Eggs

[Brilliant]

Hello guys,
I posted before a few times and I realized this is an Au forum so I decided to keep posting on the low and reading on the high. I really like this forum and the advice given here....the general tone. :D

I have a new pair that lays eggs every week. They are in a community tank(Discus & Apistogramma) and Ive made efforts to relocate the other fish in the tank. I do not have a home for some of the other fish and I thought the other Discus were the BIG problem with the eggs being eaten..I saw something....now its my little Apistos...I thought the mom and pop would be able to fend off such little fish but the little aggie I have sneaks in and eats the eggs...I saw her do it!

OK anyways now to my point and my question.

My eggs stay pink for a few days...they almost look like when they are first spawned. They never last more then two or three days.

My question is....how can I tell if this is a fertile pair?
Should I relocate the eggs after the parents are done?
I am attempting to isolate the pair in the tank but wonder if my efforts are going to be fruitfull...one reason is because the pair is now terrified of me....ever since I relocated the other Discus...the other reason is because this is a moderatly heavy planted tank and will stay that way.

Ive read its hard to raise Discus, if not impossible, in the planted tank because of lost fry. I also do not want a frightened pair of Discus, I value personality over fry and these two were my best buddies before the relocation of the other Discus in the tank....the relocation worked wonders for the somewhat frightened Discus in the other tank tho :)

[Merrilyn]

Thanks for the compliments Brilliant. We have lots of friends from all over the world. We can usually manage to overcome most problems, although sometimes products that are available in one country, are not available in another. Usually someone from that area comes up with a suggestion.

Now, to get to your problem. Hmmm if you don't really want to try to raise fry, then I would bring the other discus back into the tank. Discus are a schooling fish, and feel safer in numbers. Either that or you can get a group of small schooling tetras to go in the tank, to act as dither fish. The discus will see them swimming around, and assume that everything is safe, and there are no predators around to eat them.

Your eggs do sound as if they are fertile. If they have stayed yellow for at least 2 days, without turning white, then it's pretty certain. Infertile eggs usually fungus within 24 hours and certainly by 48 hours.

If you want to breed your pair at a later date, then put them in a spawning tank and raise the fry that way. Then you'll have some fry to sell, and some to go in your display tank.

Be prepared for daily water changes on your breeding tank. Raising fry is a lot of work :P

Otherwise, just enjoy your fish, and know that they are very happy with their tank, and all that you are doing.

[Brilliant]

Thanks soo much!

Perhaps I will relocate the other Discus back into the tank.

I will also relocate the pair of aggies, the 20L will be available soon.

This pair is laying the eggs on the filter tube, in case you havent seen it. I am reading that the fry will get sucked right into it. For some reason, I didnt think this filter was strong enough to suck them in. Well enough of that....I am replacing the filter with an Eheim and plan to just leave a spare tube I purchased in the same location. There will be no suction on this tube then.

What happens when the eggs hatch?
Do they just start swimming around or do they fall to the ground to develop more?
I am soo curious...if I were to just know what happens that will keep me settled for now.

I am replacing the filter because of another reason, other then the egg issue. I will see how things work out.

I will do those things and just prepare more, learn more about Discus and raising fry. I have a tank for breeding that was my QT. I can change water 30% daily. I will keep it around and possibly try something later when the pair is older. They are very nice looking Discus IMO. I will try to post more pics of the pair but its tough now. I will post an update here after the relocation is complete.

[Merrilyn]

Eggs hatch in around 60 hours from the time of laying, depending on the temperature. The little wrigglers have a sticky thread on their head, and they hang from the breeding cone for another two days or so before they become free swimming.

YOu sometimes see the parents taking the wrigglers into their mouth and then spitting them back onto the cone, or they may even move them to another place altogether.

When the fry begin to free swim, the parents will often catch them and spit them back into the bunch of wrigglers. Finally so many of them are free swimming, that the parents stop chasing them, and let them attach to their sides, where the tiny fry begin eating the mucus produced on the sides of the parents.

You will notice your parent fish become very dark at this time. Newly hatched fry are attracted to anything dark, which is why we use a bare breeding tank, with nothing in there other than the breeding cone, filter and heater. The less to distract the fry, the better.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Brilliant]

You are AWESOME!
That should hold off my interests for a while. I have some Endlers that are breeding like mad and I am happy with them. My Apistogramma are now all maturing and they are due soon. I should have my hands full with them. Its kind of like "only the strong survive" technique I will use with those fish....something that doesnt seem to work with Discus...LOL.

I will remove the agassizi pair, the ones that keep scarfing the eggs, then maybe see how far it goes.


My plan was to remove all of the Apistos out of the tank, but its STILL a heavily planted tank, I will get to a point and no longer make progress, unless the fry can survive in this planted tank. I am just thinking out loud here....just trying to plan out my moves.

I just bought a book, Jack Wattley Discus for the Perfectionist. It seems like it will fit me perfectly...LOL...being that I am such a purist. Man I hope Jack is a purist also. I dont normally buy and read books like this, especially dated books, I am going to have a chance to meet Jack next month!!!

Thanks so much for the attention, LadyRed. I will post updates and share often!

[Brilliant]

OK well the fish are spawning consistently. This time around I had to watch the female aggie eat all of the eggs. At one point I even chased the fish away, momma seemed pleased with my efforts to save her eggs. I am almost done setting up the new 75 and will have a new home for the aggies soon.

The parents, when alert, chase away the tiny little aggie but they sometimes seem to forget about the eggs when hunger strikes.

The pair seem to be sticking together much more and seem to frequent the front of the tank and right now as I am typing they are out front eating. Before the male was VERY scared. The female wears the pants in this tank...Ill tell yah that.

I dont see them coming around to the point where they opnce were...I do intend on putting the other Discus back in the tank but I am waiting for the aggie relocation to go on the same day to eliminate the stress put on the pair. They get bugged out easily.

[Brilliant]

OK well the fish are spawning consistently. This time around I had to watch the female aggie eat all of the eggs. At one point I even chased the fish away, momma seemed pleased with my efforts to save her eggs. I am almost done setting up the new 75 and will have a new home for the aggies soon.

The parents, when alert, chase away the tiny little aggie but they sometimes seem to forget about the eggs when hunger strikes.

The pair seem to be sticking together much more and seem to frequent the front of the tank and right now as I am typing they are out front eating. Before the male was VERY scared. The female wears the pants in this tank...Ill tell yah that.

I dont see them coming around to the point where they opnce were...I do intend on putting the other Discus back in the tank but I am waiting for the aggie relocation to go on the same day to eliminate the stress put on the pair. They get bugged out easily.

[Brilliant]

After learning a few things from Jack Wattley tonight I am going to try raising the eggs myself. I have about two days to prepare.

Wish me luck!!!

[Brilliant]

Well I came home from work and I have eggs. I was hoping to get some time to prepare for these but looks like Discus caviar is on the menu again for the aggie. Maybe next week. :roll: