First Spawn--Need some advice

[OscarFan]

I just noticed that my angels have just spawned today and I am freaking out... They are guarding the eggs pretty closely but I am concerned with the other mates in the tank. Others in the tank are 3 clown loaches, 1 pleco, 1 channel cat, 1 spotted puffer. I know the puffer is a brackish fish but I didnt learn til after the fact. What do I need to do to ensure the safety of the spawn? Thanks for any advice and here is a pict of the eggs and the angels standing guard.

 

[BrianNY]

Congrats on the first spawn. The likelyhood is that the spawn will disappear. If the tankmates don't get them, the angels will. The only way to insure raising a spawn is to remove the eggs and raise the fry seperately.

 

[OscarFan]

Yeah BrianNY I figured as much.. They are already pickin em off one by one..

 

[azn dreamer]

You should separate the spawn from the angels. This is because...
1) Chances are that the angels will eat the frys
2) Angel fish are territory, especially at breeding times and will harm other fish in the tank if put together.

 

[TankGirl]

I agree with above. If fungus does not get them, the fish will. You can try leaving lights on all night when you see eggs so that the parents can guard them (mine did) but fungus always got mine, and they turned white. Once they turned white the fish ate them. The best way to do it is, like has been said, remove the leaf and set up a fry tank. There are specific methods of doing that, as well, so if you are interested in trying it post back and we will help you with it. It is a very interesting thing they do when they spawn, so congratulations! Mine would spawn basically like clockwork every 2 weeks.

 

[OscarFan]

I love this message board!! Everyone is always willing to help out. Thanks for all of the replies and yes I am interested in setting up a fry tank just to see if any of the eggs will hatch. I have very little resources at this time so I removed the plant and placed it in a fish bowl. I do have heat in the bowl and also some airation to keep the water moving a little. I am going to try and get another tank this evening so any suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

[tkos]

You should really find a new home for that puffer. If you are willing to buy a new tank for eggs, then you should think about a brackish tank for him.

 

[TankGirl]

I second the motion about the puffer, but that is another issue.

Here is a handy, detailed link about how one hobbyist hatches his eggs, and I think it is a simple way to go. http://www.geocities.com/fgrainer/hatchingeggs.html

Some set up a separate tank for the mother to be left with the eggs, but sometimes she is a good mother and sometimes not, so you never know.

 

[OscarFan]

Well I am at hour 24+ and 95% of the spawn has turned white. Now my question is why did they turn white? Was it because they were not fertalized or fungus? I have read both accounts from different places. Also for future reference when will I know that the spawn have been fertilized? When do I take the eggs from the parents and put them in a hatching setup??