water changes???

[steelheaderdu]

Guys,

Just interested to know how you all feel about water changes during the egg/wiggler stage. I haven't had much luck doing water changes during this time, so I've decided to wait until the fry have had time to find their parents' backs before I do a change. How do you more experienced breeders feel about this? Everytime I've tried to do a water change before the fry have hit the parents, they have been eaten...

[steelheaderdu]

anyone????????

[Giniel]

Hi, I'm not very experienced but I have got 2 breeding pair .One of my pairs did the same thing , spooked every time and they just got used to it.Could be a water quality issue or they are just beginning.This same pair now has wigglers and I have changed about 5 gallons of a 20 gallon every day .So there is hope for your pair. I just frain and fill from the other side from where they are at with the eggs and try not to have too much current when I refill the tank.
Debbie

[GulfCoastDiscus]

If you have an overflow system then you can just add water. Unfortunately this will happen with young pairs. Try not to disturb them when you're siphoning out water. Siphon water away from the pair. It's not critical that you siphon all their waste. As long as part of the water is replaced. When filling, do it gradually.
If you decide not to change water then feed less to prevent fouling the water. Also feed with clean food, no beefheart.

[ShinShin]

I have never changed my water regime even when the pair spawned. 40% daily. If the spawn was laid high on the glass, as one female would almost always do, I took the water level as low to the spawn as I could.

[steelheaderdu]

Thanks guys,

I thought I was in the clear and did a water change 3 days after free swimming... All the fry slowly disappeared within a couple hours. I appreciate the help.

I think the pair ate them because they're ready to spawn again. Does anyone drop the temp after the eggs hatch to keep them from wanting to spawn again? Just a thought.