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My germen rams spawned yesterday for the 2nd time

(got to wiggler stage the first time) I've removed the other tankmates to another tank this time, and put some peat in the filter to soften the water a bit. Also a 2nd heater to warm the tank further.

*crosses fingers*

There's a ton of microworms awaiting so here's hoping I get some free swimmers this time !



The Amazon Nut...

Peat has now colored the water bronze, kh is lower, ph unchanged. W/C 7.5 gal so with last nights, 15g now changed. 40ml H202 (hydrogen peroxide at 3% solution) dosed for fungicide. Temp up from 76 to 80F.

Eggs lookin great, parents parenting. Most tankmates are gone, except bn pleco, oto, and one very elusive and fast dorsigera. 5 dorsig juvies and platy in a 10g holding tank.

Time for sleep !

The Amazon Nut...

Congrats on the eggs and good luck with raising the fry.

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Hey Troppo !

I came home today to find wigglers, the parents stuck them in a 'crack' in the driftwood lol. Kinda hard to see atm but there's l'il hoppers in there

Last time they were gone on day 2 so we'll see what happens ! Have a swarm of microworms ready

The Amazon Nut...

This morning there were only a couple wigglers in their spot. I was thinking dang I lost some

Got home after work today and RAN to the tank then gave myself a case of pop-eye searching frantically for the wigglers, then fed the parents a pinch of food then watched to see where they'd go afterward.

To the rear side of the driftwood they went. Where they put them was a poor choice, sloped steeply and the drop from there to the substrate about half a foot. (picture a wiggler hopping then finding itself rolling over and over then off 'the cliff', lol)
Aren't they supposed to put them where I can try to get a pic ?
The male went down to the substrate and I couldn't see what he was doing, returned to the wigglers and spit about 6 back into the 'pile'. I hope they get moved to a more stable spot ? There's between 20-30 I think but kinda hard to count em !
This is further progress then last time There might be free swimmers by tonight or tommorow at this rate. I'm fairly sure I'm going to my mom's this weekend so kinda in a bind.

I'm also wondering, how do I get the microworms down to them when they're free-swimmers ? Eye-dropper ? Will the parents let me get near ?

In a bare tank it wouldn't be so much a concern but pretty easy for microworms to get lost in the flourite ?


The Amazon Nut...

How are the fry going? I hope they are going OK for you. Any pics?

As far as the micro worms getting lost in the substrate - I wouldn't be too concerned. Little fry tend to forage around between the grains of substrate for bits of food. Just use a turkey baster or medicine dropper and squirt the food in their general vicinity and they will find it.

G_T



Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Hello

So far so good !
On Friday before I left for my moms I tried to feed the wigglers some microworms for the first time although they had some yolk sac left. The parents went ballistic and hit the airtube (attached to the med dropper)

Interestingly enough the first time I fed the microworms they were placed in a glass of tankwater at 8pm. 6am the next morning they were still living !

No pics yet as they're hidden under the rear of the driftwood. Waiting for a chance to snap some

Returned home today, at least 30 free swimming fry although I can't get a clear peek. Fed some microworms this time using a turkey baster, just bombed the rear corner of the tank so they could drift down. I can't see if they're eating them. They somehow seem too small to be ready for microworms, I have some hikari first bites on hand kinda seeing how it plays out ? I'll have brine shrimp eggs tomorrow.

The endler fry are going nuts for the microworms

The Amazon Nut...

Wish I had better pic quality on this but the parents took the babies for a stroll through the tank, for over 10 hours lol.



I have lotsa dots !

The Amazon Nut...

Last night all the fry are gone. The male ram was the guilty culprit I think as I had caught and moved the last dorsigera beforehand.

The Amazon Nut...

Oh no! It was looking so promising for this batch.

Don't give up on your breeding attempts now though... get the parents back in top condition and try again. Look at each attempt as a learning experience, both for the ram parents and for you.

In any case I personally find the spawning and egg/ wriggler care with cichlids fascinating to watch... much more so than raising all the fry to adulthood and then trying to find appropriate homes for them all.

Good luck with future attempts.

G_T




Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Thanks Troppo

Not giving up yet ! I hear ya, more conditioning is needed. I've learned alot from this so far, each time I learn a little more. The rams seem to as well

I also find the egg/wiggler/fry parenting a fascinating process. My face keeps getting stuck to the tank.

Also alot to do in the tank, the algae is getting something awful need to increase the health of the plants before I lose them.






The Amazon Nut...

Good to hear that you're not giving up

alot to do in the tank, the algae is getting something awful need to increase the health of the plants before I lose them

Maybe while you're doing this you could rearrange things to maximise viewing opportunities. Don't be too overzealous with your cleaning/algae eradication though... small fry like all the microfauna that come with a slightly less than sterile tank - it provides a constant source of food for them to graze on in the early days. Whenever I have separated fry from parents the ones in an established tank with algae and other scungy bits have always done better than those I have tried raising in a more controlled, 'clean' environment.

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.