How to get them going again?

[jeep]

I had a pair that spawned at least 35+ times before they had wigglers. Then it happened. A small batch of wigglers that died hours after becoming free swimmers (flukes?). The next time the spawn was larger and it got eaten. The third time the spawn was even larger and still got eaten. It's the female.

Anyway, after the 3rd successful spawn (after 35+ consecutive weeks) they quit spawning. The female acts like she wants to, but the male is not interested. There is another tank just inches away from them, but the other discus never distracted them from spawning before.

I have raised the TDS back to tap water (about 350TDS).

Should I lower the TDS?

Should I put a partition between the tanks so they can't see each other?

Should I swap females (another that may not eat the swimmers?)

Any other ideas???

Thanks,

Brian

[Carol_Roberts]

Yes, yes, yes, lol, try them all. Try lowering the tds and temp first. If you swap females move the male into the new females tank. Good luck - let us know what works.

[OEG]

Brian,
Definately lower the tds and ph if its above 6.8, I would not partitian the tanks at this point--infact i would get a different female and put her in with them to stir things up and get them acted up again.

Now once you have them breeding again take her out as soon as you can, if and only if he is good enough to tend to the eggs on his own. You only need one fish to tend to the eggs and to the babies.

Good luck with them
Oscar

[limige]

usually fish eat the eggs if they feel the babies aren't safe.
try putting a divider between the tanks, make sure your water is clean, maybe treat the parents for flukes.

to get them spawning try a 60-70% straight RO change (cool water) then keep the tds under 100 for the next few weeks. feed lots of CBW and make sure there's not a strong light over the tank, room lighting seems great.

if all else fails and you have another female spawing try the other female with this male. then swap him back and see if she lays again.

that's all my ideas,
good luck!

[jeep]

I haven't use my RO system in well over a month and I'm sure it's fouled with bacteria. I just ordered all new componants from Randal so I should be ready to try these experiments by next week.

I personally think he's just lost interest in the female because she ate all the free-swimmers, but I'll give this a try. I do have another female to try this with but I've hesitated trading them in the past because they were on a consistant 6 day spawning cycle.

Thanks for all the great advise!

If it works then: FREE BABY BLUE PANDAS FOR ALL ;)

Brian

[limige]

swwweeeeetttttt!
good luck, keep us posted!
btw, i bought a female last year (sept), the owner said she's spawned a bunch of times for him, so i figured she's older and spawned out. well, i seperated a pair of mine and the male paired with her and she laid eggs. did this several more times before i reunited the previous pair and tired to pair this female (cobalt) with my male BD i also picked up.

well she quite spawning, that was last year. well recently i've got her paired with that BD finally and she laid eggs early this week!!!! they ate them yesterday but i have 6 adults in that 55 gallon tank. i'm gonna move my pairs around and leave 3 fish in that tank.

so good luck and have some patience.

[ping]

Hi Brian,

I had same problem with you before.

I was away for holiday and my friend helped me to look after my pair. He never kept discus before.
I did not have any succesful spawn while i was away. and the worst one is that they refuse to breed when i came back from holiday.

They bred few times but never got it right as the male was not interested at all. They were at the same situation as yours .. mine bred succesfully for 4 times.

I seperated the female and male. I put the female with her first batch babies and the male with other discus. When i put them back together, they spawned succesful again. It waited for 2 months for them to get it right. I dont have many babies, only 33. But it's enough to entertainment me :)
I moved the babies out and moved the female back yesterday , I seperated my pair as the female attacked the male.
hope that they will breed again.

I always use cool water to get them spawn and it works for my pair. I dont have RO as i cant afford it yet ...
Too much for a student .... :(

Well, i dont know exactly what i did to get them spawn again ....
hope my description will help you.

Good luck

Ronny