Cory eggs

[sumpthinfishy]

Okay, in my brand new, used 55 gallon tank yesterday morning, my cories spawned! I managed to save a bunch of eggs before the gourami ate them all. I didn't have anything but a bit of Melafix to try to keep them from fungusing. I just treated the whole tank as they are in a little plastic breeder box. Several times a day, I make sure fresh water from the tank is put into the breeder box. It has slits along the ends for water flow, but I'm sure it's not all that great, so feel I should help it out.

Is there anything else I can do to help increase their odds of hatching and surviving? Oh, I think these are c. aeneus, if it matters at all.

[Fishnut2]

The water flow should be fine in the breeder box. You'd be better off with a solid container. an airstone, and some methylene blue. If the current breeder box has slits in the bottom...your other fish will suck the eggs out. The advantage of the solid container is: you can treat the water inside it, without treating the whole tank. Float it in the main tank, to maintain proper temperature. In 3-4 days (depending on temp) you should have wigglers. I another 3-4 days...they should be free-swimming, and ready to eat! After that...it's all feeding and proper filtration
Best of luck!

[sumpthinfishy]

Thanks, Fishnut2.

I think next time - I hope I'm there to witness so I can get the eggs - I'll just put them in a little "Gladware" type of bowl. I have those for snail egg incubators anyway.

The slits are on the smaller ends of the breeder box and I've turned it so that the water from the filter flows through it.

I'll have to get some methylene blue. A few have fungused and I've removed them. But I'm not sure how they're supposed to look. I don't really see any change from two days ago when she had them. There are roughly 100 of them! I counted one side of the box and it was over 50. There are at least that many on the other side. Wow!

Well, a day or two more will tell, I guess. If they don't hatch, but haven't fungused, should I leave them another day or so?

Thank you, so much!

[Fishnut2]

Ya,
Leave them for a while longer. Your temp is probably 76-78...so it will take a little longer. If you do see them spawning...let the eggs harden a few hours. If you pull them too soon, the membrane will be soft, and the eggs will just fall apart. Also: don't use methylene blue on a container with slits. Your main tank will be a mess.

[sumpthinfishy]

Thank you so much! More have fungused. I'm hoping at least a few hatch. I've probably lost a dozen so far. That's just about right for my temp today. Usually it's a bit cooler, but it's hot here now and haven't run the a/c very much.

Thanks again. I'll let y'all know if any make it.

[sumpthinfishy]

I'VE GOT BABIES! Woohoo! Couldn't believe it. Had a truly horrible day, came home and checked all the fishy kids and there were 3-4 little wrigglers in the box. I moved them to my 10 gallon along with the rest of the eggs in the box.

Fishnut - you were right, of course. They slipped through the sides where the slits are. I hope they are in the 10 gallon! I slipped a bowl under the breeder box and moved it all to the 10 gallon. They're so hard to see, I'm not sure if there in there or not. I'll feed and change water like they are until I know for sure. There are a few more that look like they may be viable. Most have fungused now. Maybe another 6-10 that still look okay.

I have 1-2 week old baby swordtails in the small tank. Will they eat the cories? I can't believe how small they are! I almost didn't see them at all!

[Lexus]

Oh cute, I'm jealous!

[sumpthinfishy]

I'm shocked I saw them spawning and actually saved any of the eggs. And that they've hatched is too cool!

I now have two of them that have hatched out in the solid bowl that's floating in the water. It is incredibly hard to see them! Maybe I should dig out my glasses.