Eggs not Hatching

[emilio50]

I have bred discus in the past. However, the last 10 spawns or so have had almost no hatches. This is from different pairs, so I guess the fish are not the issue. In some only a handful hatch; while in the others none hatch. The eggs turn dark but nothing happens afterwards. Any theories?

Water parameters are:
a) TDS : 70 ppm
b) Ph: 7.8
c) Temperature: 80 degrees

1) How long do you age water? Could that be a problem?
2) Could it be the temperature? I do not use heaters since I am in Puerto Rico. Will that make a difference?
3) Any other theories?

Thanks,

Emilio

[Triadtropz]

I would have the temperature at 83-85, and the ph seems a lil high..

[mmorris]

What is your water change regime?

[bs6749]

My water has a pH of 7.8-8.0 and a GH of 300ppm or greater. I have a pair that has spawned every week for the past 6 weeks. The first time the eggs ere in RO/tap mix and nothing happened. The other 5 times the spawned in the water described above and I got wigglers. My conslusion: the male didn't fertilize them the first time and water hardness plays little of a role in the fertilization for the pair I have. They basically spawned in "liquid rock" and I got wigglers every time when I wasn't "supposed to" according to "experts". Eggs hatched in a community tank and wigglers ere eaten. I don't have the room currently to separate the pair but may give it a try soon.

[emilio50]

I do water changes of 50% every other day for the breeding pairs.

What confuses me is that these are pairs that have bred successfully in the past.

[pcsb23]

As the eggs are turning dark, it suggests they are being fertilised. If not they stay white.

I don't think the temp is a major factor though I've found 28C (82f) to give me the best results.

Maybe the water itself, may be some pathogen there or contaminent that is affecting hatch rates.

Are the egg batch sizes good (more than 150)??

[White Worm]

Its not that they cant hatch or wont, its that softer water will yield a "better" fertilization rate and "higher" hatch rate as the membrane is easily penetrated. If you have a strong experienced male and low current, then anything is possible. If you want to breed, why not use the parameters that give you the best outcome? I would think that all these breeders who have been doing this for years, have raised thousands of discus and have shared their techniques here would know what they are doing. I have pairs that laid eggs in similar pH with no hatching. Went with a 2/3 RO to 1/3 tap and walla....fry every time.


My water has a pH of 7.8-8.0 and a GH of 300ppm or greater. I have a pair that has spawned every week for the past 6 weeks. The first time the eggs ere in RO/tap mix and nothing happened. The other 5 times the spawned in the water described above and I got wigglers. My conslusion: the male didn't fertilize them the first time and water hardness plays little of a role in the fertilization for the pair I have. They basically spawned in "liquid rock" and I got wigglers every time when I wasn't "supposed to" according to "experts". Eggs hatched in a community tank and wigglers ere eaten. I don't have the room currently to separate the pair but may give it a try soon.

[emilio50]

I am completely confused. The issue must be the water somehow because it is not just one pair. The only factor I have been thinking is that maybe I have not been aging the water long enough. Does fairly "new" water affect hatch rates?

The hardness I do not believe is the issue because I am doing maybe a 80% to 20% mix.

[bs6749]

Its not that they cant hatch or wont, its that softer water will yield a "better" fertilization rate and "higher" hatch rate as the membrane is easily penetrated. If you have a strong experienced male and low current, then anything is possible. If you want to breed, why not use the parameters that give you the best outcome? I would think that all these breeders who have been doing this for years, have raised thousands of discus and have shared their techniques here would know what they are doing. I have pairs that laid eggs in similar pH with no hatching. Went with a 2/3 RO to 1/3 tap and walla....fry every time.


I completely agree with you as far as going with what is "best" for breeding purposes. I believe that a lower pH and a lower GH would be better, however in my experience I've had good fertility rates with my young pair. I'm not going ot argue that my water is better, because I don't believe it is. I'm just saying that it hasn't caused a problem for THIS pair that I have.

Also, as far as having a low current possibly being a cause to the higher fertility I'm seeing, the dumb pair always lays right on the same filter intake tube LOL. Their first time was on a heater that I placed horizontally in the. I just remembered this fact, and that's most likely the reason I didn't see any wigglers the first time...because the fry FRIED!