Fustrated Cycle

[DarrenJThomas]

Hi

My adult discus lay eggs, they become free swimming and then fail to attach to the adults. The adults then lay more eggs and by the time the eggs become free swimming the 1st lot are about 2 weeks free swimming. The adults then eat them as they must annoy the adult while tending to a new bach of freshly laid eggs while the 1 day free swimming dont attach again.

How can i stop this cycle. Do i have to remove the new eggs once they are laid to stop them from eating the eggs?

Please help me

Darren

[Squid]

I've had this same problem mate - I tried everything, and have no answer for you. I'm sure someone in the forums will though! This was real annoying - maybe you've just gotta wait until they get a bit older. I sold mine because that particular pair were giving me the sh*ts. But I've heard that at around 3-4 years old they stop acting like idiots and play the game.

Squid

[Merrilyn]

Hiya Darren, Not sure if I understand you mate. So the pair lay eggs, and those eggs hatch. If the fry are getting to two weeks of age, they must be attaching to the parents at some stage, otherwise they wouldn't survive at all.

From what I understand, your pair then lay another batch of eggs and eat the two week old fry?

Is this right?

Couple of things you can do. Once the fry become free swimming, remove the cone or spawning surface. This will hopefully stop the parents laying again. Lower the water in the tank to about half, and keep the lights fairly dim. Make sure the parents are the darkest objects in the tank, so cover any sponge filters with white filter floss. It will help the fry to find their parents.

Introduce freshly hatched baby brine shrimp to the fry as soon as possible. We want them eating well, in case the parents decide to lay eggs on the glass or something, then they can be removed at two weeks, if you have to.

Another little trick you can use, is to get some target fish, like 6 small neon tetras (this is not something I'd normally recommend, but this is an extreme case). Make sure they're fairly small, too small in fact to eat the discus fry. The parents will suddenly see these fish as the enemy, and concentrate on protecting their precious babies, instead of thinking about spawning again.

I'm saying to use neons rather than cardinals for a couple of reasons, they are much cheaper and you can usually get them pretty small. Cardinals are wild caught, so can bring in some nasties with them, and it's less usual to be able to find them at a small size. The neons are tank bred, so you can find them pretty small. One on it's own won't do any good, it needs to be 6 of them to form a school, so the parents think their babies are in danger. Be prepared for the parents to eat the neons, to protect their young. (I did say this was a drastic measure )

After you get your parents looking after their fry properly, give the neons to a friend with a community tank, because they won't appreciate the high temperatures that we need for discus, so won't survive more than a few months in a discus tank.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[DarrenJThomas]

Thanks for all your help

Ladyred you understood my problem correctly.

I have lowered the tank water, covered the filter material and have not had a light on at all.

The fry (the smart ones) do attach and become 2 weeks old, others dont attach and die. I also feed bbs as soon as free swimming so not sure if fry are eating algae, bbs or attaching to the parents, but it seems to work.

In regards to removing the breeding material, that is difficult as they prefer to lay on the glass and move them after 3 days to the cone. I think i will monitor and when they lay again i will remove the eggs streight away as i think they eat the fry as they are annoyed by them when attending to the new eggs. It is probably unfairs to the eggs but equally unfair to the free swimming fry.

If this does not work i will try the neon trick you meantioned. You must have gone to fish psych 101 to come up with that, i like your thinking :lol:

I will keep you all posted and once again thanks for all your help

Darren

[Merrilyn]

It helps if you think like a fish :wink:

Keep us posted.