Unexpected Angelfish Eggs - First Time - Clueless!!!

[aquanewbie72]

Long LONG time- no post! But here I am back again with a totally new problem that has thrown me for a loop!

I have a silver angelfish with stripes that I thought was a Male. And a gold angelfish that I thought was a Female. They always "pick" at each other but also spend a lot of time ignoring each other, so I never was alarmed by their love/hate relationship.

Suddenly last night I get home from work, and the gold female is cowering in the bottom corner of the tank and the striped male is beating the crap out of her. SO - I grab a net, haul the female out and stick her in my 10 gallon to get some solitude and recooperate.

I walk back over to my big tank to scold the male (not because he can hear me or understand me, but because it makes me feel better) and he is swimming strangely up and down vertically along an air hose- and low and behold- it is COVERED with eggs!

The striped angelfish has not left that spot of the tank all night and is not letting any of the other fish anywhere near it. NOW - here are my burning questions LOL.....
Clearly my silver striped angelfish is a GIRL not a guy correct?
Is my gold angelfish the dad - or is she another female and is that why she got beat up?
How long until the eggs hatch?
If there is no male present and they don't hatch, do I have to clean them out or will they get eaten or what?
Can I put the gold angelfish BACK into the large tank once the eggs are out of the picture?

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Is your tank inhabitants up to date?

Honestly, as of right now I wouldn't do anything until you have the materials around to raise the fry. It takes a lot of work and dedication (not that you don't have it!) but I doubt you have sponge filters, fry food, etc. on hand right now. Chances are they won't make it too long anyways. Usually the fish just eat the eggs if left in the community tank because they feel harmed or other fish will eat them. Sounds as if you have a male and female there, but wait and see what happens to the eggs. Are they all sorta opaque or clearish, or white? White would be unfertilized.

HTH

 

[aquanewbie72]

Yep my inhabitant list is up to date. Actually I do have breeder boxes and baby food left over from when my platys were getting busy. I have 4 offspring as a reward for my diligence with them. Unfortunately both their mom and dad have passed away recently, but I still have the 4 babies. They are all almost 18 months old at this point.

This morning I noted that a few of the eggs had turned white opaque. But most of them remained clear. I just don't understand why the mother angel attacked the other angelfish. Is it anyones opinion whether my victim angelfish is the dad or another female???
Anyway- I really REALLY don't want to keep that poor angelfish in the 10 gallon. He/she is TOO BIG. I can just tell s/he HATES it.

hmmmm.... darn - I might need to buy another BIG tank. *wink*

 

[black hills tj]

angel eggs turning opaque white means that the eggs themselves are dead. The clear ones are fertile.

 

[Zagz]

You will need to remove the eggs from the tank in order for them to survive. Do not allow the eggs to be in contact with the air for more than a second or two. Put the eggs in a container or a tank with no filter, an airstone and a heater. keep the temps at around 80-82F. You will need either methelyne blue or hydrogen peroxide, to prevent fungus (eggs turning white). Methelyne blue is more effective IME. Keep the airstone near the eggs but not directly on them. Once the eggs are wriggelers, add a sponge filter. You will need to either hatch your own baby brine shrimp for feeding the tiny fry, or you can use egg yolks, once they are free swimming. They will be much smaller than livebearer's fry.

Your silver may still be a male. You may have been witnessing the male fertilizing the eggs from your gold angelfish. Hard to say for sure unless you have caught them in the act.

Good luck and let me know if I can be of any more help.