first eggs

[farm41]

Well my orange cacs finally got more than a little friendly. I have one guarding about a dozen eggs in her flower pot.

Should I let her take care of them, or pull the pot and put in a QT?

It's my first time.

 

[Neil]

Congratulations farm,
It is tough to say whether or not to pull the eggs. Typically I do not! But I have with fish that are not doing what they are supposed to. If they are in a good situation in the breeding tank, then I think that it will be adding an element of risk to move them. But then again there is an element of risk in leaving them. IMO it is so much nicer to have the parents raise the fry for the first few weeks and watch all the interesting behaviors involved. But you have to do what you "feel" is best. Good luck. Neil

 

[farm41]

They are not in a breeding tank, they are in a 60g with the male and 2 other females, plus 2 bristlenose, 10 ottocinclus, 3 SAE's, Amano shrimp, and MTS's. I am most worried about the bristlenose. So far she is defending the eggs against all who get close, but, I'm not sure she could turn away a bristlenose if it wanted in.

 

[farm41]

I transfered them to a 10g bare bottom and threw in some java moss. I can see the eggs in the reflection on the bottom and she keeps doing something to them. It looks like she is mouthing them or blowing on them or something.

 

[aspen]

that is parental egg care. they will blow and fan the eggs till they hatch, then run around and gather the group constantly in their mouth, swish them around and sput them out into the group. watch for fry eating. otherwise, you should be a proud daddy in a few days. the only filtration should be a cycled sponge filter. to much current and they will be blowing around too much. watch the fry very carefully for them dying. if so, flukes is the mst common problem, as the parents may not show signs of the flukes but the fry will due very quickly when 1 attaches.

good luck and have fun, rick

 

[farm41]

I noticed when I moved the eggs that 1 was white and the rest were pink.

Does that mean anything?

 

[farm41]

The eggs are gone, no trace.

Should I be able to see fry?

Or, did she eat them?

 

[Z Man]

If she only laid the eggs Sunday or Monday, it's too early for fry anyway. At 78F mine just start to wiggle at 5 days, then another 5 days to free swimming. Did you remove the pot with the eggs attached inside? Or were they already wiggling when you removed them? I usually don't add any Java moss until the fry are free swimming. The new tank should be filled with water from the main tank. This way the pH, hardness and temperature will be exact. I actually take the pot when the female is inside and remove her and the eggs all at the same time. I use a bare bottom 5-gallon tank with just a small sponge filter. Nothing else. Could be your pair was a little young yet or one or the other was not mature enough but I'm sure they will spawn again. Good luck.

 

[farm41]

I really don't know what day it was. I did remove the pot with eggs attached and then scooped up the female, they were in the QT for a little over 24 hours when I noticed the eggs were gone. They were still there at noon today. I did transfer water from the original tank.

Is it time to put her back in the main tank? She's still yellow.

On a more positive note one of the other female cacs is bright yellow and doing alot of hiding, there are a couple more pots in there, but, she is hiding in a large anubias nana. She just comes out to eat and heads right back in.

 

[Z Man]

If she doesn't have a sunken belly as though she hasn't been eating, it is 'USUALLY' OK to put her back.
Z Man

 

[farm41]

she looks kind of thin,but, she's been eating some live daphnia.

Thanks for all the replies

 

[farm41]

Z Man, how do you remove the pot with the female inside? What are you using?

I'm using half a terra cotta pot and I would have to cover two sides to do that. Is there a way to do this that works better?

 

[Z Man]

First off I have to say that I only use 3" clay pots with a notch cut out on the top just large enough for the female & possibly the male to enter. The pot is then set upside down in the tank. I'm a real nosy guy so if the female stays in the pot and has turned yellow, I just lift it up and look for myself. Sometimes she will scoot out but as soon as the pot is put back she goes back. Never had problems with this. When I know there are eggs and I know she is inside I just pick up the pot "s l o w l y" and turn it and she usually stays with the eggs. When upright I again slowly lift it out of the tank with a finger barely over the bottom hole so some water can come out and make sure my hand covers it when moving from the tank. Sometimes I have to use a 6" net and when lifting the pot or the 1/2 piece like you have, slip it underneath and she is usually caught. This way I have to lift the pot & net quickly so she doesn't escape the net. Then female and pot are transferred. If she is out of the pot, she will go back in after the transfer if you move out of sight. It takes practice and patience but it works.
When trying to breed my fish I usually have just the pair in a 10 and remove the male after a few hours. That's much easier.
Z Man

 

[farm41]

Thanks for the tips Z Man,

I have only been finding the 4" pots, I guess I will keep my eye out for 3" pots so I don't have to cut them.

Do you use any coconut shells?

My 60g tank is so deep that is hard to get both hands in and do anything, I'm going to have to build a stool.

 

[Z Man]

I get my small pots at a local nursery that sells small cactus. No I have never used cocoanut shells. I can buy a lot of pots and not have to work with them (removing meat) and pay a lot less. I have at least 40 -50 pots and that would get expensive with cocoanuts. And what do I do with all the meat?
Z Man

 

[farm41]

eat it, of course.

I'm going to look for the pots, I just know that some are using coconuts.

 

[mordor]

If you wait long time all this meet in coconut will eventually dry out and then you can open it and remove very easily. Of course it's not a solution if you need caves now :lol:

 

[farm41]

I found the 3" pots, just had go to a different place.

 

[cmoreash]

removing eggs

So the apistos lay the eggs on the sides of the pot? Is that how getting the eggs out by lifting the pot works? :?

 

[farm41]

I had the pot on it's side to make a cave, and she stuck them to the roof of the cave. So they are glued on. I pulled the pot out of the water and moved it to another tank.