Angelfish eggs on filter, help!

[Kelly5978]

I am EXTREMELY excited to report that my angelfish finally laid eggs! I have a tank, sponge filter, methelyne blue, etc all ready to go. Unfortunately, my stubborn fish chose the filter for their spawn site. Is there any other way to remove the eggs? The parents seem quite protective, but it's their first spawn, so I'm not holding my breath that they'll be good parents. Is there anything I can do in this situation? I tried to look at the wigglers thread, but had trouble navigating. Please, any advise is welcome! Also, tomorrow was water change day. What should I do about that? No matter what, this was beautiful to watch, and I'm so happy I/they finally succeeded!

 

[JRcichlids]

still continue with your water changes as normal. can you send a pic of the eggs on the filter ?

as its there first spawn i wouldn't move the eggs. put a piece of salte or a spawning cone or clay pot upside down as a spawning site and hopefully they will spawn there next time

 

[Kelly5978]

I will try to post pics. I know everyone will say I'm being silly again, but I think something just isn't right. I have 6 angelfish, 2 denison barbs and 2 rams in my 55g (recently rehomed a few fish). I THOUGHT I had 2 pair of angels, and 2 that are still too small to breed. I planned to give the pairs their own tanks after the first spawn, and a little experience under my belt. The 2 females in the pairs have looked plump for weeks, but wouldn't lay the eggs. I turned off the bubbles in my tank, and that very night, the first pair (a black and a gold) laid their eggs on the filter. The eggs are still there, but there are much fewer. The mom is fanning like crazy, and the dad is guarding the area like a pro, but I see her picking out more and more white ones every hour. I know this is their first spawn, so I had no doubt the eggs would not hatch. But, If there is anything WRONG, I'd like to fix it before the next try. The reason I'm worried is this : aside from the first pairs eggs seeing to go bad, the second pair laid their eggs tonight. Well, the female laid them. I purchased the second pair from a breeder (not knowing they had spawned together before, until after I had them in the big tank). The female laid the eggs on an air hose, right in front of a piece of plexi-glass. The male did nothing, let a barb eat most of the eggs as the female laid them, finally snapped out of his "trance" and chased the barb away, just to gobble down the rest of the eggs himself, while the female pecked at him half-heartedly. So, BOTH pair avoided my nicely placed plexi-glass for difficult places to lay their eggs. Neither female seemed to WANT to lay their eggs, but finally had to. The first pair is trying, but their eggs are turning white. The second pair's male ate the eggs instead of fertilizing. (So the new pair who SHOULD have eaten the eggs, haven't. While the experienced pair's eggs didn't make it 10 seconds). I would have removed the second pairs eggs, but they had to be fertilized first, right???? I understand that fish will do what they want, in their own time. I'm not trying to force or change anything. I'm just asking if all this sounds normal? And, if not, what might be the problem? (And, before anyone asks, I have stayed as far away from the tank as possible, so this time....it can't be my meddling to blame!) I tested the water tonight, just to make sure it was okay. 0 ammonia/nitrites. 10 nitrates. Everything else the same. Turning off the bubbles seemed to get the females to lay, but do the eggs need an airstone, if the parents are with them? I'm sorry for all the questions, and long post. I just hope to learn from this, so I know if everything is okay, and if I should change anything for next time. I'm going to try to post pics now. Thanks.

 

[Kelly5978]

Here are videos. Let me know if you can't view them. I know everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I really love this, and want to learn from my mistakes. This is the first pair, laying their eggs on the filter about 30 hours ago

http://youtu.be/uu7ZVNI7NH4

This is the male (same pair) fertilizing

http://youtu.be/vXBEgvzprFY

This is 10 min ago. See how many fewer eggs, and the visible white ones? Are any fertilized?

http://youtu.be/g_Q6xFImI18

Finally, this is the second pair. The female lays eggs on the air tube, the male does nothing. You see him up top, just kinda sitting there. He later chases the barb away, only to eat them himself. His breeding tube is showing, but he didn't fertilize.

http://youtu.be/qqNlFa0vfS4

Thanks for any advise.

 

[Kelly5978]

I realize utube is blurry, so do these pics show up?
http://m.flickr.com/photos/102143989@N08/10567129025/lightbox/

http://m.flickr.com/photos/102143989@N08/10567189354/lightbox/

http://m.flickr.com/photos/102143989@N08/10567187374/lightbox/

This is today, as they turn white

http://m.flickr.com/photos/102143989@N08/10567140956/lightbox/

 

[JRcichlids]

yeah its all normal . you cant do anything other then let them get on with it . i have 4 poairs of breeding angelfish and all in there own 20 g long tanks . and one pair has had 4 spawns and still no success but im not worried as i know they are a new pair and they will get it right soon. if you change anything in the tank it may take them longer to do anything also they will spawn where ever they want no matter what we put in the tank for them to spawn on. you could put the most expensive piece of marble in the world in the tank and they might not go near it. best thing wouold be to get them there own tank if you want to breed them and have some fry to grow on. but if you want to remove the eggs omnce they have been fertilized its alot more work for you and you need to know what your doing to raise the babies up. best people to talk to about this are ANDY SAGER AND BOB MCCOY . as they are very good with angelfish and other types of fish many years experience in the hobby and breeding give them a shout. hope i helped you out a bit

 

[Kelly5978]

Yes, I know. I've been directed to "wigglers" many times. My phone doesn't cooperate with a thread that long. I've spent all my money on fish, so none left for an actual computer! Lol. But thanks for the advice. I think I'm just gonna leave it. Too many chances for error on my part. Have a great life all!