Right water?

[jaykne]

I have a new pair spawn about ever 4 days at first the eggs would start turning white after about 24 hour and female would pick them off and end up knocking all the eggs around off also they would get down to about ten eggs and just give up and eat them but I am sure they were fertile turned dark. My water is very hard tds of 450, so got an RO unit and have the tds at 40, ph is stable 6.8, GH and KH at 1, temp 84, in 29gal with sponge filter, turn the sponge filter off when they are spawning and now the eggs start turning white a couple hour after spawning and don't even last 24 hours. I don't understand before when the tds was 450, ph 8, GH and KH around 9 I would not get one white egg untill 24 hours, now the start turning white soon after spawning. Please any advice. Larry

[Elite Aquaria]

Larry if they are turning white after a few hours they are not fertile...the best way to find out is next time pull the eggs and try to hatch artificially like we discussed last week.

[jaykne]

Larry if they are turning white after a few hours they are not fertile...the best way to find out is next time pull the eggs and try to hatch artificially like we discussed last week.

Thanks Dan, I did cage them and I got some fertile eggs but very few, I think it comes down to the problem with the male not eating anything but blood worms like you said. He is now picking at beef heart but very little, I will probably give you a call this week again I wanted to ask about your blend and if you could sell me some. Larry

[Elite Aquaria]

Larry did you see wigglers?

[jaykne]

Hey Dan, no I did not see wigglers the eggs that turned dark didn't turn white but got a white fungus over them so I took the cage off and the parents ate them. Larry

[Tito]

I don't think your eggs are being fertilized. Do you know the age of your male?

My pair was doing the same thing. Eggs turn white after a day or two. Guess what - now, I get wigglers. My male is about 10 months old.

My water - out the tap pH 6.8. TDS unmeasured. Because of my Manzanita driftwood pH drops and settles at 6.4. Whatever the TDS is it appears to be good for hatching.

HTH

[jaykne]

I don't think your eggs are being fertilized. Do you know the age of your male?

My pair was doing the same thing. Eggs turn white after a day or two. Guess what - now, I get wigglers. My male is about 10 months old.

My water - out the tap pH 6.8. TDS unmeasured. Because of my Manzanita driftwood pH drops and settles at 6.4. Whatever the TDS is it appears to be good for hatching.

HTH

I don't know anymore have to do like Dan is saying, it is kind of hard to tell because the female is an albino so the eggs are red and it really looks like after about 24 hours the ones that are not white are a really dark red. I got them from Kenny and the female had tube down already so he picked out a male Yellow Crystal for her that was as big because they are 6", so could be to young, plus Kenny told me they sounded young because they spawn every 4 days. I will try like Dan was saying see what happens, I have only had them a couple months, but Kenny picked a perfect male they paired off right away and are a perfect pair never fight, and the male is so protective.

[Elite Aquaria]

Larry,

If you did not see wigglers then they may not be fertilized. Be patient sometimes it takes a few months.

[jaykne]

Ya thats what I am doing now, finally got them eating beefheart and just let them go at it. They spawn every 4 to 5 days and the males eyes are really small think he may be to young yet, and like I said got them from Kenny so they came from overseas then to Kenny and then to me and paired off and started spawning right away, they were in the 29gal 2weeks after I got them. But I am keeping them in the 29gal and the RO water. I keep the tds at 40, steady ph of 6.8, and temp at 84, do you think those are good conditions? Thanks Dan for all your advice and help, I will call you sometime will be kind of busy next week or so I go in for surgery on Monday was kind of sudden just found out last week, talk to you soon. Larry

[Elite Aquaria]

Larry,

Any time buddy....Glad they started to eat the beef heart. I hope all goes well for you tomorrow...talk with you soon.