Success with Methylene blue

[Rod Coleman]

Hi Folks,
I feel like I might have taken another small step forward.

After my first two batches of babies the pairs ate batch after batch of eggs. I tried screening and got only a few wigglers that were eaten. Finally I tried adding methylene blue and got a hatch of about 90 wigglers. Also have another pair with eggs due to hatch soon. I've used methylene blue on them too, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

The pairs had been good parents with their first babies so the egg eating seemed a bit strange. Seems to me that the fish are experts at telling how big the hatch-out will be and can't be bothered with low percentage outcomes.


Regards,

Rod Coleman

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Good deal Rod
I personally have not had good luck with the blue, I don't think my pairs like the dye.
But have had tremendous results with Maroxy, it is clear and strictly a funguscide, will not effect the bio filter or the parents ablility to make a good slime coat.
I don't know if you have it availible there but if you do it would be worth trying.
Dennis

I Agree,
You could also use Formaldahyde 37% at 1 drop per gal on the first day without any problems. The hyde will disapate within 24hrs so no need to worry about slime coat or fry.
HTH
Cary Gld!

[Rod Coleman]

Thanks for the advice fellas.

I haven't heard of Maroxy, Dennis, but I'll look around.

I had been wary of meth blue because I didn't know if it would affect the filter but so far so good. Reluctant to use formalin because of possible carcinogenic effects - although I guess if there were problems you would know, Cary. Thanks again.

I have other pairs spawning in the community tank too so I've experimentally taken the eggs off the glass and floated them in plastic strainers with the pair guarding eggs. If they hatch the babies will only be a few days apart and I will try to pool them with the blue turq babies.

Regards

Rod

[April]

maroxy worked great for me also. i had all white eggs always after 40 hours. since ive used maroxy i have had all good eggs with the exception of the ones not fertilized.

[hunterbeav]

Maroxy is the bomb last spawn was 400 eggs and only 5 white ones :)

[Rod Coleman]

OK- not so enthusiastic about meth blue any more. I seem to have only about a dozen babies left out of the batch. At first the female tended well and put them on the sponge, then back on the spawning site but then they seemed to disappear and spread out, only a couple so far looking to side-feed. Found a dead-un when siphoning. Maybe the blue was too strong for the babies.

The second pair looked good for a while then nothing left at expected hatch-out. Eggs floating in strainers have gone white. Oh well... back to the drawing board.

I've just bought timber to build another rack for bigger breeding tanks so I'll have more room to experiment and the fish themselves should feel more comfortable.

Regards,

Rod

[SSTurner]

Hi, I use the methylene blue but I take the eggs out of the tank and put in a 1gal. tank with the water from your tank the pair was in. ( heater at the same temp with a good air stone) Then return the eggs about 40hrs. back to the pair with a mesh over eggs til you get your wigglers.
I sure will look for the Maroxy and try that .Steve

[shamsoo]

good idea steve

[Rod Coleman]

Hi Folks,

Here's an update.

After the babies were lost the first pair spawned again in a few days. This time I tried adding formalin at 1 drop per gallon and this morning about 150 wigglers hatched out. During the day I'm sure some have disappeared but there are at least 100 left this evening. I'll be away for a couple of days so I guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed.

Regards

Rod

[ping]

Hi,

Does the formalin safe for the babies ?

Regards,
Ronny

[Rod Coleman]

No prizes for guessing what happened!

Got home Friday and found a couple of dozen wigglers left, just starting to go free swimming. Next morning the parents were showing no interest and by the afternoon no more babies were to be seen and the parents laid yet another batch of eggs.

As far as I could tell the formalin didn't harm the babies.

Think I'll give the blue turq pairs a rest for a while.

Regards

Rod

[SSTurner]

Your Pair likes to spawn if they have wigglers or not. ( they a young pair) Give them time. The way I stop the pair from spawning when they have fry is to take one out.
Good luck Steve