New spawn

[Essayons89]

I didn't notice this until this until a couple of days ago but I have wigglers on the glass in a corner. The parents are doing a fine job of looking after them. From my count there about 20 or so left, it's a community tank. Some are on the glass, some are on some java moss and some are hanging out next to mom and dad. Before this, the furthest along that they have gotten was to wiggler stage before being eaten by the parents.

I want to set up a empty 40 gallon breeder that I have empty for this pair. I'm thinking bare-bottom, a couple of potted swords, some driftwood and a clump of java moss. I might add some pennywort for some floating plant cover to dim the tank some.

Bryan

[kalebjarrod]

congrats,

what is it that have breed?

[Essayons89]

Oops...sorry about that, my discus have spawned. Just a quick update. The wigglers have used up their egg sacs. How long is it before they start to feed off of their parents?

Thanks,
Bryan

[weird]

Congrats on the wrigglers.

How long is it before they start to feed off of their parents?

Sorry I unfortunately have not had the wonderful experience of discus breeding

I'm thinking bare-bottom, a couple of potted swords

Thanks for the idea, I always wanted to try amazon swords ... might grab me some pots.

[DiscusMan]

Mine started to feed on the parents about 1 to 2 days after they where off the egg sacks. I think they are supposed to go on straight away and they might have been having nibbles at the parents while i wasn't watching etc.

I have put it down to a bit of parent inexperience and hopefully next time they will get he babies on them sooner.

Congrats on the fee swimmers and hope they continue to grow on.

Wayne

PS. Dont spend tom many hours watching them it is very addictive.

[Essayons89]

Thank you!

Wayne, thank you for the advice. So far, there isn't much free swimming going on. The eggs sacs are gone but they are still pretty much against the glass. The parents won't let them stray far before herding them back.

I had a scare earlier. One of them decided that it would be fun to try and swim away. Dad grabbed him with his mouth and held onto him. He then proceeded to swim around the tank chasing the other fish away for a couple minutes before taking the little on back to the corner and spitting it out unharmed. This is nerve wracking but seeing them exhibit parental care is awesome.

I'll try to get some pics tonight.

Bryan

[DiscusMan]

yes love to look at the pictures so please takes some and post them up.

The parents do sometimes eat a couple of the babies. I noticed that as the babies got bigger and the parents still tried to move them in their mouths, problem is that the babies are bigger and better swimmers and upon being eaten ( in their eyes ) they swim deeper into the fishes throat, so the parent either 1 swallows or 2 chokes. They choose the earlier

I beleive that one of the hurdles is actually to get the parents to stop caring so much for the babies and let them start to feed of the parents without the parents trying to care so much for them. I think that a few near chokings soon sorts this out in the new parents.

Wayne

[jim from sydney]

You guys seem to have a lot of fun with the new borns....makes me jealous

keep up the good works......any pictures??????

Jim.

[Essayons89]

I tried to take a couple of pictures of the wigglers but they didn't turn out too well, very blurry.

I'm back to square one with them, the wigglers are gone, there is no sign of them anywhere.

Things were looking so good that I though that they might make it this time. I'm going to try to get them there own tank set up and see it that helps. If worse comes to worse I can always pull them after they spawn and raise the fry myself.

I'm encouraged that this latest spawn made it this far along after seeing wigglers being eaten after a day and eggs being eaten soon after being laid.

Thank you for the well wishes and the help, very much appreciated.

Bryan

[jim from sydney]

Bryan.............. tough luck pal, who-ever said "life is meant to be easy"

cheer up...better luck next time.....Jim