Sasha
09-28-2012, 04:27 PM
My breeding pair continues to spawn about every 3-5 days in a tank that is (purposefully) not conducive to supporting a hatch (GH too high, filter not unplugged during spawning, etc.). I have successfully raised fry, and right now I am not interested in raising any fry. My question is this: with time after time of unsuccessful spawns, is there any detrimental affect on the breeding pair?
The pair, alone in their own tank, typically bicker (with the male getting the most upset) 2 days after the spawn when they realize that the eggs are not hatching. The female's clutch has become relatively small, with only about 30-40 eggs laid at each spawn. It makes one wonder if there is such a thing as "fish frustration" with continual hatch failures?
And health-wise, I wonder if it's good for the female to be continually producing eggs and caring for them. When there are eggs in the tank, she typically does not eat much because she rarely leaves her eggs, despite the fact that she seems rather bored and despondent with the whole egg fanning thing.
Would it make sense to let a spawn hatch every once in a while, even if only to cull the free swimmers? I hate to be cruel, but not sure what to do with these love birds who won't stop trying to make babies.
Thoughts?
The pair, alone in their own tank, typically bicker (with the male getting the most upset) 2 days after the spawn when they realize that the eggs are not hatching. The female's clutch has become relatively small, with only about 30-40 eggs laid at each spawn. It makes one wonder if there is such a thing as "fish frustration" with continual hatch failures?
And health-wise, I wonder if it's good for the female to be continually producing eggs and caring for them. When there are eggs in the tank, she typically does not eat much because she rarely leaves her eggs, despite the fact that she seems rather bored and despondent with the whole egg fanning thing.
Would it make sense to let a spawn hatch every once in a while, even if only to cull the free swimmers? I hate to be cruel, but not sure what to do with these love birds who won't stop trying to make babies.
Thoughts?