Do you give your pairs a rest?

[tpl*co]

Should I be worried about my pair trying to have babies so often (should count my blessings that they have tried 3 -4 times these last couple of months and have had wigglers 3 times (hoping for free swimmers to attach this time). I'm just worried with the laying eggs the light feedings etc. should I give the pair a rest after this and condition them back up? If so, how? Should I put them in the discus community tank so they can get the same feed as the others? If I should rest them, how long should I let them rest before I put them back in the breeding tank? I don't want to jinx myself since this pair is finally learning what to do, but I don't want them to wear themselves out and get sick either.

Tina

[AADiscus]

Tina, you will know when your pair needs a rest. If you feel they need one, pull them, put'em in your community tank for a couple weeks. Then try again. You could always put a different female with your male to give the 1st one a break. We have a Red Melon female that will look at you after about 3 spawns and say.....hey, get me out of this tank with him. He's driving me crazy. lol Give her a break for a week or so and put her back with him. They act like they are so in love. Watch your fish closely. You will beable to tell alot of how they are doing by watching them.

[ShinShin]

Tina,

Why feed them less? It takes alot of energy for the female to produce eggs. I would never skimp on feeding a pair that are getting ready to spawn. I have read where some breeders cut back after a spawn for sanitary reasons, but this makes little sense to me either. I always feed my fish the same. I always change the same amount of water whether there are eggs, fry, or not. I would run the level of the tank water to just above the eggs or non-free swimming fry and refill. If your parameters are the same, this will never hurt a thing.

Your discus will aslo take a break when they want to take one. Sometimes the male doesn't want to break though. Then it is time to separate them. I had a killer male once. He would not tolerate a females refusal to mate. I would leave her in the breeding tank and move him to another tank. If a fish gets disturbed by moving, it is usually the female.

Mat

[Timbo]

He would not tolerate a females refusal to mate.

same for me, i stopped going to dance-bars altogether