My First Discus Breeding Experience ??

[Lichan]

Hi Guys,

I have some eggs hatching as I type, which is a first for this pair since I have had them. Due to some over zealous cleaning of the white eggs by the male - I caged the eggs this morning.

Just wondering though - when do I remove the cage ??

I can tell the parents can see the fry and they both look eager to get to them...(not sure if they want to help them or they want them for dinner) :)

Anyway... any help, advice or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Peter

[goldenpigeon]

dude, take the cage out after the fry have swum clear of the cone.

cheers

[Lichan]

Well - I guess the cage wasn't as secure as I thought it was. The parents moved it themselves. This morning I woke to find the parents had moved the cage and re-positioned all the fry to the back of the cone. Though as of about 5 mins ago the parents have moved the fry back to the front of the cone.
The fry are starting to move around a bit so I think Mum wanted them in the dim light so she could keep a better eye on them. Smart Fish :)
There are about 35 babies and the parents are doing a great job - so far so good, I guess. However I get the feeling Dad is fighting off urges to help himself to a feast of fry - just the look he has until Mum catches him.
Dad is a large Spotted Snakeskin and Mum is an even larger Penang Eruption.

[Lichan]

Pic of Mum and Dad and some of the babies. Still not free swimming but very active.
Hopefully should have left the cone either today or tomorrow.

[Ben]

I leave the cage in for quite some time!

even a week or more is ok.

dont rush things mate!

Ben

[Lichan]

Thanks Ben. This time I felt I didn't really have much choice - the parents pretty much disposed of the cage themselves. Came out in the morning and found the cage had been pushed around into a dangerous position for the fry - had the parents kept pushing it could have scraped right across the lof of newly hatched fry.. Learned an important lesson thats for sure - next time will definately secure the cage much better.

[goldenpigeon]

nice parents! put me in line for fry remember ;)

[Zbiljc]

Yes, really nice parents!

I have a pair of RT, who ete fry and wrigglers 7 times!? If fry swam they ate them. Next 2 spawning fry swam, then I exchnge female with other male. And now I'm waiting for next fry

[Lichan]

Yesterday the wrigglers became free swimming and have attached to the parents. Both Mum and Dad have done a great job to date.

Very small spawn, 36 hatched and of that I am not sure how many remain, now that they are free swimming its very difficult to keep count. More than likely only around 20 - 25 but I am thrilled with that. I would have been thrilled if I only got one. :D

I guess ill just be patient and hope they make it through the next few days.

[Ben]

Well done Peter!

So far so good mate!

keep us posted how they go!

cheers
Ben

[Lichan]

Ben - thanks mate. Couldn't have done it without ya :wink:

[Ben]

Remember Pete,

KISS!!!!

[Lichan]

hehe Yeah - I wont forget the KISS!! :oops: :wink:

[Ben]

umm........

just so the others know!

KISS stands for "Keep It Simple Stupid!"

i dont want anyone to get the wrong idea!!

hehehe

[goldenpigeon]

no Ben i think i already have the wrong idea :shock:

well done peter! when am i gonna see these guys?

cheers bud
David

[Lichan]

Well today would have been 10 days free swimming - there were 9 littlies left that were growing nicely.

This morning I woke to find that the parents had spawned again and eaten all of the babies except ONE who was clinging to dear life behind the UV filter. :cry:

I have moved him to his own little tank but don't expect him to survive.

I notived the parents doing the dance last night and had a gut feeling that
I should have removed the babies but didnt want to interfere to much, so left them.

Why would they have eaten them??? Anyone ? I didnt think they would have eaten them at close to 14 days old. :x

[Lichan]

The one remaining 13 day old baby that I removed when the parents ate the rest of the batch after they spawned again, is doing very well in his own little tank.

Growing nicely and eating BBS, crushed tetra bits and breeders premium -eating freefloating food and food that has settled on the bottom of the tank.

He seems to be doing well. Hopefully he will continue this way.

[Lichan]

The new batch of eggs hatched yesterday morning and fry are not currently free swimming - should be tomorrow sometime. Got a fair few this time round. See how things go this time.

They seem to be great parents.... until they spawn while they already have babies - then they eat them.

[goldenpigeon]

great! glad they are back at it but a disspionting loss of those fry :( better luck this time!

[samir]

i think its because they are too few babies.they should get it right soon. in the wild 20 odd would probably not produce a single survivor hence they eat them and spawn again. you could try removing the cone and not give them any surface to spawn on. also having absolutely no current and softer water will give you a better fertility rate. dont change any water around the time they are likely to eat their fry and put a do not disturb sign on the tank. once they get to say 50 plus fry i dont think the'll eat them anymore. you can remove the parents at 7 days or at the first signs of spawning, if its still a problem.

[Lichan]

Hi Samir,

Thanks, I agree with you and I kind of guessed that because it was a very small spawn that they may decide its not worth worrying about and "try again".

When they have a small group of wrigglers they dont spawn on the cone they actually spawn on the glass, so taking the cone out wouldnt make much difference... every other time they spawn on the cone though.

I think if I get to that stage again.. I will more than likely remove any fry as soon as possible.

Thanks again.

Pete