Sticky, Sticky Eggs!

[NEONCORY]

Well what you know, they are sticking eggs as I am writing this. Since they come to front glass to stick the eggs, well about half the time. I decide to watch. And once again I was stunned to see the number of eggs the female carry in her fins. One time I saw her sticked 23 eggs in one carry. And more amazing that 95% of eggs hatch.
The egg size is about same as Sterbai' and they only carry 2 or 3 eggs at a time.

And I decide to collect all the eggs until I fill up all the tank I have(and I have empty 55G and 20G long at the moment). Of course, I need to come up with suitable filters for it before I can place any cory frys.

The reason I decide to collect as many eggs as possible is that I found out yesterday that I didn't do as good job as I hoped I did when I empty one of the fry tank to catch. I only found 41 frys(mix of Pandas and Sterbais) out of 100 I put in originally. I will try to improve and figure out the best way to raise the frys. But I am kind of bummed that it is less than half was in the tank. I just hope the SURVIVORS are healthy and strong as they should be. But I am hoping I can do better. Still not sure what need to be done but I think I need to keep them in smaller shallow container longer.

And one person told me that I could keep 100~150 frys in 6 x 12" containers with 3" water and an airstone and water change for 3 weeks. So I shoulkd be ok with 5G(8 x 16" I think) with 200 frys for few weeks. I also have mini sponge filter in it.

So I don't know how many more eggs today but I shall collect them in few hours.

 

[NEONCORY]

So I collect 140 or so eggs. And almost all of them were on the front glass, only like 10 on the glass behind the sponge. Now I am off to check the hatching container and change the water for the fry tanks.

 

[jollysue]

I have not had a high survival rate even among my great pepper spawners. I think I am getting 1/4 survival to juvie adult. But they are the survivors and very strong. I have had NO success in moving the fry to the growout tanks until they are almost young adults. All that I moved as "minature parent lookalike" fry have died after a few days even when they appeared to be fine. So I have to figure out what I can do about that. For now I have to determine to keep them in the nets until they are sub adults.

 

[jollysue]

oops!

 

[NEONCORY]

You know since I am not big fish breeder, I don't think fish=$. I can live with 50% survival rate as long as I get strong healthy juvis that can pass/trade to the other hobbists.
And it may improve if I raise them in sterile lab like condition with bare tank but I just prefer to raise in more natural setting. And I figure, they can find some microfood in the sands. Since I see the frys try to dig with their snout standing on their head/face. Also I hear about the film grow on the bottom of bare tank which may encourage some fungus to grow which sometimes get on the bottom of frys. So I move onto the thin layer of sands as soon as they hatch instead of some smooth bare container. Anyway, this is just me but it seems I rarely find the fungused dead fry. Also I keep some small snails when the frys are free-swimming. I think they do help clean the place.
I don't know how tough to raise the Melanotanias but the tons of eggs are still coming and it does not look like to stop soon. I just have to wait and see what percentage make it in few months.
But for now, I will try to keep small frys in smaller shallower water for longerbefore move to 5G tank. At least, I did not keep all the EGGS in one basket. Well more of frys than eggs. I try to hatch each batch of eggs in each tumbler. But more than often I have to combine 2 batches. I guess I have to drink more pop and make more egg tumblers and get more airline.

There is always some fishy projects have to be done. Oh well.

 

[ICEEGRL]

Would it be possible to see one of these tumblers? I would like to try to make one, but I would really like to see one before I try it.

Does the tumble thing hurt the fry when they hatch, or do you stop it before they hatch? Any more info would be great.

Thanks

 

[Bozza]

Im interested to see its design aswell

 

[jollysue]

At the Plec breeder's he was showing me a method of hatching Syno eggs with a tumbler type thing. River rocks ( I assume marbles would work) in a jar with the eggs. A cover--like a clay pot--with an airstone through the hole into the stones. It tumbles the eggs in the stones in the jar. I didn't see it because he just described it--but in person.

 

[NEONCORY]

Hi folks,

As you may know I do not have the mean to post the picture but I will try to find the similar design or picture from the web. It is basically the DIY brine shrimp hatchery made out of the usually 2lt empty pop bottle and some airtube. I can't do it now since I do need to go change water and feed. Also have to get ready to pick up 4 skunk Corys from fellow aquarium member for give away price.
I just hope they are same species and not 3 different spiece of so called skunk mixed up. I guess I just have to wait and see.

