better spawn, still problems

[Dazoc]

Feeling better my pair laid again, and the hatch rate was way better. I am having a new problem now. The wigglers do not stay attached to the pipe. The parents pick them up and spit them back but they won't stick just drop to the bottom. I was wondering if it eas a water quality issue, or cleanliness issue. Any suggestions?

I also have a lot of mite critters in the bottom of this tank only. I have tried to vaccume them up with wc's and did a half dose of fluke tabs. They about the size of a salt grain they run and swim all over. Any ideas?

Thanks for the Help.
Eli

[Carol_Roberts]

To get rid of the critters you have to dose the fluke tabs twice about 3 days apart.

I had all my tanks free of critters (copepods). I took a breeding cone from the closet and put it back in a tank and guess what copepods in that tank. Apparently the cysts can survive drying out.

I don't know why the wigglers aren't sticking.

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Normally when a pair spawns in water conditions that is less than ideal, the whole hacth will be weaker. This is noticed when the wigglers fall off the spawning substrate prematurely, and the parent have to keep picking them up and spitting them back onto the cone. This problem is easily resolved for the next hatch by just improving water conditions by making more frequent w/c's and cleaning of the sponge filters prior to spawning.

-Ryan

[Texmex_discus]

check your conductivity should be around 80-120ms ph 6.4. ideal but I've had batch in 180ms ph 5.9 and no problemo use more RO water

[hexed]

What and how do you get these "critters?" What do they look like? I've never seen them before.

[Carol_Roberts]

The "critters" copepods come in on plants, decorations, bag water, etc. They are little skittery dots onthe bottom of the tank. Most noticible when lights ar first turned on. Also highly visible in the bottoom fo the filter when the media is pulled out.

They are a clean-up crew and don't hurt the discus. You see them more when there is lots of food in the tank. Fluke tabs used twice three days apart will get rid of them.