a couple basic questions

[lauris]

I recently shuffled my discus around and created new groups, etc. This left a couple tanks empty. I am wondering...

How long will the sponge filters in the empty tanks stay colonized?

Would it help to throw in a forkful of cbw?

I would like to keep the filters going and the tanks empty for about three weeks until the next local fish auction, can probably find something to fill them there.

Also, as soon as I changed the mix, a female started laying eggs on the sponge filter, like a minute after the new fish hit her tank. It didn't seem like she had a partner and while I watched close it didn't seem like any of the other half dozen fish in the tank had any interest in the eggs. I am wondering how soon do the eggs have to be fertilised?

Finally, do you think I would have better luck getting a spawn by leaving her in the 55 with the other four or five discus and waiting for a pair to form or should i put her alone in a 29 with a known male (who is not in her tank now)?

Thanks in advance for any assistance with these queries.

[April]

hi. you can just add a bit of flake each day to keep your sponges going in that tank.
or..throw them into the established tanks iwth fish.
leave that female to get a pair and practise.
the eggs need to be fertilized right away. she will keep laying till she gets it right and she has someone fertilizing. then move the pair.

[Carol_Roberts]

. . . . or . . . .
Every other day I add a capful of plain household ammonia to my empty tanks to keep the filters colonized.

Why don't you move the female and known male to the empty tank and see what happens?

[lauris]

Thanks Carol, will use the ammonia tip. I will probably try to put the female in with a male but might wait a bit. She is actually in the B quality tank and the snakeskin male is in the A tank. I shuffled them all around in order to see if I could get pairs out of the nicest ones I've grown out or bought at auction the past year and a half. I realize that beggars can't be choosers and eventually I'll try her and the male just so I can see if I can get fry going.

[Carol_Roberts]

It's good to practice with the fry to learn how to raise them - keep the tank clean - cull, etc.