FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Right now I have a german blue ram pair (added May23) fanning and guarding a bunch of eggs on top of the mopani cave !

They look kinda white so I'm not hopeful on this one hatching but this is an encouraging start to say the slightest

The Amazon Nut...

great news about the eggseven if the batch dosent hatch,its still a good fealing knowing the fish are doing well enuff to spawn:^how are they looking now

So far so good HOKESE ! *knocks on wood*

I get home from work, luckily the eggs were still there and the male guarding them. I thought they'd be munched already so very nice to see ! They switch up sometimes so the other can take a break. Sometimes they both leave the nest but one is always fairly close and returns before too long.

The male I've seen once appear to eat an egg and betting he's ate a bad one. The female didn't like that lol.

Did some reading up for Ram eggs, about 3 days to hatch and 5th,6th till free-swimming.
This morn about 1:20am is when I saw the eggs so by Sat morning hopefully I'll see something. Now that I'm thinking about it, CRAP !!! I'll be in class 9am till 4pm lol.

One breeder uses Hydrogen Peroxide (H202) 1ml per gal approx every 12 hours as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and as side bonus adds a bit of oxygen for the eggs. I've been experimenting with it as an external algae dip so had it right on hand and dosed 40ml slowly in at the filter output.

Some of the eggs look almost clear while others whitish. Still wondering if my ph/kh too high which may affect egg development. I have peat but don't want to alter the chemistry right now. Tank temp is 77F.
Unfortunately the heater is right behind the cave and I don't want to freak the rams as that may (to use LongHairedGit's term) turn them into "EESOB's"

The platy keeps trying to get close and gets chased away. I considered pulling her to the 10g but kinda want her there so the parents can work on guarding.

Trying not to get too hopeful, but I'd have to say so far so good ! Sorry for the pic quality but at least it's something ?







The Amazon Nut...

Ok I'm getting excited now

I get home, there is still eggs BUT....
They've ate/picked away all the whitish ones. Just guessing there's at least 60-80 eggs and they all look clear !

Dosed another 40ml H202.

The Amazon Nut...

Ok,

Came home, noticed approx 15 eggs moved to a lower part of the driftwood. I'm thinking, ok that's weird. Go to feed the fish, look back and I see some of those eggs kinda jittering. Wigglers ?

A couple were away from the others so the male scoops it up and spits them back where they should be.
I think it's safe to assume the hatching has started. Wish to heck I could get a closer look !

The Amazon Nut...

AWESOME DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Thanks !

They're definately wigglers ! I'm freaking over here LOL.
I have to goto class today and I kinda want to stay here
to keep an eye on things. By sunday or monday I should have free swimming cichlid fry for the first time

I have Hikari first bites for egglayers will that hold them until I get microworms ?

The Amazon Nut...

That should hold them.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Well I came back into the room after doing some laundry, and the wigglers were gone The rams are still hovering around the driftood but starting to move away from it more and more. I have no idea what happened

I'm kinda sad, but am encouraged to know that I have a breeding pair. I think the conditioning wasn't there or there would have been more then 15 wigglers from over 80 eggs, and the rams themselves are still kinda small. I think maybe the wigglers were weak. But I can now focus on conditioning them and improving the tank. The water will be a little warmer, and softer from some peat. Mind you next time there will be 6 L dorsigera juvies to deal with.


The Amazon Nut...

well thats great news about em hatching,and are you 100% sure the wrigglers are gone,ive been hasty b4,only to find mum and dad have only moved em elsewhere,sometimes the rams i had would move the bubs,to clean to pit,then move them back....even if they are gone,youve done something right,so just keep doing what you have been,and b4 u know it,bamyoull have another batch of eggs,also looking at how small your rams are,this would be there first batch id say,so you have to cut them some slack they are still learning!but from what you were saying above thet are already showing signs of being good mummys and daddys,IE.picking out the bad white eggs.so dont be to down there probly lots more eggs to come

Thanks for the encouragement

The 6 dorsigeras coming tomorrow night. I'm trying to find the room to setup a small breeding tank to move the rams into for now. Luckily I have the stuff needed and hopefully plugging a few more things in fuses won't start blowing lol. My landlord is going to kill me !

Either way I'm addicted and want to see some free swimming fry

The Amazon Nut...