I think my pygmies are getting ready to spawn?!

[Lcc86]

Just sitting by my tank having my morning coffee and my pygmies are more active than I've ever seen them! They're chasing each other around so am assuming this might be spawning behaviour? My other cories in the same tank are acting as chilled as ever so just seems to be the pygmies. Anything else I should look out for?

 

[Mikeyboy123]

The key thing will be if they are positioning themselves in a T position with one fish across the nose of the other.

My pygmy corys used to do this a lot and would leave eggs on plant leaves. The cherry shrimp soon devoured them.

 

[sharkweek178]

 

[sharkweek178]

If you want to give the fry a better chance at making it, add some Indian almond leaves or other dried leaf litter. As they decompose, they add tannins and more importantly, the produce infusoria the fry can eat.

 

[Lcc86]

View attachment 342084

Yep this is what they've been doing, will have to have a look for eggs later and see if there are any. I think my ADF's might get them all but we'll see! I have some Indian almond leaves in there but can always add more.

 

[Lcc86]

What do the eggs tend to look like?

 

[sharkweek178]

What do the eggs tend to look like?

TBH, I've never actually seen them. My other fish eat them. Every once in a while a fry makes it and I'll see a new pygmy half the size of the others swimming around. But that's only if the egg it hatched from is hidden well enough to not be found by the tank inhabitants and if the fry can survive long enough to grow to a size it can't get eaten too.

 

[Lcc86]

TBH, I've never actually seen them. My other fish eat them. Every once in a while a fry makes it and I'll see a new pygmy half the size of the others swimming around. But that's only if the egg it hatched from is hidden well enough to not be found by the tank inhabitants and if the fry can survive long enough to grow to a size it can't get eaten too.

Just went to have a look at the tank but can't see anything, they're still pretty active, maybe there will be some spawning soon. Tbh I'm just happy they're happy enough to even think about it, I've never bred anything before so if it works great but if nothing happens, that's also fine!