EGGS! with some questions

[valery]

I brought two new pigeon bloods into my community tank a week ago. Well, three days ago they started dancing for each other and religiously cleaning off a piece of wood in the tank. (Tank: 60G, 5 discus, 10 tetras, cory cats, 2 plecos, cherry reds, planted) This has never happened to me before, so I didnt get my hopes up. Well, it's now been 36 hours since they've laid eggs!!! I've been reading up on it as much as possible, but cannot seem to find all the details i need. It would be great if some of you experienced breeders could help me out.

1. I've been leaving a small lamp on for the discus at night so that they could guard the eggs. If the eggs hatch in 48 hours, I am coming close, and that will be tonight. Do I leave the light on for the night that they hatch? Or anytime after??

2. Since they are in a community tank and I had no option of transferring the eggs, I am not sure what my best bet is. They are being very protective and take turns guarding the eggs, fighting away all the other fish fairly quickly. Should I transfer the free swimmers with the parents as soon as they hatch?? Should I create a custom divider in my current tank? Or should I move out the other three discus from the tank and leave the parents and the fry in the community planted?

3. All the eggs that the female laid were red. They are still red after 38 hours, with little white dots inside. I've read that most died off eggs turn white, so what are my hopes for wrigglers??? lol high or low??

I know I don't have much time.. so any help would be greatly appreciated
Valery

[mmorris]

I guess you'll know if the eggs are good soon! I take it you want to raise some fry? What size tank do you have to move the parents to? I, personally, wouldn't worry about this batch. If they hatch then you will know you have a confirmed pair. The parents or the tank mates will at some point eat the fry. If you want to try and raise this batch, you could move the pair and the eggs to another tank (I recommend a 29 gallon) with some cycled media, like a sponge. There is a risk that the parents will eat the eggs though. You stand a good chance of driving yourself nuts trying to raise fry in a planted community tank, even if the inhabitants are on another side of the divider. Leave a light on now and for however long after. I keep a light on for the fry for weeks because I want them ready to eat when I get up in the much-too-early am.