Is it love?

[pablos]

I saw that two of my discus are doing shimmy ... and are quite aggressive against others.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHo9231nVKc
Is it a love?

As you can see a shimmy is not so obvious (shy version), so I’m not sure about my observation.

[peewee1]

I don't see it but perhaps you could provide a little more video?

[pablos]

The previous one was indeed very shy. This an opposite, some extreme case. Normally it’s not so intense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GSRDlvE5g&feature=youtu.be

[two utes]

Thats different....looks like aggression to me. I see you've moved them in preparation for breeding. Good luck with it

[peewee1]

I've had aggressive types evolve into pairs. Work with that if you have a female and male.

[pablos]

I think a put a too much attention to this blue pair and also put they the separated tank. It's been two/three weeks and no eggs, maybe they are not true parents.

In meantime see what I found in the community tank
128593

how should I separate them to avoid eggs/fry to be eaten by different fish? Do you move eggs or wait till they are fee swimmers? Of basically scarify the first batch and move then and with them luck for a second batch?

Around 150 eggs. 10% is white

[peewee1]

I think if you move the eggs the parents will not be able to learn how to be parents because they did not have an opportunity to complete a complete spawning cycle. You might move the fry when they free swim and feed on their own.

[pablos]

Wouldn’t it be better to move freeswimmers together with parents?

[CliffsDiscus]

I usually would move the eggs and the parents, as long as the pair can see the eggs they will
stay on a parental mode.

Cliff

[pablos]

It would be good option. I think I can move the whole inlet filter pipe where all eggs are attached to the different (33 gallons) tank. Parents will go there as well.
I think is an easier solution, so I don't need to feed fry for few days, as they will eat parent's mucus.

[pablos]

Today morning I found all eggs are gone :( I read in the forum that it might happen to immature parents. Is it correct?
At least it will be easy to move them to a different tags without eggs. I hope next laying would happen anytime time soon.

I'm thinking to add protecting net for a breading tank. Do you think it's a good idea?

[peewee1]

Today morning I found all eggs are gone :( I read in the forum that it might happen to immature parents. Is it correct?
At least it will be easy to move them to a different tags without eggs. I hope next laying would happen anytime time soon.

I'm thinking to add protecting net for a breading tank. Do you think it's a good idea?

Your chance for success is greater if the pair is not living in a community tank. A 20 gallon or 30 gallon bare tank with cone or clay flower pot.

[pablos]

It is exactly where they have been moved today. Bare tank with sponge filters and flower pot from ikea :) white surroundings and nothing more than that.

I’m about to prepare a mesh to cover a pot in case they want to eat eggs.

I hope it would be better next time

[peewee1]

It is exactly where they have been moved today. Bare tank with sponge filters and flower pot from ikea :) white surroundings and nothing more than that.

I’m about to prepare a mesh to cover a pot in case they want to eat eggs.

I hope it would be better next time

The fish learn you learn everybody learns and in the end you got success.

[pablos]

Hopefully you're right. Is there anything more which I should think about / take an attention to be closer to success.
I was reading people are adding medicines to avoid eggs fungus, lower KH to help with hatching, etc. Or better to leave it to Mother nature

[peewee1]

Hopefully you're right. Is there anything more which I should think about / take an attention to be closer to success.
I was reading people are adding medicines to avoid eggs fungus, lower KH to help with hatching, etc. Or better to leave it to Mother nature

The single thing that you might pay attention to is the water hardness. If too hard the eggs will have not much chance of hatching. Test for hardness and lower it if necessary. Otherwise it is up to the works of mother nature. Somehow these fish living for centuries in the wilds of the great Amazon River managed on their own without the help of man.

[pablos]

out of my tap:

TDS 65 ppm
Total hardness 7 dH
Carbonate hardness 13dH
pH 7.2

I have Indian almond tree in the garden, so can add a leaf or two, so KH and PH would go down easily.

[pablos]

A week later I have new eggs in the breading tank :)

[pablos]

128680
they decided to go with a filter not a corn

[pablos]

Third approach. Hopefully eggs won't be eaten this time 128803

[pablos]

Everyting would be fine apart of the fact that I’m moving out in 2 days. Luckily new place is as close as 5 minutes drive.
What would be the best approach to move eggs ?

[pablos]

I’m not sure how, but male either swim above fence, use a straw or found any different technique and manage to eat all eggs again. It’s third time already.

Should I separate him next time (after he fertilise eggs)?

[CliffsDiscus]

Pull out the eggs next times after spawning.

Cliff

[pablos]

Thanks Cliff. Isn’t it challenging to feed freeswimmers without parent? I thought keeping female with fry would be fine, so they could suck her mucus, than switch to normal feeding schedule.

I mean there is a lot of information posted how to feed fry, but less about artificial growing.

[CliffsDiscus]

Thanks Cliff. Isn’t it challenging to feed freeswimmers without parent? I thought keeping female with fry would be fine, so they could suck her mucus, than switch to normal feeding schedule.

I mean there is a lot of information posted how to feed fry, but less about artificial growing.

I usually pull the eggs and place them in a clear one gallon pitcher. The pitcher can be place inside the tank, when the fry are free swimming just pour them back in with the parents.

Cliff

[pablos]

I see. Do you add some airstone, or it’s not needed

[CliffsDiscus]

I see. Do you add some airstone, or it’s not needed

I sometimes add an airline and place it on the backside of the spawning substrate and other times there are no air only if there is an high water current in the aquarium. The high water current will move the pitcher mimicking the parents fanning. I hope this is not too much confusing.

Cliff

[pablos]

I think I get it. Won't parent eat free swimmers if you let them out of a pitcher?

[CliffsDiscus]

I think I get it. Won't parent eat free swimmers if you let them out of a pitcher?

Yes, same as using the wire screen, there is no fool proof unless you artificially raise these Discus. You can also pour the fry in with another pair but
there is still no guarantees.


Cliff

[pablos]

Short update about my pairs. Right now regularly every 11 days both red melon and red pigeon, than blue diamond and blue turquoise are spawning.

Red pair tried 7 times at least, but each time male eat eggs of if I protect cone eggs go with fungus. One time I took some eggs out before male eat it and saw wrigglers next day.

Same story with blue once: eating or fungus, but just less number of cases.

I haven’t tried Cliff’s method with pulling out eggs yet.

Should I try to find a problem in water, or those pairs are not mature yet?

[pablos]

So again, both pairs laid eggs: one pair in community tank one in breeding tank.
I managed to improve a water parameters a little bit by adding two almond leaves (in 33gallon tank). Hopefully it will be better this time.

- temp 83F
- pH 7.2
- GH 5 dH
- KH 4 dH
- TDS 67 ppm
- Meth blue

[pablos]

In meantime in a community tank without changing a thing a have quite a few wigglers 129267

[pablos]

Wigglers become freeswimmers, but unfortunately it was deadly for them ... and tasty for different fish

I managed to save 50 and transfer to a container, so i will try to raise them artificially according to Cliff’s guide.

On photo below a pack is enjoying egg and spirulina
129311

[fljones3]

Neat! Hope you have success.

[pablos]

First batch is growing artificially and already start to eat beef :)

I have a second batch, this time with free swimmers are with parent

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=udFr-2g-Z-g