2 Questions

[hockey2324]

I have finally have eggs and My first question is should i use a hood light or is that to bright? Also, how often do i feed the parents?

[acroken]

Hockey,
I would keep the light the same as you have now,hood? I only use 1/2 watt per gal for breeders. Feeding and water change on the same schedule.Do not stir up the tank or threaten the spawning site during w/c.Try to get them to raise there young under normal as possible conditions, this will make it easier on you.Just leave the light on 24/7 once the eggs turn dark.

Good luck!
Kenny

[hockey2324]

Thanks Kenny.............

[White Worm]

You can continue to feed them normally but pay attention to their appetite. If they are not eating as much, slow down the feeding. Regular lighting is fine but make sure it is on 24/7.

[hockey2324]

I should have wiglers today and was wondering if i should raise the temp in my tank. It is set at 82 and was wondering if that is too cold for them? If so when should i raise the temp?

[acroken]

Hockey,
82 is good for now. I raise tank temp 1/2 degree a day once they are free swimming and start to feed on bbs until i get to 84. Once the fry start eating my hand mix i work to get the tank temp to 86 degrees. Temperature change needs to be slow and steady. Babies are very sensitive to temp changes.
Good luck with them.

[ShinShin]

I've hatched fry in temps from 78-88F. I don't suggest lower than 82F or the higher end, either. I was just experimenting. 82-84F is good.

Mat

[hockey2324]

Had wigglers but the male must have been hungry and eat them. The male is about 2 1/2 anf he femal is about 1 yr. They have tried 2 x's. Should i remove the male after he does his thing or should i screen the eggs? What do you think?

[mmorris]

I would remove the male if you are certain that he is the fry eater. He might, after all, eat the fry once they become free-swimming. You only need one discus to raise them. Good luck!

[acroken]

Hockey,
Removing the fry eater will work. I try to allow them to work it out themselves for a bit. After a pair has eaten there eggs and it seams like it is becoming a habit, i will screen the eggs. This work sometimes. I do find that in watching the pair you can see who is protecting and who is aggressive. I do believe most times it is the female who clears/eats the eggs as she is preparing to lay more eggs.

[MostlyDiscus]

Is your filter running? If so do you have a screen on your intake? Ed

[hockey2324]

i turn my filter off when she lays her eggs for a couple of hrs. I have not screened anything yet. That will be my next step. In the past when i screened the eggs with this male he still seems to eat them once they start to swim.

[mmorris]

I have not screened anything yet. That will be my next step. In the past when i screened the eggs with this male he still seems to eat them once they start to swim.

There ya go - the male's gotta go! Doesn't seem to be much point in screening off the eggs.

[hockey2324]

Female must have been upset that i took the male out. She eat all the eggs. I just put the male back again.

[acroken]

Hockey,
I would let them work it out. They are a new pair. It will take them time to figure out for themselves. I would cover the eggs an hour after the male has fertilized to stop the egg eating habit. Allow them a couple of spawns to get it right. No pair is the same and some never get it. Feeding them well between spawns will keep there nutrition high and lots of clean water. Good luck.

Kenny,

[hockey2324]

Should i keep the screen on until they become free swimming?

[ShinShin]

Yes.

Mat

[mmorris]

Why do you think it was the male rather than the female that ate the eggs previously? Did you see him? I would try removing the female the next time.

[MostlyDiscus]

Just wondering how many wigglers you when you do use a screen? I ask the same question as Martha though, have you seen either parent eat the eggs,wigglers or free swimers. Keep in mind that the parents will ofter collect the newly free swiming fry and deposit them back to the spawning site. If you watch carefully then you will have your answer. Ed

[hockey2324]

i should have wigglers today. i'll watch carefully to see who's really eating them. it's there 4th time so they are kind of new at it. i really don't want to watch to long because she is really protective of them.

[MostlyDiscus]

The smart pairs(90%) will move the wigglers to a different site as the eggs pop. I have seen parents keep a wiggler in the mouth for a minute or two.. .GL

Ed

[hockey2324]

about 40 white eggs and about only 6 survivers.

[acroken]

6 is better then 0, hope they make it. They are still a young pair,with time they will figure it out. Good luck and keep us posted.

Kenny

[hockey2324]

The 6 are still alive and she just laid more eggs. Hopefully this time they will get it right.

[hockey2324]

and now there are none.just eggs

[hockey2324]

Now there are no eggs. i will be caging the eggs the next time.

[hockey2324]

3rd day of free swimmers that will not attch to the parent. Free swimmers are staying on the top of the water but will not attach. How long and any suggestions would be great.

[mmorris]

You might want to remove/shut off anything that makes the water move - filters, airstones... Also, you could drop the water level to about the top of the dorsal fins of the parents. As Al once told me, fry may then just `bump' into the parents. Watch the ammonia level closely. Keep us posted. :)

[mikesmac]

Hi,

Did you lower your water level some to have less space available for the fry to miss the parents? Also.. you could try covering the sides of the tank with white paper... this makes the parents the darkest object for the fry to be attracted to and is sometimes really helpful if the parents are a light colored variety.

Mike

[hockey2324]

Should i try and feed them bbs or are they too young? Babies look weaker and are not moving as much.

[mikesmac]

I've never had them take to BBS If they didn't feed off the parents for at least a few days.

Mike

[mmorris]

I would give up on this batch. Frustrating, I know, but remember, you are getting closer to your goal. Next time you can try all the attachment tricks right from the start. How many fry are there?

[hockey2324]

about only 15-20

[mmorris]

If the parents did nothing to try and round them up it may be that they don't think 15-20 is enough to bother with. Maybe next time...

[hockey2324]

and then there were none

[hockey2324]

She just laid again. Probably about 150 egss. I caged them again because male likes to eat at wiggler time. I will remove him at that time.

[acroken]

IMO You may be better off to pull him earlier if he is not being a good parent. An hour or so after the spawning is over,this way the other parent (female)does not have to be so protective and warding off the egg/fry eater. She can just worry about keeping the eggs/fry clean. Good luck

Kenny

[hockey2324]

update: about 30 wigglers at most / why not more? lots of white eggs

[mmorris]

It sounds like you are getting more fry each time. It's hard to say why so many went white. They probably weren't fertilized but I couldn't tell you why. How much current do you have in the tank?

[hockey2324]

I turn off the pump for 2 hrs and then start it up again. Free swimmers not attaching........ i have a 20 gallon tank and i took out 1/2 the water too see if that helps. So far they just stay on the top of the water. They just wont attach. Can they eat BBS instead of attaching to the parents or are they too young?

[mmorris]

When I asked about the current I meant at fertilization time. We don't want a strong current blowing sperm all over everywhere! It might possibly explain the low hatch rate. Your male, though, is probably just getting better with age. When did they go free-swimming? It always seems to take longer than I expect it to and then I'm left without decent nails. :)

[hockey2324]

Monday they went free swimming.

[hockey2324]

They eat the fry.......fry never attached.......... just laid another 100 eggs.
They are Blue diamonds...... I just put up white paper around the glass.... i had dark blue. Lets see what happens now. I'm also going to try abd lower the tank water to see if i can get some better luck.

[mmorris]

Frustrating, I know. Best of luck, and keep us informed. :)