Anyway, I will try to findand get back to you with the link for the similar design as soon as possible. So please be patient. Or you can google "DIY brine shrimp hatchery" and you probably see some picture of pop bottle design of hatchery. I just try to eliminate the dead spot so eggs will not settle in one spot and sit. But basically it is a brine shrimp hatchery and I just use it to hatch the cory eggs.

And I do reduce the air bubble from the airpump as the time goes on(getting nearer to hatch). So the frys won't be in turburance. Now I know how long it takes to hatch for the eggs I collect. And I do check the eggs and change water if neseccary every day.

Well got go.

 

[jollysue]

Here is a link to a thread in OTHER CATFISH. It is the adventure of smithrc developing a system of egg tumbling for his pets. Toward the end there are some links to egg tumblers also.

 

[ICEEGRL]

Thanks for the link. I know how I am going to do it now.

 

[NEONCORY]

After I picked up the skunk corys(she end up lost 1 THIS MORNING!) so I got 3 of them. But I am still pretty happy about new members of family. Although I may have to go find few more friends for them so they can start the family. They came home with me and released in the quanrantine type tank. The tank have only shrimps in it and being run for month or 2. The same tank I quarantine my Lutino Neons. They should be fine but better to be safe than be sorry.
Anyway, then I went to collect some STICKY eggs I knew I got some this afternoon. And then went to collect some eggs from Sterbais. And now finally had some time to check the link of egg tumbler.
Yeah, the link for c*child forum one is the idea. I didn't go that much trouble but just plain pop bottle and airtube and air pump and little silicone and cork from wine bottle so they is no lower spot all the eggs end up piling up. Anyway, here is the link of DIY brine shrimp hatchery. And you get the idea if you see the picture of the pop bottle on right side.
Just the idea is the egg stay rotating and not sit on the one spot to grow fungus easily.

http/www.aquariumhobbyist.com/mccainstro...rineshrimp3.JPG

BTW, todays batch was small and there were only like 80 eggs. And this was the first batch of the week so maybe I don't get as much eggs as last few weeks. But of course, I put them in the infamous pop bottle egg tumbler.

 

[NEONCORY]

I guess Friday is still same week as say Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. They made more eggs today. I collected about 130 eggs.

 

[NEONCORY]

Last few days, I came to the conclusion that the Melanotanias frys are pretty similar with the frys from the Sterbais when they are about month old or so. For a while I wasn't sure what happened to all the frys from Melanotanias. I was start to wonder if they all perished since I only see the Sterbai looking frys that what I thought. Because I didn't have time or space to raise the frys by the species and I have fry tanks with all 3 kinds in it.
Now I think I figure out the difference of the 2 frys. Their face and body marking/color is remarkably similar when they are about 4~6 weeks old and about 1/2"TL. But Sterbai frys have stripy dots on their dorsel fin but Melnotanias have no marking on their fins . And I guess they are little elongated body.
And I imagine when they get bigger I probably can see the orange part of Sterbai fins and all the dots become one color for the Melanotanias. But right now, it is pretty tough to tell them apart without looking closely. Not to mention, they don't sit still most of the time and swimming all over the place except when the food on the floor.
It's a shame I don't have means to get some pictures. They are cute little fishes.

 

[NEONCORY]

You know these guys make me nervous. Either they laying eggs or not. When they were laying eggs, I got more than 500 eggs in a week. And when they are not, 0 eggs for almost a month.
But I notice they have been frisky since yesterday and they were EXTRA frisky this morning. The males were chasing harder. Almost run over the females. Anyway, I got some eggs. Maybe something to do with the red spaghetti treat they found falling from the sky mysteriously last few days
Maybe they knew that I was planning to take some of their children to new home today. Which I did while the new eggs' shell get harden.
I gave about a dozen to another cory fanatic since she is about to give me 10G tank and some unwanted Amazon Swords.

So I collect about 180 eggs this evening.

I guess more frys are coming. I guess I better set bigger tank and move all the frys to next bigger tanks. and more