I really need help

[4discusdude]

Hi everyone, I have two confirm pair. They both laid egg every week and have some wigler but they eat the wigler. I know young pair sometime eat wigler but my question is why I have low hatch rate when I'm using ro/di mix with tap? Tds meter read at 50-60 ppm. I change water every two day about 50%. They both in 20g high. Temp in the tank is 83 and I feed them three time a day on al FDBW and bh mix before water change. It been almost two month already. I really don't know how old are they but one pair they both 5.5 to 6 in got them on nov 2011 close to 3 in. The other pair, male is 5.5 in and female 4 in. So is the male still young and can't shoot well? Or is my water? Or I just need to be patience with them?
Thank you

[strawberryblonde]

Hi there,

Do you have both pairs in one 20 gallon tank? Or is each pair in their own tank. That would make a big difference since it should be one pair to a tank.

The other thing is their age. Mine laid very small batches when they were younger and only started laying large batches as they reached adulthood.

For good fertilization be sure that whatever they are using, a breeding cone, piece of slate, etc isn't too close to your filter outlet. Swift water can reduce the number of eggs that get fertilized.

[Floppy Fin's]

If your getting wigglers.. then your water is o.k. IMHO. Patience may be the answer. What you might check offhand is the amount of circulation around the eggs.. try to lower it to a minimum.. just your foam (Hyro if any) filter and a airstone on light bubbles.
Others may have a better solution.
FF

[Floppy Fin's]

You beat me.. slighty.. :-)

[Trier20]

I agree with the above statements. If I notice breeding activity I shut the air valves on the stone a sponge filter to super low so I can get the best fertilization I can. I think your water is fine. With a young pair like that it may just take a few time for them to learn how to get it right. Just be patient. If your not using them for a business then there is no rush.

[4discusdude]

Thank you for your help. Each pair is in their own tank. The first month when I start breed them, I have ac filter and sponge filter for them. I didn't catch them in action for the first two week and the egg turn white after 2 day but no fungus until the fourth day. filter is still running but then after that I paid more attention to them and remove ac filter and just leave sponge filter. So even if they are 5.5 to 6in. They are still young? If so, then side is just for more egg and sperm?? The female laid a lot of egg but just not good hatch rate. Maybe 10 to 20 out 100 or more.

[strawberryblonde]

Yep, if they were only 3" last November they are still very young. Mine were 4" in late April of 2011 and only just stopped growing around April of this year. By November yours should be mature enough adults (and have practiced enough) to get the hang of the egg laying/fertilizing thing. =)

[4discusdude]

Well thank you, I guess patience is the key.

[BobDaniel]

It may be you have a bit too much water current in the tank. I used to use two sets of Tetra double brilliant sponge filters in each of my breeder tanks and had good luck with that setup. The outflow was set over the water's surface to minimize turbulance. I have seen similar filters on EBay for dirt cheep but made in Hong Kong so it takes awhile to get here.

[Ray-OBrien]

Hi everyone, I have two confirm pair. They both laid egg every week and have some wigler but they eat the wigler. I know young pair sometime eat wigler but my question is why I have low hatch rate when I'm using ro/di mix with tap? Tds meter read at 50-60 ppm. I change water every two day about 50%. They both in 20g high. Temp in the tank is 83 and I feed them three time a day on al FDBW and bh mix before water change. It been almost two month already. I really don't know how old are they but one pair they both 5.5 to 6 in got them on nov 2011 close to 3 in. The other pair, male is 5.5 in and female 4 in. So is the male still young and can't shoot well? Or is my water? Or I just need to be patience with them?
Thank you


Hi I agree with all the posts re reducing flow in the tank, but when you say mixing RO with tap, is this tap water direct from the tap or via an HMA filter, as this may make a difference

[4discusdude]

Well i use to have hob filter and sponge when I start breed them but then after two week, a lot of people said maybe too much of water movement so I take out hob filter and just leave the sponge until now. I mix ro/di with age tap water before I add to the tank. Maybe this time I will add ro rite to ro/di water instead of mix with tap. Like rite Now i got some just hatch this morning but still not a good hatch rate. Maybe 10 to 15 and the female start clean PVC pipe again with some wigler around it. and I guess she start to laid some more egg.