Angel Eggs - uncover in water change

[Linwood]

I have a pair of angels that spawned in a community tank the day before I planned to change water, and they did so on the intake pipe near the top.

I doubt the fry can survive, but this is a very peaceful tank -- just three tetras, two SAE and a pleco. So maybe.

But I planned to change water, which will uncover the eggs for probably 15 minutes.

Will that kill them?

 

[Andy Sager]

I have a pair of angels that spawned in a community tank the day before I planned to change water, and they did so on the intake pipe near the top.

I doubt the fry can survive, but this is a very peaceful tank -- just three tetras, two SAE and a pleco. So maybe.

But I planned to change water, which will uncover the eggs for probably 15 minutes.

Will that kill them?

A couple of minutes, doubtful. Fifteen minutes...... probably but not definitely. It all depends on how dry they get. If there is any way to either delay the water change or remove the filter part and keep it submerged, the chances of survival should go up.

 

[Linwood]

Well, maybe. The nitrates are up to about 40ppm; they are rising a bit more than I expected (that tank recently recycled for unknown reasons - very long story). Even if I could put it off until they hatch, it's probably even worse once they are wigglers, if they are still attached (can they be on a vertical pipe?) they probably would survive even less long.

You may recall I raised a few fry. I don't intend to remove these to a different tank or anything; way too much like work last time.

But I hate to kill the eggs as soon as they are laid. Even if they are likely to be lunch soon after.

Remove the pipe -- maybe.... I always leave a piece or two unglued on the intakes just to make it easier to rearrange. Have to tug a bit and see which piece. They won't shake off easily?

PS. In case your memory is better than mine, the last discussion this pair was in a big 220G tank with some other angles, and lots of congo tetras and such. Because of their aggression, they now have their own (almost -- 3 peaceful serpae tetra who strangely are being left alone). So I am not too surprised they spawned again, and they have some amount of chance now to raise a few fry if they can. But if they can't, so be it.

 

[Andy Sager]

Well, maybe. The nitrates are up to about 40ppm; they are rising a bit more than I expected (that tank recently recycled for unknown reasons - very long story). Even if I could put it off until they hatch, it's probably even worse once they are wigglers, if they are still attached (can they be on a vertical pipe?) they probably would survive even less long.

You may recall I raised a few fry. I don't intend to remove these to a different tank or anything; way too much like work last time.

But I hate to kill the eggs as soon as they are laid. Even if they are likely to be lunch soon after.

Remove the pipe -- maybe.... I always leave a piece or two unglued on the intakes just to make it easier to rearrange. Have to tug a bit and see which piece. They won't shake off easily?

PS. In case your memory is better than mine, the last discussion this pair was in a big 220G tank with some other angles, and lots of congo tetras and such. Because of their aggression, they now have their own (almost -- 3 peaceful serpae tetra who strangely are being left alone). So I am not too surprised they spawned again, and they have some amount of chance now to raise a few fry if they can. But if they can't, so be it.

Of course I remember. ( My Daughter says I have a "freakishly good memory!" lol ) My reasoning for waiting is that most likely, once the eggs hatch, the parents will probably move them to somewhere else making it easier for you to do your water change and not get to them. The nitrate level isn't so high that it should cause harm to the eggs or fish but if you don;t really care about the outcome, the choice would be yours whether to wait or not. But as with all good plans, the parent's could always go ahead and screw things up and not move them.

 

[Linwood]

Understood -- so if I manage to (gently as I can) pull the pipe loose, and stick it down in the bottom of the tank while I change water, and put it back....

Are the eggs likely to stay stuck? Last time I sucked a few up that were loose on a leaf with a syringe, so I have no feel for how sticky new eggs are (from the number of white eggs (1) I'm guessing these were laid yesterday, unless the parents are aggressively cleaning those off, and they weren't that aggressive before).

 

[Andy Sager]

Understood -- so if I manage to (gently as I can) pull the pipe loose, and stick it down in the bottom of the tank while I change water, and put it back....

