Discus pair both female? or finally fertalized the eggs?

[mac2b4mic]

Aloha,
Im new to the forum, and discus to be honest, Ive hade at least 4 for about a year now. Currently I have 10 of em (thanks to the breeder last week).

But on to why Im posting. Ive got a pair that have gotten together and started spawning eggs in early October this year. Ive had a new batch of eggs about every 8 days, Ive seen them spawn the eggs and the red-turquoise went through the motions. Since then, their eggs got fuzzy n after a few days Ive cleaned off the tera-kota pot. They are in their own 20 gallon tall breeding tank in which Im keeping all the levels appropriate and constant. Using a R/O & tap mix keeping the pH at 6.2, temps are high 80's, TDS staying steady between 75 and 77ppm.

Last spawn I kind of gave up thinking that the red turquoise (who I thought was the male, because I witnessed the blue diamond puttin out the eggs) wasnt mature enough to fertalize the eggs properly. Last night I got home from work and the pot they have laid their eggs on had more eggs, a good amount, but there was the sporadic white egg. Generally they were all a mixture between 2 colors; a bright orange (kind of the color of the roe you'd see on sushi) and a darker orange almost like a light brown color. I have not seen the "males" genitals so I figured he was just to young but now with 2 different colors, did he finally do his deed correctly? or is he a she and I got 2 females and I should put them back in the big tank with everybody else.

The 4 older discus I have are all just over a year old, the 6 new ones I got the other day look like they are (4 of them) coming up on their first birthday, and the 2 little ones are LITTLE.

What is the expert advice on this situation, if any of what I just said makes sense?

Are both fish female or did (who I thought was the male) the male finally fertalize properly?

Thanks for your help!
-Mike

[ShinShin]

Until you see the male's tube, you won't know for sure. Some discus do lay different colored eggs. Most of mine have been a honey color, but have have them be from translucent white (not opaque) to bright red-orange. I have had sisters lay different colored eggs as well.

I would lower your temp to 82-84F.

Mat

[chrisb01]

I once had a pair of Severums do that to me. They were both females, and go through pretty much the same motions. Then one day I saw the other one lay the eggs.

Every 8 days since early October, it's the third week of November, they should be good parents by now.
I would venture to say, yes, they're most likely be both females.

As Mat advised, lower the temp some.
Lets wait for more posters, it's always good to get a few different views.

[DerekFF]

Females do try and breed with discus. I had a pair of females doing the motions until one day I finally caught one laying the eggs and the next day the other latex eggs. And I really in all honesty can't tell 100% the difference in male and female tubes even when extended, its not that easy intolerable you've seen a few different pairs doing the act. As others said drop the temp some....kinda hot. Just watch them more and see if you can't catch the "male" laying eggs 1 day. They are still borderline age for breeding so it is possible he just isn't ready

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[mac2b4mic]

Alright, so a key point Im taking away from this so far is to lower the temp, and he could be to young, but I gotta catch in the act. Last time (last week) I witnessed the act, and I didnt see the red-turquoise laying eggs, but the tube wasnt really fully out either...it was still inside and I couldnt tell the defference.

I'll lower the temp and just keep everything stable as is, and wait to catch the act again.

Thanks for your help guys.

By the way, Mat, I used to live in "U-P" on chambers creek rd W

[DerekFF]

Yeah catching them in the act is really the only way to tell for sure ( and experience in watching all the fish porn unfold in front of you to determine what a male/female part looks like)