Bristlenose Eggs

[Mor61e]

Hi, i was just moving all the fish from my existing community tank to my larger community tank ready to change the smaller one into a malawi setup. I got them all out fine and then it came to my pair of bristlenoses.
The male was in his hiding place, an artificial bamboo tunnel so i lifted it out of the water hoping he would drop out into the net but he just stayed there hanging on even though he was out of the water, i continued this for a couple of minutes and he still wouldn't budge so i had a look in there and there was a bundle of yellow-orange eggs!
I quickly put the bamboo tunnel back where it was and i'm wandering what to do now, i want the eggs to hatch and i want to raise the fry but don't know how to go about it.

Help please! thanks

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

The male will take care of the eggs and the fry until they leave the nest, you don't need to do anything special for them at the minute. If you want a good survival rate they should be moved to a tank with no other inhabitants as once they are free swimming they will be eaten by other fish, the parents will leave them alone. Once the fry are free swimming you can feed them cucumber and lettuce as well as algae wafers.

My pair laid eggs every 6 weeks or so from april until a few weeks ago, they haven't had a batch for a few weeks so i think they have fallen out with each other. I have a few babies still in with the parents and i had some in a seperate tank with some baby platies until they got whitespot and the treatment killed all the plecs.

Good luck with them

Emma

 

[Mor61e]

Cool thanks, how big are they when they are born?

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Once they get past the wiggler stage and look like proper plecs, they are under a centimeter long. They are usually a centimeter long when the venture out of the nest.

Mine tend to have 25% albino babies even though the parents are brown.

Emma

 

[smithrc]

hi - this might help with the size question

 

[demonmagus]

dam they're so cute!

 

[smithrc]

dam they're so cute!

those are probubly a week or 2 old in that piccy - they are even smaller when they are let out of the fathers care

be prepared to get more in 5-6 weeks time

 

[Mor61e]

I've just had a look in the tunnel where the eggs are and they've now all got little tales, they are still on the roof of the tunnel though, lol

 

[smithrc]

I've just had a look in the tunnel where the eggs are and they've now all got little tales, they are still on the roof of the tunnel though, lol

You have wrigglers

the male should stay in the cave with them untill the yoke sack is gone - then he'll let them out..

Ours took 3 attempts to get it rights so bear with them - it does sould like its going ok though

 

[Mor61e]

How long does it usually take for the yolk sacs to be eaten?

 

[Mor61e]

I've had the babies for a couple of weeks now (about 70 of them!). They are in a 5 gallon until they get big enough that they won't be eaten by my other fish, lol.

I feed them 2 algae wafers a day and they all sit on them eating at the same time, it's great to watch.

No albinos as far as i can tell

 

[trace1]

oh wow i bet they look so cute, have you got any pics of them ??