Angel Fish Have Spawned!

[Westwood]

Hi all,
Have got back from work today with a surprise off my angel fish. I have little golden colored eggs.
Here is dad with the eggs.

Unfortunately they are in a community tank, and i am now faced with a decision:
- Remove the eggs after a 24 hour period being with adults.
- Remove all other fish in the tank to my other Tanks.
So what would people recommend be the best choice?
I am going to put brine shrimp on soon, to feed.
Any other advice?

 

[snowflake311]

Take the eggs out if you want to try to raise fry. I like to use a breeding tank and try and keep the parents with the fry as long as I can. But I only got my fry to live 5 weeks and then they all died off. SO I am not the best help when it comes to fry.

Or just let this batch go and set up a breeding tank for them.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

The odds of having the eggs get past the first few days in a community tank is almost impossible. First, the angels themselves may or may not be good parents. most take a few tries to get it right and some never will, they end up eating their eggs every time. Even if the parents are good onek, the eggs may not last as parents will also eat their own eggs before they will let something else have the good meal, And lets not forget all the other tank inhabitants who just see angel eggs as a good meal.

This leaves you two choices, remove the other fish and hope that doing so doesn't cause the parents to freak and eat their eggs. There is still no guarantee they still wont even after they are the lone inhabitants. The other choice is to pull the eggs and hatch them elsewhere. You will need a small tank, airstone and pump, a heater and some methyl blue to prevent fungus. The blue should be removed via a 50% wc and a bag of carbon hung above the airstone when you see wigglers. You can cut that leaf at the stem and move them that way.

You will need to feed the fry live food for at least the first week after they go free swimming (absorb all their yolk sac) and then begin to mix in fry food to wean them off of the live. And it gets to be more work from there. It looks like you have a few 100 eggs there and if most hatch you will need at least one and more likely two 55 gal. tanks to raise the fry.

The one consolation in all this is that when angels first begin to spawn, they will do so more than once. They can actually go again in as few as 10 days but 2-3 weeks is more common. So if you can't move on things this time, you can get prepared for the next time if raising the fry is your goal.

Here is a picture of a 500+ fry spawned and then hatched out in a 2.5 gal.- these pictures and what follows is why I do not breed angels- way to many fry way to often

 

[Westwood]

Thank you for all the Information, from what I gather it is very similar to firemouths I have once breed. I think the best option is to separate the eggs and try and grow them out. I have a small 25l that I will use for the time being, should I place the airstone so the flow is very close to the eggs?
Thanks.

 

[ajs2294]

Air pump/tube with some weight on it so it sinks just next to the eggs. Id also add methyl blue if your going to remove parents to prevent fungus.

 

[Westwood]

Right, After loosing the last lot, i have been out got some methylene blue, so im all prepared for the next lot.
I am surprised to see the papilla on the fish coming out again, and they are cleaning the heater. Can they be ready so soon?

Thanks Again
Westwood

 

[ajs2294]

Mostly likely they are just preparing the area for the next laying session. Seems like my Angels spend most their time "cleaning" these days haha

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Right, After loosing the last lot, i have been out got some methylene blue, so im all prepared for the next lot.
I am surprised to see the papilla on the fish coming out again, and they are cleaning the heater. Can they be ready so soon?

The one consolation in all this is that when angels first begin to spawn, they will do so more than once. They can actually go again in as few as 10 days but 2-3 weeks is more common. So if you can't move on things this time, you can get prepared for the next time if raising the fry is your goal.

 

[Westwood]

Right, After loosing the last lot, i have been out got some methylene blue, so im all prepared for the next lot.
I am surprised to see the papilla on the fish coming out again, and they are cleaning the heater. Can they be ready so soon?

The one consolation in all this is that when angels first begin to spawn, they will do so more than once. They can actually go again in as few as 10 days but 2-3 weeks is more common. So if you can't move on things this time, you can get prepared for the next time if raising the fry is your goal.

I know, i do read , but it hasn't even been 10 days. It has been 6

 

[Westwood]

After eating the last lot the parents have layed AGAIN! today.

 

[minnnt]

Mine did it several times in the space of about a month.Probably 5 or 6 times. The first lot lasted about 8 days, started to get a bit of colour to them, then they were gone. The problem with them is once they have hatched and become free swimming, they are still too small to go into a breeding trap as they fit inbetween the latted walls and escape back into the tank. I noticed that the eggs/fry were dissapearing when the lights were off at night. I removed the parents to another tank and the fry didn't last much past 3 days.

 

[mattlee]

just be carefull with meth blue as it can harm the bacteria in the filter and once they have hatched it will need removing otherwise it can kill the fry.

also when raising angels a big grow out tank will be needed to prevent stunting and to keep the juvis healthy. lots of fish in a small tank causes growth and water issues. as you are aware angels lay hundreds of eggs each time they spawn, not all will make it but lots will.....

good luck