New and fry question

[Fireflykirsten]

I have a 150 g. planted tank, 5 juvenile discus, 3 nearing adulthood and a pair of adults. The community tank also has 15 rummy nose, 20 diamond tetras, 2 long finned bristle nose plecos, and a pair of angelfish. I moved the discus pair into a 20 gallon hex as they were spawning in the community tank and of course, would get so stressed with all the other movement in the tank they would either eat the eggs or the wrigglers.

The pair have spawned in the breeding tank and their eggs hatched 4 days ago. The parents moved them to the sponge filter from the breeding cone (I'm assuming?) shortly after they hatched. I was thinking that by today they should be free swimming, but they're still wagging their tails head first in the sponge filter and making no attempt to free themselves. I've turned the filter off thinking perhaps they were actually stuck there due to the suction (seems like very weak suction though its not a big sponge filter). I've left it off for an hour or so and the fry just stay there, no one seems to be ready to try to find their parents to feed...Does this seem strange? Fry are all dark in color now, no visible egg sacks left. Parents are very attentive. I was planning on waiting until they were free swimming and grazing on their parents before starting a batch of bbs but I wonder now if something is wrong? Has anyone had this happen before and do you have any suggestions?

Thank you- hoping a few fry will make it!

[ref0716]

Kirsten - Watch and be patient. Depending on temperature, fry can take 4-6 days to free swim after hatching. HTH Richard

[Willie]

At 82F, spawns hatch in 48 hours. You're in the wriggler stage, which lasts 60 hours at 82F. Then they'll go swimming. You're going to have a lot of fun soon!

I'd recommend you turn off the sponge filter when the fry go free swimming, to maximize the chance that they will attach to the parents. Certain strains have better attachment than others. You can turn the sponge filter back on in 24 hours.

Willie

[RogueDiscus]

Just to add to Willie's post, many folks also lower the water level to just above the top of the parent's dorsal fins, to create closer quarters to encourage attaching. Also decreases the volume of water to eventually change.

[danotaylor]

What discus strain are the pair?

[Fireflykirsten]

The female is a blue diamond and I'm not sure what the male is- some variety of turquoise? I will see if I can upload photos of them, maybe someone can help me out on him. I'm so curious what the babies will look like!

[Fireflykirsten]

Thanks, I did all you suggested!

[Fireflykirsten]

Thank you for all your advice! This morning the little guys were swarming around their parents grazing away! I can't get a good count on them, there aren't that many, maybe 45? But I'm happy as pie that they have made it this far :)

Today I did a 50% water change, the parents are eating well though they seem a little stressed now with their swarming brood. How long do you recommend the parents stay with them and when do I need to do twice daily water changes? Im trying not to get too excited! They are all in a 20 gallon hex tank right now. When I take the parents out will that tank be large enough to raise them up for a while or do I need to start looking for a larger grow out tank?

Thanks!

[Fireflykirsten]

Thanks Richard, I replied to other replies - they are swarming the parents now, everything seems good, what should I do from here on out?

[Willie]

Congratulations, Kirsten. Getting your discus to spawn is pretty much the epitome of the hobby.

As for care, you don't need to do anything immediately. Even though the parents may appear stressed, they're well adapted to raising the fry. If you haven't hatched baby brine shrimp before, it's time to get started. I've fed bbs as early as Day 4 free swimming, although most people wait until Day 8 or so. Get your set up ready and harvest < 24 hours after you start the batch. The container should look very clear, which means that the shrimp is mostly yolk sac. Most people wait until they get a thick broth in the hatchery, by which time the bbs is mostly shell.

Once they are feeding off the parents AND eating BBS, it's time to think about weaning them off. The BBS stage should take only 1 - 2 weeks. My preference is minced beefheart. The sooner you can get them to beefheart, the quicker they'll grow. Fry really cannot subsist on BBS.

I've pulled spawns off their parents as soon as Day 20 free swimming, but they do better if you can stretch it to Day 30. By then, the fry are taking chunks off the parents and will sometimes cause a flesh wound. Even so, millenia of evolution means that any damage to the parents will very quickly heal.

Large daily water changes is the most important factor for success. Keep up the 50% for now and go to 90% - 100% once you pull the parents.

Here's the best part. The parents may spawn within 2 weeks of you pulling the fry. So get some extra tanks ready!

Have fun, Willie

[Fireflykirsten]

Wonderful advice Willie!

I was wondering what size tank I should grow them out in until they're ready to join the 150 gallon? It's been fun watching them I'm still afraid to believe they're going to make it but we'll give it a shot!

Thanks again,
Kirsten

[Willie]

My experience with spawns is that they either all (> 95%) make it, or very few make it. But if the worst happens, you'll get to try again in a month!

Young discus are typically kept a little crowded in hatcheries but with massive water changes. I use 55 gal tanks because they're cheap to pick up on Craig's List. Ideally, I prefer a taller, deeper tank because they're easier to keep clean. Sponges, a good heater, daily water changes and beefheart are what works for me.

Willie