How long for eggs to hatch?

[cacatuoides]

Hi folks,

May I ask how long does it take for the eggs to hatch?

Any links to such info is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

 

[Mike Wise]

Anywhere from 2½ to 5 days, depending on the temperature of the tank.

 

[cacatuoides]

Thanks mike! Any useful links to info about development of eggs and fries?

 

[Mike Wise]

No links, but Koslowski's book "Die Buntbarsche Amerikas - Apistogramma & Co." & Römer's "Cichlid Atlas" both discuss reproduction in detail.

 

[blueblue]

Thanks mike! Any useful links to info about development of eggs and fries?

What do you want to know about the development of eggs and fries? I believe that a lot of members here have bred apistos and we all know something...

 

[cacatuoides]

I would like to know the estimated time line from the hatching of eggs to wrigglers to free swimming stages..... thanks!

 

[nightowl1350]

It is about 48-60 hours to wiggler stage, then another 5-6 days before they swim. It will depend on the temp.

If you remove the eggs and hatch them out yourself the fry seem to stay on the bottom and still look like wigglers, but you will need to feed them. If you can get some microworms you can use them for the first day or so as they don't die off and decompose (foul your tank) like bbs. Once you are sure they are eating feed them new hatched bbs.

 

[cacatuoides]

I've just pulled out a batch of blue ram's eggs and put them for artificial hatching....bubbling them with methylene blue solution to prevent fungus....its been 12hrs, so far the eggs looks fine without any "hairs" or fungus....any other pointers i need to take note off? :biggrin:

 

[nightowl1350]

They should be free swimmers 7 days after the eggs were layed and you will have to do w/c to remove the meth blue before they swim. I use hydrogen peroxide on the eggs (about 2 mls every 12 hours in a 5g tank) till they hit wigglers and it is clear and doesn't have to be removed. Works great and you can see what is going on.

For the blue rams you may need vinegar eels or microworms for the first week or so. I found mine were too small to eat new hatched bbs.

Good luck with them.

 

[cacatuoides]

The eggs did not hatch and no developments after 3days....anything might be wrong? I put an air stone in to bubble with meth blue in it...anything missing?

The parents have just laid another clutch of eggs last night and i'm leaving it to them to learn....

 

[nightowl1350]

Did you have a heater in the tank? If they are a young pair maybe the eggs are not quite mature, or the male didn't do his thing right? Did the eggs turn a solid white? If so they were not fertile.

All you need is water, heater, anti fungal agent and an airstone to hatch ram or apisto eggs.

Give them another chance or steal this spawn and see what happens.

Good luck

 

[cacatuoides]

thanks for the pointers nightowl...

Only a ahndful of the eggs turn solid white, the rest are still a little transparent and beige in color....using the heater, whats the temperature to hatch the eggs? Do I have to bubble the eggs rigorously to provide good flow for the eggs?

I'm leaving this batch of eggs to the parents for now....its been 2 days, still no signs of fries, I think the eggs are still intact

Thanks so much for all your help

 

[Cathy G]

I hatch my ram eggs at 82-84 or so.
Cathy

 

[nightowl1350]

I've been told a temp of 80 will give a better male/female ratio. Higher and you get more females. The airstone doens't have to be going crazy, but it should be moving the water around the eggs.

Mine don't seem to develop much till they hit wiggler stage, but this is not as obvious as it is with blue rams of angels. They don't wiggle like crazy, so leave them for a few more days if there are only a few that are pure white.

Good luck with them.

 

[Mike Wise]

Are you hatching Apisto eggs or Blue Ram eggs? Blue Rams are not apistos. Their eggs hatch best in the low to mid-80s F. Apisto eggs/fry are best kept around 79ºF. Rams eggs hatch in about 2 days (3 days for apistos) and are freeswimming about 7 days after spawning (like apistos).

 

[nightowl1350]

They had apisto eggs.....the ones that didn't seem to be hatching, then pulled some ram eggs. I also raise both so know the apisto wigglers are not quite as active.

 

[cacatuoides]

Hi guys,

Once again my rams have spawned again....I have the good luck to witness the egg-laying process.....but what is shocking me is: the "male" is laying the eggs while the "female" is rubbing her little anal thing on the eggs!!! Does male rams lay eggs??? could someone please clarify it? thanks!

 

[Cathy G]

The male is not the ones laying the eggs. The eggs come down a thicker tube - the ovipositor and that is the female. The males will follow close behind her and release the sperm. His sexual organ is smaller and narrower than hers. If these are blue rams, the female will be brilliantly colored with a dark pink tummy. If bolivians, they will both be golden and their fins will show a great deal of red. There isn't much difference between the male/female bolivians usually. None of the old rules about longer extensions on their caudal fins, or taller spikes in the males apply anymore. But, you will notice her body is a little shorter and boxier than his. He is also bigger, and has a longer flatter tummy line.
Cathy

 

[cacatuoides]

I'm quite sure its the "male" who laid the eggs last night, as I saw that "his" sexual organ was bigger and I saw eggs coming out from it while the "female" had a little lump only....I'll see if if I can get some pictures..they're hidden behind a bush of plants :biggrin:

 

[Cathy G]

In rams, the female's sexual organ is bigger than the males' by quite a bit.
Cathy