Awesome
Some of my crew in the 100 gallon Discus tank started acting in the family mood. One female choosing from among 3 determined suitors. These fish play at wanting to breed all the time, but suddenly things got serious. A pair spawned and I did nothing. The pair guarded those eggs until well after they turned white from my hardish water.
It happened again last week and this time I couldn't deny my heart. I get so much quiet joy in seeing tiny babies attach to their parents. Some of the wigglers are trying to break free now, but they're not quite ready.
I expect the great insurrection to take place tomorrow morning. The parents will try to stick the tiny ones back on the cone where they think that they can take care of them properly. But the tiny ones need their parents in a different way. The insurrection is most successful when their are so many kids breaking loose that the parents don't have a chance. I only have 50 to 75 and the albinos among them don't stand a chance. But if the kids are healthy and vigorous as they should be I will see them attach.
Mama Bear
Awesome
Shweet Liz
Get it mama bear!
Amateur discuskeeper, Professional doofus
Hope it all works out Liz, I get that same quiet joy out of watching fry with their parents. I am working with the third batch from the F1 Cuipeua pair. The first two ended in dismal failure. With the first batch I made some changes and am hopeful they make it pass the five week mark. Four weeks old today and all is well.
Pat
Your discus are talking to you....are you listening
Good luck with them Pat. As for mine, it's not looking good so far. Kids scattered all over the tank. But we'll see. They only mutinied a couple of hours ago.
Mama Bear
Your discus are talking to you....are you listening
I lowered the water level last night when I did WC. Right now I have their tank light and the overhead lights turned off. If that doesn't help I'll start sucking them up as you suggest.
Mama Bear
The parents aren't even dark for them. It won't be a great disappointment if it doesn't work out. They have some younger siblings that aren't far from breeding age. I might get lucky with a pair of those when they get a bit older.
Mama Bear
What discus strains are you breeding these days ?
Grasshopper
Francis
The same old ones that I've been breeding for years. They go back to a domestic RSG male and a spotted blue scorpion female.
Mama Bear
Liz, good luck with this batch hopefully the babies will attach. Try forcing the parents to shimmy by taping on the tank wall this will signal the fry back to the parents, also cut off the air for a few minutes.
Cliff
I'll try the tapping, Cliff. I took the sponge out and replaced it with an air stone bubbling slowly. I'll take it out for a bit. Dad does seem to have attracted a few kids.
Mama Bear