How quickly can you tell if the eggs are fertilized?

[Sasha]

Does a non-fertilized egg turn opaque within an hour or so of being laid, or does it take several hours before the signs manifest themselves? Do they turn truly white, or do they turn from a deeper burnt orange color to an orange sherbert looking opaque egg?

My female lays eggs which typically appear viable, but over the course of 5-24 hours, some (or a large portion of them) turn orange sherbert. Is this fungus?

I've not yet experienced an egg that turns truly white like I've seen in other pictures posted in this forum.

I will try to post a picture.

Water: PH 7.8, 85 degrees, 4 dKH, 5 dGH, 0 Amm, 0 Nitrite, 5 ppm Nitrate. Approx 90% RO water mixed with well water. 30% water change daily.

Thank you.

[Sasha]

Here is a picture -
(yes, they spawned on the heater, despite it being low and nearly horizontal. But have no fear, I unplugged the heater as I saw them prepare to lay eggs, and it's been kept unplugged so as not to cook the eggs nor burn the parents. I added a separate heater to heat the water.) You can see the few brighter orange eggs. Is this fungus? Or just unfertilized eggs? Notice also that the other eggs have a "popcorn kernel" appearance with a whitish tip on one end. Does that have any significance? This picture was taken approx 20 hours after the spawn.

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[Skip]

if they hatch in 2 days

[rdiscus]

looks like you will get lot wrigglers soon

[texasdiscusman]

They look pretty good

[mac2b4mic]

Post a new pic tomorrow...but it looks good from here

[DerekFF]

Usually takes about 24-36 hours for eggs to turn white if they are indeed bad.

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[Sasha]

So while I was hopeful too that these eggs would produce wrigglers, by the end of the day yesterday (30 hours after spawn), about 85% of the eggs had turned opaque "sherbert." They did not turn white, nor did they have a fuzzy appearance that was visible to the naked eye, nor with a magnifying glass. This morning, not surprisingly, all eggs were gone.

So based on your feedback (thank you!): one can't tell if the eggs are truly fertilized until approx 24+ hours after spawn. Viable eggs will remain darker and semi-translucent. (correct?)

I still struggle with the following question, however: Is an "orange sherbert" colored opaque egg an indication of a fungus issue?

If so, next time I will dose with either Formalin or Methylene Blue. (But I prefer avoiding chemicals, especially those that will likely mess with the biological system, if the sherbert appearance is not typically a manifestation of fungus.)

Again, I appreciate your help.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Fungus would appear if the eggs turn white mostly or if the parents are not doing a good job fanning them. If they are still opaque then chances are you will get lots of wigglers. Another 12 hours should determine that.

Good Luck!

[Northwoods Discus]

If the eggs were gone the parents ate them. You may get them to the 48 hour time by "caging" them. Then you will know if there viable because they will hatch. I have had wigglers appear out of fungus looking eggs before.

[Sasha]

If the eggs were gone the parents ate them. You may get them to the 48 hour time by "caging" them. Then you will know if there viable because they will hatch. I have had wigglers appear out of fungus looking eggs before.

Thank you, fellow Michigander :-) (I live in Hartland, MI)

I tried gutter guard around the last spawn, and boy did that make the parents upset. Regardless, that spawn also ended up with every egg turning opaque within 30 hours. I did remove the cage then, and the parents quickly ate the batch. Importantly, historically the parents do not attempt to eat the eggs until they turn opaque. Then they attempt to clean out the (presumably) bad ones with their mouths.

For this last spawn, which was not caged, very few if any eggs were eaten until nearly the entire spawn turned opaque. The parents are very diligent about fanning and caring for the eggs. They get upset if the siphon tube or my hand goes near the eggs. So, they appear to have bonded with them and are developing what I think are good parenting skills?

Anyway, very interesting that you had wigglers from fungus looking eggs before.

[Northwoods Discus]

I would try to get them past the 48 hours no matter what color they are and see if wigglers develop or not. Then you know for sure. Eggs are different colors from different fish. I have had reddish looking eggs and the typical light tan yellow looking eggs. The eggs that I got wigglers from that had fungus on them were albinos. It was very difficult to see the fry tails at first. Getting attachment was not so easy.

[Sasha]

Thank you, Northwoods. Good suggestion. I'll try the gutter guard for a longer period this next time and we'll see what happens. :o

[Tobrienne]

Hey all.. my very first discus pair breeded for the very first time! <<<<<----- excited grandparent to be! hehe

So far the mom wont leave them alone. She is constantly by them as if she is just staring at them.. so I assume she is 'fanning' them.
Some are white.. some look transparent and I know they were laid somettime in the middle of the night last night so I will see what happens. I am hoping for some wrigglers!! Wish me luck this is my first time. All levels in the tank are great!

73481

[nc0gnet0]

The eggs that turn opaque, or as you refer to it as orange sherbert, are not fertile. Fertile eggs will remain transulcent. There are several different color eggs discus can lay, and this is dependent on the variety of the female. What is the TDS of your water?

[Tobrienne]

Well looks like this batch was a failure... mommy and daddy ate them all. I am quite sure none were fertilized poor dears.. momma was SO diligent in fanning them too.. maybe too diligent that she didnt let daddy fertilize them. Oh well, next time!

[DerekFF]

That heater is still turned on with the eggs on it and while they were breeding? Careful they dont burn their fish porn parts. Also the HOB filter right next to the heater will make quite an area of water movement making fertilization difficult at best

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