External Filter in Breeding tank

Hi Guys,

After a bit of advice.

I have a pair of discus that have been breeding every week in my display aquarium, anyway I decided they needed a tank of their own. The only issue is their new aquarium I put them in had a mature power filter.

They have been in their new home for three weeks and have now laid eggs twice, the second batch have just hatched and the parents are looking after them well. My problem is this tank has an external filter that hangs above the tank. I've turned this off for now as I'm pretty sure the babies will get sucked up

I sort of knew this would happen so purchased a couple of sponge filters off the internet.
The problem being they have only been in the aquarium about 3 days, so probably no where near mature, am I endangering the parents by not having the external filter on. I have an RO unit and happy to do plenty of water changes!

Any advice welcome :)

You can stick a sponge up the intake on the external filter.

Cliff

I have a screen covering on my intake.

If you change 50% - 70% of the water daily, R/O or tap, then there's no need for the filter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Willie

If you change 50% - 70% of the water daily, R/O or tap, then there's no need for the filter.

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I had not thought about that, Willie. So if when the eggs hatch the filter can be shut off as long as there is is a 50 percent or more daily water change? If so that makes sense.

I learned that water changes can be done almost immediately with spawns that have difficulty attaching. Some PB types with very light coloration have difficulty with attachment and any vibration in the water from the filter will confuse the fry. So I keep the filter off (actually remove it) and do water changes when as they go free swimming.

The only concern is to have the temperature match. I often cheat by using water from an adjacent tank. Spawns produce an incredible amount of urea -> ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate. Usually I only need to do water changes for 2 - 3 days until the fry develop enough to see their parents clearly.

Thanks all sorry for the late reply, I've used a bit of net curtain and an elastic band which has seemed to do the trick. Unfortunately woke up a day after posting and all the wrigglers were gone :( Done a 20% odd water change yesterday and another 10% today. Looks like they are ready to lay eggs again tonight. I don't think me messing about with the filter etc helped, probably stressed them out