Are the eggs likely to stay stuck? Last time I sucked a few up that were loose on a leaf with a syringe, so I have no feel for how sticky new eggs are (from the number of white eggs (1) I'm guessing these were laid yesterday, unless the parents are aggressively cleaning those off, and they weren't that aggressive before).

They are supposed to be sticky and stay put but now adays, who knows. Mine stick to their slates but usually fall off as they hatch. It's going to be based on the cleanliness of the area they were laid on I suppose. If they made it super clean, they should stick tight.

 

[Linwood]

I think trying to move the pipe is the simplest thing then. If it fails, it fails -- I'm really not trying to raise fry, like I said, just a bit sad to kill them explicitly after being laid.

 

[Andy Sager]

Well, you know it's always a chance. Good luck.

 

[Linwood]

Turns out to have been moot. I waited one more day, and they ate them.

Water is now changed, should be good for a while, maybe they'll try again, maybe not.

Interestingly there's a lot of slate in that tank (all the rocks are slate), at all sorts of angles -- and they picked the intake pipe.

 

[treemanone2003]

Turns out to have been moot. I waited one more day, and they ate them.

Water is now changed, should be good for a while, maybe they'll try again, maybe not.

Interestingly there's a lot of slate in that tank (all the rocks are slate), at all sorts of angles -- and they picked the intake pipe.

I've seen quite a few times they pick vertical surfaces. I would suggest turning the heater horizontal and try to disguise it if possible as that wouldn't be a good breeding ground.


Sent from my iPhone that doesn't like me. Or you !!

 

[Linwood]

Yeah, in the other tank they went for the heater -- baked eggs don't hatch. Here it was 2" away from this pipe, and very flat, maybe they got smart.

But there's even some flat vertical slate in there. Plus a good sized amazon sword.

Do they prefer black? All the slate is red/orange.

Regardless, the parents just need to figure it out. I'm enjoying now raising pleco babies. By "raising" I mean (in a different tank) somehow they come to exist, we notice them at about 1/2 to 3/4" long, a few survive and become adults. We do nothing but watch. Doing nothing is tough work, but if I practice long enough, I can do it.

Whereas raising angel babies is way too much like real work.

 

[Andy Sager]

Angels are funny, some like black slate, some red rocks some yellow, etc. I've had pairs be so specific that they only spawned on a particular piece of slate. Some even, a particular SPOT in the tank. The best you can do is just give them things they might enjoy spawning on and make things you don;t want them to spawn on as undesirable as possible. As previously mentioned, turning a submersible heater sideways is a good way to discourage spawning on it or placing items in front of the heater if it is not a submersible. But as always, Angels will do what they want to do when they want to do it. Just look at the pic I posted in the original Wigglers thread. The female wanted red shale and wanted it so bad that she spawned on the piece on the bottom of the tank which was holding up the bigger piece of slate at the "right" angle. What are ya gonna do? lol

 

[Rossi94]

Turns out to have been moot. I waited one more day, and they ate them.

Water is now changed, should be good for a while, maybe they'll try again, maybe not.

Interestingly there's a lot of slate in that tank (all the rocks are slate), at all sorts of angles -- and they picked the intake pipe.

Did u see them eat the eggs or was it overnight? If it was overnight your pleco probably got a late night snack ?


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[Linwood]

Did u see them eat the eggs or was it overnight? If it was overnight your pleco probably got a late night snack ?

I wasn't around all the day to see them eat them, but I saw probably a third maybe half vanish during the day, and all were gone by the next day.

Could have been the pleco of course, but this pair has eaten prior spawns also.

 

[Eagle Eyes]

I've seen quite a few times they pick vertical surfaces. I would suggest turning the heater horizontal and try to disguise it if possible as that wouldn't be a good breeding ground.


Sent from my iPhone that doesn't like me. Or you !!

Yea because who wants cooked angle fry?