Breeding Tank

[HAYVERN]

I have a paid of beautiful discus that are spawning now. They had four successful spawns which resulted in wigglers each time. Unfortunately, these spawnings were in my 120 gallon community tank and other fish picked them off one by one the minute they became free swimming.

I took them out of the community tank and put them into a 29 gallon tank. Now, they continue to spawn about once per week, but the eggs are not getting fertilized. I assume the water conditions are good, Hardness shows around 17 - 20 PPM, PH is 6.4, Ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates usually between 0.00 and 0.25, I change the water daily so it depends on when I take a reading.

Could a larger tank make the difference, I worried that a 29 was a bit too small for breeding. Does anyone else have any suggestions of what I might be doing wrong, or perhaps what they are doing wrong?

[Trier20]

A 29 should be fine. I prefer a 20H myself. What are the eggs doing? Turning white or fungusing?

[HAYVERN]

They are turning white. Usually within 24 hours of being laid. I was worried I got the wrong fish in with the female, but I have seen them both working the eggs when laying them.

Usually within a couple of hours of them turning white, they eat the eggs.

[Trier20]

I might put them back in the community tank and see if them spawn there again. There must be something happening that is different.

[HAYVERN]

Thanks, that is what I was thinking about doing as well.

[Trier20]

No problem

[Eddie]

Is there a lot of current in the 29? What kind of filtration are you using?

[HAYVERN]

Is there a lot of current in the 29? What kind of filtration are you using?

Sorry, I was away for a while.

THere is little to no current in the tank. I am using two large, (do not remember the name) foam filters for filtration.

[Eddie]

Sorry, I was away for a while.

THere is little to no current in the tank. I am using two large, (do not remember the name) foam filters for filtration.


Strange, any changes to the diet? What do they eat?

[HAYVERN]

They eat the same thing, the community tanks eat, I typically feed a variety from Beefheart, Bloodworms, brine shrimp and some flake foods.

I have moved them back to the community tank for now and will see how they do there and see if they do it again successfully there. I have an 80 gallon that I have some Africans in and they are going back to the LFS tomorrow. I will clean that tank, cycle it and get it ready for them is they try again and see if that works.