parents and their babies

[RyanH]

I read somewhere (probably on Simply) that if a batch of wigglers is smaller than 10 or so the parents will often eat them. I assume because they don't think that the energy they are expending is worth it for only a few fry.

My Brilliant Blue/ Red Turq pair have spawned again and once again there are a few wigglers. But only about 6-8 at the most. I think there would have been more but I was an idiot and didn't add Methyline Blue until after I noticed fungus. They ate several of the eggs that looked fertile but had fungus on them.

I still consider this a time of learning for both my fish and myself and I know the hatch rates will increase with time but a few survivors would be ultra cool.

Where the hell am I going with this? I'm rambling... oh yeah, yeah... my question is: has anybody heard of parents eating the fry because of a low hatch rate?

[Carol_Roberts]

Yes, but I've also had a pair raise two babies.

Hi Ryan,

Just my thoughts. --- Low hatch rates coupled with the female wanting/ready to spawn again will result in the wrigglers/fry being eaten... ?

Yes, I have this problem as well.

After several attempts failed due to low hatch rates, not attaching, lunar alignment? ... I pulled the male out when the eggs hatched.

Now.. I currently have a female on her own with 7 fry @ 1 week old.
Admittedly, about 20 fry made it to free swimming, but for some reason most did not attach properly.

Ed

[RyanH]

I now have a grand total of 3... yes 3 fry that have gone free swimming!! A monster of a hatch rate for sure (no jealous remarks or death threats please)!!

They seems to be loosely attached to the mother. That is, they will swim around her and even stick to her side for awhile but then they will swim away for a bit until she grabs them and spits them out near her again. I have no idea if they have even a chance of living but its been an absolute joy for my wife and I to watch. I have no expectations I am just hoping that this will kick their parental instincts into full gear for the next batch and they can become really great parents. (I'm shooting for 4 or 5 free swimmers next time!)

I'm just trying to figure out how to change their water without sucking out fry or pissing off the parents. The tank is getting nasty and I want the methyline blue out of there.

Do Discus parents tend to take different parental roles? This was not the impression I have gotten from others but the mother has almost exclusively taken care of the fry so far while the Father has taken the role of the family protector and simply tries to look as menacing as a Discus can. If I get too close to the tank he will slap the glass with his tail and swim in circles.

Also, if fry tend to go for the darkest objects in the tank, how do people get successful clutches with light-colored Discus?

So many questions, so little time. God I love this hobby! :)

[Carol_Roberts]

Carefully siphon on the other side of the tank for the babies. You can siphon into a bucket if you are afraid of getting a baby.

Breeders do have a harder time raising fry from white discus.

[limige]

I had a spawn of 4 freeswimmers, first for the pair. i killed them with a large wc because i didn't have time to help care for such a small batch.

IMO
it was a mistake.
the pair started eating the eggs and wrigglers. still haven't had another successfull spawn from them.

its a good learning experience, let them raise the fry.

ttl,
mike

[nokoto]

Don't give up

I had a simliar problem with my fry, I tell you this much...

When you by another fish from a shop, your take extra care since we all know how hard it is to raise fry...

Well that's how I been thinking more and more...

I'm sure once you have your first batch your be more than happy...

I got 13 to 6 Days free swimming then the parents had them for lunch :-[

Do Dicus taste nice?! as I'm considering eating mine as payback LOL

Wayne

[RyanH]

Hey Wayne,

I'm with you buddy! Although I my parents haven't eaten fry (yet), I have had my share of challenges. Right now I am trying to get 40-50 fry to go on brine shrimp. I have been squirting baby brine shrimp at them about every 20 minutes or so all night and they are not even remotely interested in them. Now is the time for them to start eating other food besides their parents' slime. Its so stressful doing this for the first time! :-\

[Carol_Roberts]

Mine are about 7 days old before they start eating bbs. Others have luck at a younger age

[RyanH]

Carol,

Is it absolutely crucial that they go on the bbs right at 7 days? I'm just wondering if it takes me a little longer, say a day or two past a week, to get them to eat it will they weaken and die fairly quickly? When do they typically stop feeding from their parents?

[limige]

i start bbs on the 3rd day fs. usually you'll see a few start to eat it. usually around one week most will readily eat bbs. especially with large batches of fry it is much easier on the parents the sooner you can get them on bbs.

usually fry won't stop feeding off their parents until the parents get eaten raw and attack the fry. the fry dont' stop eatting off the parents they get chased away. when depends on how many fry and how well the parents are producing slime.

just try twice each day and see if they eat it, eventually they will, around 3 weeks you can start on other foods such as tetrabits and cbw.

[RyanH]

Thanks for the feedback Limige!

I'll just keep working with them and see how it goes. I am going to order some golden pearls as well and give those a try but that probably won't be until the next batch.

Hey Limige, I looked on the map and we're practically neighbors! :)

[Carol_Roberts]

I had a small hatch that I tried to siphon up so the parents would lay again. I misssed two. I never ever fed them bbs or any small food - just blackworms for the parents. The female laid eggs, the male refused to fertilize them and cared for the two babies. I pulled the two babies at three weeks when they were eating blackworms on their own and the pair promptly had a nice batch of wiggler for me.

So, if the hatch is small enough they don't have to be supplemented with bbs . . . .

[RyanH]

I would say that there are about 40 babies in this group. Not huge, but probably too big to not supplement their feeding with bbs.