Moving my pair - I've done it.

[Del]

Ok - Well I'm scared to move them to this new 2ft tank, even though they have laid and fertilised their eggs every 2 weeks or so, and have done for about 5 months now.

I know I am probably a bad mother - but I just don't want to risk them - so what do I do?

Really, should I move them to their new home now?

I have tested the water in the new tank and been told that it is OK to go ahead - but these are my two babies and my first (and very precious) pair...

Any pointers or advice please... please … (you guys make this look so easy) :? ?

DEL

[scott bowler]

hey del if the PH and every thing is the same then get your net out and scoup them up and put them in it will be ok take the plunge . they look great and youll get more babes so go for it . you will be fine
v scotty

[mistakes r crucial]

Hi Del,

As long as that sponge is seeded I agree with Scott, get that net in there. If you're worried about freaking them out don't be, we move fish all the time and alot of them these days just roll over and let it happen. They seem to get used to it.

I find a white net is far better than a green one, they don't seem so spooked by it if they are new to the net.
MAC

[Merrilyn]

That Cascade 400 filter may be a problem with fry. It will create a lot of current in the water, and being black, the fry will be attracted to it, rather than the parents.

So long as your sponge filter has been properly matured, and you're sure that the pH and water temperatures match in both tanks, then go for it :P

[StonX]

Sorry to hijack this thread...
What if using the water from the old tank into the breeding tank? will it be ok?

[benjohnson]

Hi StonX

That would be ok.... it will help mature the filter quicker due to it already having the bacteria in it from your old tank, although I would still let your tank run for a day or two just to make sure the filter gets up to speed to keep it that way

The best way would be to nick a bit of the sponge thats in your existing filter and put it in with your new filter media , that way it will harvest the bacteria colony and you are ready to go .

HTH

Ben

[StonX]

Thanks Ben

[Del]

Thanks everyone for your advice. :D

I replaced the Cascade 400 filter with a sponge filter and have moved the pair. It has been 10 days and they have settled in well. Eating morning and night.

Previously they were laying every 2 weeks in my community tank. When can I expect them to start laying in their new tank?

They are getting a 15% WC every day.

Is there anything else I should be doing?

DEL.

[ozarowana]

Covering three sides of the tank will also help calm them and will keep the male from getting distracted (other fish, thinking it's feeding time etc) when it's spawning time.

[Del]

Thanks ozarowana, the back is painted so I will now cover the sides.

DEL

[Del]

Yup - it worked - she's laying and the male is standing guard! :D

DEL

[ozarowana]

Geez that was quick :wave1 good luck with them

[Del]

Guess all they needed was a little privacy...! Here is a photo of them in action.

DEL :D

[scott bowler]

oww thats so good well done del good luck with it all keep us posted

[samir]

if you feed them heavily for a couple of weeks before putting them in a breeding tank you will get more eggs. good luck with the spawn.

[Del]

Well they ate that batch of eggs but laid again on Saturday night. Woke up this morning to find some of the eggs moving...! They look like little tadpoles stuck to the cone, trying to escape :lol:

As you can imagine I am chuffed! I have had discus for 2 years now and this is the closest I have come to babies...

I am doing 10% daily WC, the temp is 28-29 degrees but the ph is sitting at PH-5. Not sure what happened there... Have just done a 20% WC with aged water of PH-6.

Is there anything else I can do or will the PH still be OK for them?

DEL

[scott bowler]

well done del keep up the good work you seem to be doing every thing right at the moment . good luck with it all

[Del]

Thanks Scott - you're sweet. :)

And I just saw the most amazing thing. One of the wrigglers fell off the cone... all the way to the bottom of the tank floor... my male ate him... then spat him back into where the other 20 (approx) are hanging on!

Sorry to sound so gay - it just amazed me - that's all!

To describe the cone... some eggs are white, there is also white furry stuff and amongst it all, there are these handfull of wrigglers just hanging on...! :shock:

Is this right?

DEL

[samir]

that's fungus. a lot of good eggs go bad. after your discus spawn you should remove the filter and add methylene blue to the tank. remove MB by doing a couple of water changes before the fry hatch. don't feed till all fry attach. then put back the filter.
hth

[Del]

OK - thanks Samir - I don't have any Meth Blue on hand - I have the sponge filter on now - and have just fed the parents some bloodworm which they are not interested in.

Should I do a WC and remove the sponge filter?

DEL

[scott bowler]

del its not gay it good and it is amazing thing to watch. they are so cute and when they start growing so see how it feels then good on you all good

[Del]

They still have not eaten the bloodworm I fed them 2hrs ago, so have siphoned it all out and done another 10% WC.

Sponge filter still on - but turned it to low.

Hope this will help!?

DEL

[Del]

Well its been 4 days and there are about 20 little wrigglers still holding on to the cotton wool cone - now they have eyes! :D

The pair are eating twice a day.

They are fanning the wrigglers, scooping them up if they tumble down off the cone and seem relatively happy.

Not sure how to get rid of the fungus - will they be all right?

Should I be doing WC and if so how many? The sponge filter is still on low.

Temp is 28.

DEL

[samir]

better to let things be. the next time up the feeding and water changes, when they look like they are ready to spawn, put them in a sterile tank with just a heater and airstone. 3 hours after they spawn add methylene blue, 5ml in that size tank works for me. cage the eggs. when the eggs turn black do a big water change to remove the methylene blue. ph of water for the wc should be the same as your tank. you can remove the cage after they hatch, don't feed at all till everyone attaches and then put a mature filter in.

[Del]

Thanks so much Samir - all noted! Only problem might be that the 2ft tank is the breeding tank and my 3ft community tank now has 4 discus new and some other fish in it.

When I bought the 2ft tank, it was used. I cleaned it with boiling water before cycling for 6 weeks. I used a seasoned sponge filter (from my community tank) and added a heater as well before adding my pair (once all the water specs checked out).

I did not wash/sterilize the breeding cone. It was also in my community tank and just moved across to the 2ft with my pair.

Will I have to remove my pair from the 2ft to sterilize it the next time they breed?

DEL

[samir]

you will need at least a couple of more tanks :lol: :lol: :lol: . if you end up with 200 fry where are you going to put them ?
if you use a sterile tank and dont feed after the spawn you probably wont get any fungus even without the MB.
the infertile eggs get fungus and if the eggs are laid too close together it spoils most of the good eggs. thats how the egg eating starts. the fish tries to remove the eggs with fungus and ends up removing a lot of good eggs too.

if you can manage the following you'll end up using discus fry as feeders
1) clean parents (no parasites, bacterial infections,worms, spironucleus)
2) feed the parents heavily for a couple of weeks, same way you would grow out fry.
3) sterile tank, no feeding, no filter, only a small airstone with MB
4) add mature sponge filter a day after fry attach. filter must be from a parasite free tank.

I think Andrew Soh's book has a section on cleaning pairs before breeding . I'll check if its there and ask him if i can post some info from it.