advice needed on young pairs :)

[turquoisegirl1]

Hi all,

SO. I have finally set up my 4 footer, planted it out, got the water chemistry spot on, and I now have 9 healthy discus, ranging in size from about 6-7 cm to about 13-15cm. Only about a week after the tank was set up, two of the fish paired off, each are about 12cm - I have only seen these fish lay once and the eggs were eaten soon after by the parents. They have most likely laid a few times however I have not been watching them all that closely these last few weeks.

I have two fish that are slightly smaller, around the 10cm mark, which have also paired, so it would seem - I did not see the eggs laid, but the fish who I believe to be mum was fanning. I later came back to find dad helping her "fan the eggs", but it seems that they are gone. Both fish still will not leave this spot...

I am now at a loss as to which pair to put in the breeding tank over the next week when i set it up - the younger pair, a beautiful tony tan snakeskin and a spotted leopard with some extremely interesting traits, would surely throw the more interesting fry, however would the older pair, a red turq and a blue snakeskin, be more likely to succeed??

any advice appreciate!!

jacqui

[Merrilyn]

Jacqui, I'd be inclined to put the younger pair in the tank first. They may not have eaten the eggs themselves, it may have been another fish, which is why they are still hanging around the 'spot'.