laying eggs then eat them????

[Giniel]

I finally got my mandarin passions to lay eggs and he fertilized them, after 8 months . Problem is after laying them ,one of them ate them sometime through the night. Any suggestions as to why after so long she would lay and them have a snack??
Debbie

[Carol_Roberts]

That's the million dollar question . . . .

[Gary Bolton]

it's a well know fact that most new pairs laying will eat there first few sets of eggs unless your lucky.

Give them time, the female will sort him out and hopefully they should hatch them after about 3 clutches. Just give them a chance to know what they have to do. You'll be suprised.

If you get to about 4-5 sets layed and there still eating them, try changing the pair with other female and males.

[Giniel]

I bought thispair as a pair and was told that they have carried fry before. This is the first time she has even laid eggs for me in 8 months so I guess moving to a new house was the answer.
She is a really picky fish anyway.

Debbie

[mattb]

Is there anything else in the tank with them? Obviously something is making them uncomfortable, whether it be tank mates or even something as daft as night lighting or loud noises in the night. Basically if they feel that their eggs are under threat and decide that they won't be able to raise young in their current location they eat the eggs to regain the nutrients they both expended creating them and move on. Unfortunately in a tank they have very little options on where to go so end up often spawning in the same place again.

Matt

[Giniel]

out of all my discus these 2 are not afraid of anything. He even bites at a net when I netted him to move .He is a good 6+" maybe almost 7" , she is about 6" .They are a large pair and they know it. When they were in the community tank they owned about 2/3 of it.

It is quiet where they are and every thing is very stable and routine.

[ppv1951]

i would just keep trying them. if it took so long for them to lay for you, it may take a while for them to raise them. you can take other measures later.

pat.