Eggs - Fried Or Boiled ?

[Notsofab]

OK maybe not a total emergency yet, just trying to be a little pro-active with this one.

I came home from work today to a very excited wife, who promptly informed me that she though our Angels were breeding. Sure enough upon close examination of our tanks heater, there appears to be maybe 50 eggs on the top plastic bit. Hopefuly you can see them in this 'dodgy' picture.



Nievely, we never really though there was much chance of successful breeding in our community tank, but now we have what we think are Angel eggs we'd like to do whatever possible to try and raise any young if we get them.

We aren't actually sure that they belong to the Angels, but certainly 2 of our 3 Angels seem to take it in turns to guard the heater. Any other fish are rapidly chased away.

So can anyone help to educate us on what we can expect? Can we now sex the Angels as they are breeding? What should we do a) with the eggs and b) with any fry if we get any? How long will it take for the eggs to turn into fry? Should we move the heater or the parents out? Are the eggs OK on the heater - was that a good or bad place for the Angels to lay them? Really we'd like any help that you knowledgable people can give us. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[WILDER]

If the angels are guarding the heater it sounds like they could be angel eggs.

http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...eding_tips.html

http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi..._angelfish.html

 

[wuvmybetta]

You might get better thread publicity posting in New Worlds
Congrats on the eggs but I'm afraid I can't offer any further advice. If it were me, personally, I'd leave them and see how they do. If you obviously have a breeding pair they will do it again should this spawn fail. They might have laid them there to keep them warm, orrr they just didn't think it through

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Notsofab

Corys will sometimes spawn on heaters, especially if it's placed in the water current from the filter.

 

[Tolak]

Angels like to spawn on unremovable objects. I don't know how they know which objects are difficult to remove, but they seem to have that all figured out. Given the choice of spawning on plants, spawning slates, or pvc, they will find the filter intake the most suitable place. Heaters are always a choice place, along with the side of the tank itself.

There's a good chance the plec will get to the eggs during the night, I've had bristlenose eat them during the day. If you want to try raising them, a divider would be the best bet if you don't want to get another tank. Usually the heater is a bad place, it gets too hot. You should have wigglers after a couple of days, they will start to swim 4 or 5 days after that. Usually the first spawn from a pair isn't that productive, they need a couple of spawns to get it right. Angels will spawn every week or 2, so if this spawn doesn't work out, there will be more.

If you are thinking about raising them, plan on having 200+ little fish if you are successful. Plan on where to sell them, and plan on getting around 200 more gallons of tank space. If you think there are 50 eggs, there are probably over 100. The best way I've found to count them is take a picture, and put it in ms paint. Mark them as you count them. I did this long ago with one of my first spawns, trying to figure how many little fish I had. I guessed around 100, quit counting at around 250, and started pricing more tanks & such.

 

[Notsofab]

There's a good chance the plec will get to the eggs during the night, I've had bristlenose eat them during the day. If you want to try raising them, a divider would be the best bet if you don't want to get another tank. Usually the heater is a bad place, it gets too hot. You should have wigglers after a couple of days, they will start to swim 4 or 5 days after that. Usually the first spawn from a pair isn't that productive, they need a couple of spawns to get it right. Angels will spawn every week or 2, so if this spawn doesn't work out, there will be more.

Tolak, thank you for a some very informed information. Unfortunately ( maybe? ) you were only too correct with your prediction, as when we got up this morning all but a couple of the eggs had gone. So maybe our Plec had a midnight feast. At first we were a little dissapointed, as we went to bed thinking we may get 1 or 2 babies out of it. Now having read the rest of your message, what the Plec did ( if it was him ) has probably saved us from a whole lot of grief. We could never cope with large amounts of babies. I guess we'll just wait and see if it happens again.

In the event that we get more eggs, we noticed with the tank lights on that 2 parents stood guard over the eggs. Our tank is very tall so using a divide isn't practicle. However we have both a 35W white bulb and a 35W Blue Moon bulb fitted in the tank on seperate switches. Usually we have the white light on for 8-10 hours in the day time, then switch over to the blue light for maybe 4-5 hours in the evening. If we get more eggs, what do you think to leaving the blue light on all night until they hatch? Would this be detremental to the well being of our other fish?

Again thanks to everyone for some really great help and information.

 

[Tolak]

Leaving the blue light on all night is fine, you could also place a lamp or other light source on the outside of the tank near where they spawned.

 

[blitztidus]

I would recommend, if these eggs dont make it, placing a slate rock on the side so that they would lay them on that instead.