My first spawn

[dm]

I have been noticing for the past week a couple of my Discus have been getting friendly in my planted community tank. I probably wouldn't have realized what was going on except for reading what the experienced people have written here. It was almost as if I have seen it before because it has been described in detail so many times. It is a very exciting thing to see. First they would bow to each other and do a little lip lock. They paired and the third one was left on his own ( he isn't happy about it either) and were twitching like crazy. At this point I started to pay more attention because I knew it was at least trying to happen. This happened for a few days with a little bit of cleaning on the front of the vertical piece of driftwood on and off. Yesterday after work I noticed they were seriously cleaning the back of the driftwood and I told my girlfriend that I thought they were about to lay eggs. I don't think she really believed me but I came back about an hour later and sure enough. There were a ton of eggs already on there and we watched her finish laying them. What a sight that is. Then the other one went over them with (his?) tube and it looked like he was laying too but maybe just getting really close to the eggs that are there and fertilizing them. It is hard to see because they are towards the back and side of the wood. I am not sure what it looks like when a male makes runs over them but he was getting very close to the eggs with his tube at about the same speed as the female when she layed them. Hopefully someone experienced can enlighten me on this. I am not sure if I have two females or one of each. They are guarding them fiercely and blowing on them to keep them clean. I really didn't expect them to last the night because this is their first spawn and they are in a community tank but I left a dim light on in the room anyhow and this morning they were still guarding them and keeping them clean. ;D
I don't expect them to get it right the first time and they probably wouldn't survive anyhow because the TDS is around 300 or so. I have another tank I can put them in when they are ready but for now I guess I will see how good they can do and learn as much as I can about getting them to free swimming. My biggest concern right now is making sure I really have a pair. Does anyone have any thoughts on this that might help me to determine it? If I can get the pair confirmed and get wrigglers I will put them in the 29 and see what they can do. This is exciting!!!!

[skavish]

hi,
all i can say is, if the eggs all turnwhite within a couple of hours then indeed u have a pair of females. good luck with ur pair. ;D

[Carol_Roberts]

Congratulations on your spawn! It sure is exciting isn't it? If you couldn't see eggs coming out of the second fish it may well be a male. Males do take longer to mature, so he may not be fertile yet.

If your tds is 300 ppm the eggs will turn white (dead - not fungus) after 24 - 36 hours even if you have a male and female. Let them practice for another month then move them to the 29. You will need to use RO to lower tds to 50 - 100 ppm. I t may take several weeks after the move before they stat laying again.

[dm]

Carol, when I go to the 29 should I put them in the same water then gradually drop the TDS or should I have it already lowered and acclamate them when I put them in? I am afraid of dropping the TDS and pH too fast and hurting them. I killed a whole tank of fish that way once and I certainly don't want to do it to the Discus.

[Carol_Roberts]

I would fill the tank with your regular, aged, change water that your discus are used to. It will be less stressful for the discus if the water is the same. Then lower TDS over several days by using your RO mix (or even pure RO depending on your pH) for water changes.

[dm]

Thanks Carol. I think I might try it after they are done trying to save these eggs. They are white and obviously not going to make it. They sure seem to be good at trying though for being their first time. Maybe they deserve a real chance eh?