Eggs. Good or bad?

[shezz]

I'm a beginner at all this and have only had my tank since dec of this year so I'm learning... and I have had a fair few casualties so I'm a little paranoid about anything new in my tank!

I was doing a water change yeyesterday and lifted the lid off the tank .. shocked I was when I saw this cacocoon shaped bundle of joy(?) attatched to the side of the cover. It doesnt sit in the water but there is loads of heat and condensation. It is - about 50-60 white eggs - about 1.5 inches long by about 1/2 inch wide. It's amazing looking but I'm not sure how any of the fish in my tank could possibly be happy enough to lay eggs - most of them don't even have mates anymore. Which one of these fish could it possibly be?

I have:
1 snail
4 zebra danos
1 angle fish
1 catfish type thingy
1 loach
2 guppies

Has anyone seen eggs laid out of the water before and what should I do with them? I have a nursery box (for some reason). Should I remove it and put it in there to see what comes out of the eggs? I'm kind of curious what happens here but I don't want an infestation of some alian creature.

Any advise?
shezz

 

[shezz]

I also have red eyed tetras x3. I can't believe I forgot them!

 

[vega]

Even though some fish do lay eggs out of water, I believe none of your fish lay their egg out of water.

From your description, very likely its a spider nest.

HTH

 

[Chevy_Cowboy]

are the eggs covered in a cottony fuzz? If so I'd say vega is right about it being spider eggs.

Congratulations, its an arachnid

 

[shezz]

no cotton fuzz. in fact they look just like white caviar! but Im not eating them I can assure you.
Call me stupid but whats an arachnid!? and Yippee

I have a picture of them - just wish I new how to get it in this thread.
shezz

 

[Keeper]

could be a snail egg sack.....not sure if they can lay eggs out of water though?

 

[Chevy_Cowboy]

hmm, ive never see spider eggs that werent fuzzy so mabey they are something else.

arachnid is the scientific name for spiders... and my bad attempt at a joke

 

[shezz]

Im sure it is a good joke but I only get dirty ones.

Im stumped about this egg sac and frankly if its spiders I want to destroy it... but Im so curious to let them hatch. They must have been there a good few days. I haven't had the lid off for a few weeks. I guess its just a waiting game.

Thanks for you replies.

 

[krap101]

im pretty sure its a snail nest. female snails can hold in the sperm stuff for over a year without the appearance of a male snail. plus i think they have both male and female reproductive organs but they cant fertalise themselves. ive heard of many kinds of snails laying their eggs out of the water and frmo what ive read they havent said any species of snails laying it in but they still said there were some.

 

[shezz]

I really like my snail. should i keep the nest and do you think they will hatch? I expect 50-60 snails might be a bit too many if that is not overly optimistic..

My Angle fish is such a pig it will probably eat them anyway. :?

shezz

 

[QTOFFER]

I agree with Krap101, it's probably snail eggs. Lots of snails are hermaphrodites, meaning that they have male and female sex organs and can reproduce without a mate. They usually lay their eggs just above the waterline.

No need to worry about having too many snails - your loach (do you know what kind?) will probably eat most of the babies as soon as they hatch. In addition, the angel fish will eat any snail that you have squished against the glass.

 

[krap101]

id take em out and u might be able to sell them for 1$ each. and if it were a spider (however unlikely) it probably wouldnt lay it in a tank ]

#1 not enough food (fish are too heavy)
#2 web'll get wet and then itll get soggy and itll have to make another one.

 

[shezz]

My loach is caled a Acanthophtlmus Myersi (Slimy Loach).

Do you think I should I put the eggs in the nursery box?

shezz