Discus eggs?

[Beerleader]

I just looked in my discus tank and we've noticed 2 have been really pairing off lately and defending a certain area of the tank, and tonight I think I see what looks like eggs. Some are darker with a few brighter white ones in the patch. But it seems they are eating or selecting out the white ones and leaving the rest. I don't have a cone or anything set up for breeding cause it was never anything I considered. Will the fry survive in the community tank with the other discus around? I read that they will become free swimming in around 72 hours if they are indeed "viable" eggs. And I understand they kind of eat off the slime coat of the parents. But everything I've read says to put the breeding pair into a smaller 30+ gallon tank, then to remove the babies into their own tank after several weeks. But I only have an extra 10 gallon for a sick tank. So do I need to go purchase another tank if I want these babies to survive?? Can they make it in the community tank or is that unheard of?? I may be jumping the gun, cause this is the first time and I'm not sure if they are even fertilized. But it is weird that both of them are hovering over and really defending that area. Wasn't sure if they did this over eggs that weren't any good also. Any advice, I'd appreciate!!

[Beerleader]

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[blixem]

The white eggs that are being picked off are the ones that are not fertilzed or are bad for one reason or another.

As for your first batch of fry, most fish in general don't get breeding right on the first spawn. AKA they eat all the eggs, or the wigglers, etc... If this is their very first spawn I wouldn't really worry too much about trying to save fry as much as I would getting a good setup for them to breed in the future.

BTW: Congrats on your pair!

[Beerleader]

Thanks a lot for the reply and yeah I am pretty excited they are two gorgeous fish so hopefully in the future will produce beautiful fry. For now the pair mainly one but both are still hovering over the eggs. One almost looks like she fans them w/ one fin at a time hehe..its cute. But we'll see, if they actually make it or what happens from here. But I agree now that I know I have a pair, I think I'm gonna get a tank set up for them to breed and try it out.

[Beerleader]

Well today makes the third day w/ the eggs. There are quite a few and most have little black dots in them..with a few white ones still scattered about. Both the fish are still hovering over the eggs and really defending that side of the tank. I will see what happens, and hopefully they can make it until I get another tank set up for this breeding pair. Either way its been really neat to watch them.

This is a pic of one of the parents, the other is almost the same just more red than orange colorations.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...0112000018.jpg

[Lisachromis]

I doubt that the fry will survive in the main tank. If you really want discus babies, your best bet is to move the two discus into a 25-30gallon tank on their own and let them raise the babies up to a certain size and then remove the parents. It's alot of work, but the results can be very rewarding.

[Beerleader]

Yeah that is what I've most read. That once you have the pair, get them their own tank. Then they fry need their own tank after about 3 weeks. I maybe decide to do that, just not sure yet. But thanks for all the advice.

[Beerleader]

WOW, the eggs are now tiny little wigglers. They actually made it! There are 29 that I counted so far. They are in the corner of the tank and the parents are both guarding with the vengeance. I am thinking about putting in a divider to give the parents a little peace and give the babies a chance since they made it this far. Its really neat to watch, I never thought in a million years that my discus would have ever done this. They never really paired up. I added live plants and did a water change, and BAM there were eggs. Now I have fry! so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[Lisachromis]

Congrats!

[Lara]

This is only my opinion, I don't have any experience with breeding discus but I would think that if you leave all the fish in the community tank the surviving fry will be really strong, you know, like natural selection. Unless you want to breed for profit I wouldn't worry about getting another set-up too much, I would think the parents will look after them until they're old enough to look after themselves (or hide). Congratulations, your fish must be very happy, it's so exciting when your fish breed for the first few times

[Beerleader]

Well thanks for caring everyone! But the parents ATE them. I put a divider in to keep out the other adults, and the parents ended up eating them all. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.

[wildtiger]

If they spawned once they will do it again. Apparently you have the right conditions and they are happy. Give them time and be prepared it won't be long before you hear the pitter patter of little fins.