate them a few days before they lay )


left them in the tank last time for 2 months ---- no eggs , within 3 weeks of return to main tank -- they lay ......


guess its a catch 22 for me ...

Boc

[ILLUSN]

get a smaller tank, 4 foot is way too big, use a 2x1.5x1.5 or a standard 2 footer.

manipulate their enviroment to trigger the spawn, hold off on water changes for a good week then do a big change with water 2C cooler then the tank and at a ph of 0.5-1.0 lower.

time yout water change to co incide with a storm or cold front, you'll have luck you'll just need practise, its now up to you to make them spawn when you want and where you want.

[Ozboc]

I have a 2 foot also ---- maybe i should post a photo of ALL 3 tanks

the 2 foot is totally bare no sand -- rocks plants nothing --- they done the same in that tank also ...

Boc

[Hollowman]

Hi Boc,

The initial problem you think you have is the fact that the wrigglers are not moving onto the parents. This is because they are not 'free swimmers' yet. The fry will stay attached to the glass, cone, whatever they have been laid on for about 3 days before they start to free swim. This is because the fry have a tiny 'thread' that comes from their head area that secures them to the laid area. It is kind of like a security rein that you put on a small child so they dont run off or fall over. As they wriggle, they eventually break free of this thread and become free swimming.
imo, I am not going to advocate using salt in the water to aid attachment to the parents, this happens naturally, and to be honest, they will not last long in a community tank anyway, I know of only one person who has ever done this successfully.
The best thing to do is use a breeding tank, make it a BB tank, with just a heater, sponge filter and a cone, tile, or whatever you have for them to lay on. If they do tend to eat the eggs, then put a cage over them until they hatch, as long as the parents can see the eggs and fan them, they will be fine. I have a pic of the cage that I use, and will post it in a mo.
When you moved the fish to your smaller tank you found that they were still eating the eggs, this does happen until they are happy with their environment, again, the cage over the eggs will help. Make sure the tank is situated in a place where there is not too much passing traffic, ie: children, people, dogs etc, not in direct sunlight, and make surethat the back, bottom and sides of the tank are either covered or painted white, or a very pale sky blue. Do water changes as normal, get them used to your routine, feed bloodworm and BH, and wipe down the tank at least once a week. You can lower the conductivity of the water to about 100 Us which will also lower your ph to about 6.2 to 6.4 which will help.
Remember, happy fish make good parents.

good luck.

Hollowman