Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Cod_only_knows on September 22, 2015, 09:27:37 PM
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Hi all,
Was just looking in my tank and noticed some eggs stuck to my Hygrophila Polysperma. They definitely aren't snail eggs as I can identify them. The shrimps don't lay eggs and my Stiphodon is male. That leaves my Pristella and Pseudomugil as the only parents. I'm pretty certain its the Pseudomugil, but I guess the only way to find out is to hatch the eggs.
This is where I need help. I have never done this before, don't have a hatchery and my QT isn't set up. Is there anything I can do or is almost certain the little chaps will be hoovered up by morning?
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Hi cod
I am no expert but could you set up you QT. If you don't keep QT filter in your main tank could you add some of the filter medium from your main tank to give it a quick start - I can't see the eggs/fry producing that much ammonia to start with.
Also I think in a previous post Sue discussed what would be needed, it was a thread started by extreme one.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Anne
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Sue and I had a similar conversation here (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,2038.msg19219.html#msg19219) and here (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,2042.msg19234.html#msg19234)
In a community tank I think you'll be very lucky to have a successful brood, and can't really do much to influence the outcome.
But, you never know, stranger things have happened.
Good luck. I hope you enjoy the process as much as I do.
FWIW my female Apisto spawns every fortnight and hasn't yet managed to keep a clutch safe until hatching.
I tend to think she's the one that eats them.
Incidentally, my lady Cichlid spawned again today whilst I was at work. I don't expect success, I'm done trying to influence the outcome but I keep my fingers crossed.
One day I will move her and her fella into the QT, a few days before she's due to spawn, so that I can give her the best chance of success.
I'll move him out after he's done his part and let her guard her eggs and hopefully help her have a successful brood.
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I had Pseudomugil gertudae a few years ago and they laid eggs quite often. I used a home made spawning mop which I removed and put in the QT where the eggs hatched. The mop was just a bundle of green knitting yarn (acrylic not wool) tied together. The eggs are slightly sticky and adhered to the yarn, or in your case the plant. I seem to remember that the eggs took quite a long time to hatch.
As Extreme has said, you will be lucky if any eggs survive to hatch, and if they do, the fry will be eaten pretty quickly I'm afraid.
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Thanks for the advice guys. All the eggs were gobbled up by the morning, replaced in the evening and then gobbled up again. Would a hatchery in the tank work? You can pick them up for £2 on Amazon and it would allow me to keep the eggs in the main tank where I am confident about the water quality.
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It depends very much on the hatchery.
The plastic ones often have slits in the bottom to allow the water to circulate. Egg layer fry are very small and will fall through the slits. Or swim out of those hatcheries that have slits in the sides.
The kind made of net over a frame won't allow fry to escape but will allow water to circulate. But certain kinds of fish will suck any fry resting on the bottom through the fabric. When I had honey gouramis, they were terrible for doing that.
I would go a type without slits and always preferred the larger net type. But whichever you go for, make a cover for it if it doesn't have one. A bit of plastic craft mesh will do. It is to stop the fish in the tank jumping in the hatchery and eating the fry.
Or make your own larger fry net, I'll tell you how if you are interested.
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Or make your own larger fry net, I'll tell you how if you are interested.
Sue I'd be interested in knowing this for the future. Do you fancy writing up a tutorial and posting it as a new thread?
We could use it to share other ideas too, as I've bought some mesh to convert one of the plastic ones with slits.
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Sounds like a fantastic idea, I'd be thrilled to hear how to make my own too!
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Thread here (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=2126.msg20165#msg20165)
They do look a bit rough and ready but they work.
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Fantastic! Thanks Sue.