Deadbeat Dad

[dnkn]

I have a pair of Blue Diamonds that paired off recently. I put them in their own 20G breeding tank and the female has laid eggs at least 4 times. But the male doesn't fertilize them. He helps clean the cone, and blows on the eggs sometimes. But when she's laying, he stares into the corner like he doesn't know he has a job to do. I'm fairly certain he's a male (pointed trailing fin, and darker pigment). I know it can take them time to figure out the process. Maybe he's just too inexperienced? They're both about 2 years old now but this is the first time either has spawned.

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[pastry]

I'm actually curious to hear suggestions. Aside from jokes relating it to my early high school years, I'm drawing a blank. So he makes no runs at all? Tube out? Even if it were two females, still would expect runs by both. Or even immature BD male, still would expect "dry" runs

Very beautiful pair by the way! Hopefully he'll get over his fear of parenthood

[dnkn]

So he makes no runs at all?

I've never seen him make any kind of a run. In between her egg laying runs, he comes in close and tends the eggs. Be when she takes a run, he moves away. It's pretty weird.

Tube out?

I think so, although it's certainly not out as much as hers. But I'd say it's out more than it used to be, or more than the rest of the team back in the community tank.

There's a lovely patch of eggs there now. But I don't think they'll be there in the morning ... unless he's sneak fertilizing from across the tank.

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[pastry]

Yeah, that does sound strange.

Al, Pat, Liz, or others... ever experienced this? Sorry to call out, but I'm curious as heck.

[pastry]

Yeah, that does sound strange.

Al, Pat, Liz, or others... ever experienced this? Sorry to call out, but I'm curious as heck.

[LizStreithorst]

Blue Diamonds mature later than many other strains and males mature even later than the females. I think he just needs more time. He has a beautiful color.

[CliffsDiscus]

Probably should screen the eggs or pull them out and see if they hatch. Its not unusual to have a male Discus to do only one run over the eggs, this normally happens at the end or near the end of the spawn. Only time will tell.

Cliff

[dnkn]

Probably should screen the eggs or pull them out and see if they hatch. Its not unusual to have a male Discus to do only one run over the eggs, this normally happens at the end or near the end of the spawn. Only time will tell.

Cliff

I wonder if that's what happened. I didn't watch the whole process from beginning to end. Today, the eggs are still there (see pic from a few minutes ago). If they weren't fertilized, wouldn't they be white by now?

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[LizStreithorst]

After 72 hrs you will see a tiny black spot in each fertile egg. It's the embryo's eye. The infertile eggs turn white gradually.

[pastry]

I've had unfertilized eggs (a whole spawn) look clear on the second day I woke up and confused the heck out of me because no black spots but only a couple white eggs. Then later that evening... pretty much all white