10th spawn and sill no attachment

[tdr1919]

Really frustrated with this pair of Turqs. they have spawned at least 10 times and not allowed the free swimmers to attach. The spawns are small, around 30 fish, but the last was more like 50, out of frustration I took out the male, but the female is still not allowing them to attach.
Any ideas?

Tom

[cobaltblue]

There are quite a few variables that can affect attachment by the fry. I had a similar problem that you are having. My problem was two fold. My breeding tank was too large, and i was using black sponge filters. Once i changed over
to a 20g tank (smaller than my 33g) and covered the sponges with white
nylons, i started to get attachment every time. Maybe you could give some more details of your setup, etc and you may get some more suggestions and
advice. :)

[tdr1919]

There are quite a few variables that can affect attachment by the fry. I had a similar problem that you are having. My problem was two fold. My breeding tank was too large, and i was using black sponge filters. Once i changed over
to a 20g tank (smaller than my 33g) and covered the sponges with white
nylons, i started to get attachment every time. Maybe you could give some more details of your setup, etc and you may get some more suggestions and
advice. :)

Thanks Cobalt,
I am using a 20 gal. 1 black sponge, the fry try to attach, but the parents shake them off, like "flies on a horses back" my other pair allowed the fry to swim up and latch on, this pair are weird, I was thinking of moving them to my other breeding tank which is a 29 in which I have had better luck.
The other obvious thing is neither parent darkened up, looks like they are not
secreting any slime, maybe this is also part of it.

Tom

[AADiscus]

Have you tried lowering your water level? If not, lower it to just above the fins of the parent(s). Also, if you are using RO water start raising your ppm's with aged taped water. Keep the tank nice and clean. If neither parent is eating fry or if they are not fighting then I would not remove one. Keep both in there unless you really have to remove one.

[White Worm]

the water level trick works great. You definately have to remove anything black or at least cover it. I covered the sponge with girls white stocking. I use a 29g which works good but I would say that it can be too large sometimes with a small spawn. Sometimes it just takes patience. None of the last batch attached out of 30. With smaller batches, the parents may not have interest. Could you adjust water params to get higher hatch rate? how do you prepare your water?

[tdr1919]

They have spawned twice since my last post, same results - but it is NOT because the babies cant find the parents, it is because the parents shake them off, the parents do not want the babies to attach, it is really amazing.
Last nite, the female was in front of the cone with the babies swarming around her, they were all trying to latch on, I kept my distance and when I went back in the room she was at the glass without any babies, they were hopelessly swimming around the tank, and the old man is a real dead beat, never seems to have any babies on his back!

-Tom

[AADiscus]

You might try pulling one of the adults before they go free swimming. Maybe that will help keep the concentration on the fry.

[tdr1919]

This is now about the 20th spawn, this morning they started free swimming, I dropped the water about 50% and we'll see what happens, got about 100 babies and they are swarming the parents, who are darkening up. Keep your fingers crossed!

[tdr1919]

Have you tried lowering your water level? .

Angela,
How long do you leave the water level low?
Thanks,
Tom

[tdr1919]

Mikus,
Youre right! the lowering of the water worked great! have attachment for 2 days now. but these fish are like me & the wife, after the kids come thats when all the fighting begins! looks like they are not getting along too well, I am increasing the water level.
Tom

[AADiscus]

I would just leave the water level low until the fry are attached good. Start upping the wc's with each one you do. Remember....keep the tank clean and daily large wc's.

Start getting some bbs going also. They will can start eating it at 3 days.

[tdr1919]

I would just leave the water level low until the fry are attached good. Start upping the wc's with each one you do. Remember....keep the tank clean and daily large wc's.

Start getting some bbs going also. They will can start eating it at 3 days.

Thanks Angela, I have such a problem with the BBs! I end up with a mess and never know if those itsy bitsy things are alive, but I have it going, tomorrow the fry will be three days, do you just dump them (bbs) in on top of the parents? will the babys leave the parents and start eating them? how will I know, and how many times a day should I give them the BBS? how about the frozen BBS any good?
-Tom