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The eggs have little dark spots in the middle of them now. Are they ready to hatch?
The book refers these as a Butterfly Cichlid.
Would attach a pic but uable to at the moment.
Thanks for all you comments.

Thanks for all the advise I am sure that they will breed again and next time I will be prepared. At the moment though they seem to be fighting with each other. like us humans i am sure they will start to get on when they feel like it.
I will keep you posted if they breed again.

I have heard it's not uncommon to lost the first couple batches of fry in this manner, eggs or fry eaten.. But it still sucks and I'm sorry to hear that.. I'm stuck on whether to let the parents 'parent' the first batch or 2, or swipe the eggs out and 'supervise' the hatch. Decisions...... Always...

On the good note, you know for a fact you have a breeding pair, this means there will be another batch coming along with a better success rate. Your first batch at least made it to fry, usually the eggs get eaten before it makes it this far.

The Amazon Nut...

Sorry to hear about your fry being eaten, but don't worry, your rams will spawn again in a week or two.

As the eggs develop it becomes harder for the parents to protect them from the other inhabitant of the tank. After all, the wrigglers are more eye-catching to the other fish than just eggs, and they're willing to take more risks to eat them. When they finally become free swimming (which is the stage when you should start feeding them) the parents parade them around the tank to find food. This is when the rest are usually eaten in a community tank. This is very stressful for the parents as the other fish are just waiting for them to do a mistake and they know it. Usually they will just leave a few behind, those who can't catch up with them. Sometimes they will fight due to the stress and will forget about the fry and the other will have a feast. And sometimes they will just give up and eat the fry themselves.

It's not impossible to breed successfuly in a community tank, just much harder. Leaving some kind of lights on in the room so the tank is not fully dark will help the parents protect the fish at night, etc., but the best thing is to have another tank ready. You can either move the parents to a new tank and let them breed there (and it's best to remove the father after they hatch) or if you can't have a tank that big, you can move the eggs after they've spawned. The best way is to put a slate where they've spawned the last time and hope they like it enough to spawn on it again.

Better luck next time!
p.s. They get better with experience, and for the first time, your fish fish were very successful!

:#( I'm sorry to say that all the fry have been eaten up. I cane home today with a breeding net as the fry were too small for the hatchery I had, only to find that they were all gone. I was very upset to say the least. The farther of them was just hanging aroud the corner of the tank where they were kept looking very sad!!
Hope that there will be a next time?.
:#(

You're a 'fishy parent' congrats !

Not sure how fast they grow, but with the feeding I'm thinking feed 2 separate areas of the tank at once.

Remember Jasonpisani's advice on the microworms first.

Last edited by DaFishMan at 16-Jul-2005 06:51

The Amazon Nut...

I did not think that this would happen but the little things are wriggling around. the parents have moved them into a trench that they made half under the rock that they laid them on. There seem to be over a hyndred and are tiny. Doe anyone know how quickly they grow and how I will get them the brine shrimp without the rest of the tack scoffing them first?

Glad to be of help ! I have been looking into german blue's myself and getting 4 in approx 2 weeks from a private breeder..

I'm very curious as to how they will do in your community tank, and wish you good luck



The Amazon Nut...

Thanks for the web site DaFishman I found this very helpful. These are the fish that i was talking about, now just waiting to see what happens i will keep you informed, unfortunatlt do not have an extra tank so am unable to seperate. I am very excited now hope some make it though.

I have a pair of these and have only recently set up the tank 90lt approx 2months ago. they have layed eggs on a rock adn have started making a pit. Bothe are very protective of the spot but all the other fish keep getting close especially the tetras. The tank is a community one with several species approx 20 fish in all (have had a few bad ones that died). Could anyone help as I do not know what to do now? Do I seperate after they have hatched wot if they do not hatch do I remove the eggs? I really do not know what is the best as I have read several articles that say different things.

That is great.

If the eggs hatch in your community tank, make sure that you put some sponge material around the filter intake. I heard somewhere (hm, maybe here at FP) that the parents like to show their kids the environment and that it happens that they get sucked up, if they get to close.

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Are you referring to German Blue Rams ?
Congrats on the eggs !

http://www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Dwarf/RamInfo.asp

The Amazon Nut...

Feed them Microworms for the first few days & then feed them Live Brine Shrimp.



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http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

If they are hatched what should I feed them on and how often?

Appears to be a good spawn from your description. If the eggs were not fertilized or infertile, they would have remained white. The pair will protect the eggs until they hatch in two or three days and then will attempt to guard the fry. If the eggs turn white and fungus up, the parents will eat those eggs.

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

They seem to be all right fighting their corner no other fish can get anywhere near,they are taking it in turns protecting the eggs. The eggs look a little yellowish in colour they were white when they were first laid. Neither seem to be eating them. Does anyone know if they do bury them for them to hatch? If so how long are they supposed to be there for?

If it's their first time, i think that the eggs might get eaten, or by the parents or by the Tetra's.

IMO it's better to move them in another tank & let them breed in peace & quiet, all by themselves.


http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com