What's up with this new pair???????

[jimmyjoe]

Well, this is the storyline here, I just purchased a Blue Snakeskin from a sponsor here on Simply. All went well, when I received my discus I was pleasantly surprised that I received a free second discus Merry Christmas I thought. Well it was well received and low and behold they ended up being a pair, I really didn't care though one a snakeskin the other a tiger pigeon. So they are in QT together and are spawning about every week, they get them to wigglers taking good care of them until they are just about to go free swimming and then one or both eat them. I thought hey they're young let them go again same result's. I'm doing nothing to the water and they still get them to hatch, put a cone in with them thinking maybe she will pick the cone instead of the tank glass, no loves the glass. I guess I will have to figure out a screen for the glass wall, see if I can give them a chance to go free swimming maybe they'll be able to go to back. Any suggestions ????????????????????????????????????????? Jim in Ohio

[Iminit]

Very nice! This does happen a lot. 2 fish in quarantine start laying eggs. Get to wigglers than eat them. I’ve got a pair I bought in June been doing this regular. Just once did they make it to swimmers. Of that hatch 14 lived. They stayed with the parents for about 6-8 weeks then I had to remove them. Since they’ve eaten the eggs every time.
The standard cage wire used to cover the cone can be used to block them from getting to the eggs on glass. Cage wire can be bought at Home Depot.

[CliffsDiscus]

Jim, you can place a slate along the glass where they were laying.

Cliff

[jimmyjoe]

Jim, you can place a slate along the glass where they were laying.

Cliff

This seems great but what to do about keeping the eggs and wigglers away from who's eating them when they're ready to swim to back. What is it about the parent that watches over them until they swim then it's like LUNCH. If they watch them on the glass until they realize they are almost ready to go free swimming then eat them what can I do????????????????????

[Darren's Discus]

It all comes down to the conditions, If the parents think the enviroment is suitable for them to raise fry, Good luck.

[Willie]

This seems great but what to do about keeping the eggs and wigglers away from who's eating them when they're ready to swim to back. What is it about the parent that watches over them until they swim then it's like LUNCH. If they watch them on the glass until they realize they are almost ready to go free swimming then eat them what can I do????????????????????

No. By the time the fry goes free swimming, they would have bonded with the parents. I've always used screens for egg eaters. Very commonly, the same parents will chew free swimming fry and spit them back through the screen to let them further develop. Always have a screen ready BEFORE they spawn.

[CliffsDiscus]

This seems great but what to do about keeping the eggs and wigglers away from who's eating them when they're ready to swim to back. What is it about the parent that watches over them until they swim then it's like LUNCH. If they watch them on the glass until they realize they are almost ready to go free swimming then eat them what can I do????????????????????

There is always the risk factor that the pair will eat the fry even the best pair. You can pull out the cone or slate after spawning and hand feed the free swimming fry. Some breeders use foster pairs go raise their fry, but sometimes they will eat the babies too. Last would be hormone treatment this produces slime.

[jimmyjoe]

I can't get them onto a cone, it seems they prefer the glass. I guess i have to make a screen for the glass.

[Brian]

Hesitant to post as I have not had discus recently but I had a breeding pair in early 2000. After a few batches were eaten I left the light on one night and I still had babies the next morning. I hope this helps in some way .
Brian

[brewmaster15]

Jim if the problems here persist... 2 tips.

1) cover the front of the tank so the pair feels secure
2) look for aggression between the pair.. remove one of them if theres any.. I remove the female.

Al