Oscar Eggs?

[Chris J]

My 2 approximately 8" oscars have claimed a side of the tank and attack everything including my hand that makes it to their side of the tank. They cleared all of the sand off of the bottom in one spot and this morning I found little tan beads I am assuming are eggs. If this is the case what do I need to do for them to make it and is there anyway to tell if they're fertilized? I know oscars practice brood care but after the brood care stage do I need to worry about them with their own babies? Any info/experience is greatly appreciated!

 

[HUKIT]

Only the tan eggs are fertilized, there seems to be alot of white ones or maybe that is just the picture.

The pair will defend the fry but depending on tankmates it may not work, oscars are big and clumsy and have a difficult time with smaller fish picking off the free swimming fish.

The hard part is getting rid of the fry, I gave up with mine since I'd have literally a thousand or more fry each spawn and I was unable to sell that many so I simply let them get eaten or fed them to other tanks.

Being the first spawn they may eat the babies if they feel they are threatened by other fish, this is common with new world cichlids in the first few spawns. It normally takes a couple of try's to perfect their technique.

 

[Chris J]

Thanks, the eggs got eaten by some African cichlids I had in the tank and then the oscars ate the rest because I stressed them by trying to catch the Africans. There are a few eggs stuck behind a piece of driftwood with an airstone next to them, I think I'm just going to leave them and see what happens, they do appear to be tan in color. The Africans have been moved to a separate tank now so maybe my next batch will make it.