Angel Fish Eggs

[tucan]

my friend is on holiday and i've been looking after her fishes ( 6 angels in a rio 125) and i think they have layed some eggs. as she didn't have a breeding net, i when home and picked mine up, but by the time i got back, all the eggs have gone, the next day, there were some more eggs on a different area of the tank, so i've but them in the net. what should i do next? my friend won't be back for another 4 weeks.

 

[afishdude]

first, make sure he wants them. he could just be letting them eat them, not wanting more.

 

[Musho3210]

what did you put in the net? The eggs or fish?

 

[tucan]

i'm not sure if she want them or not - i have emailed her but she not got back to me yet

what did you put in the net? The eggs or fish?

the eggs, there is loads of them. the net is about 20x20cm

 

[Tolak]

I have yet to see the same pair of angels spawn two days in a row. Either you have two pairs, which would eventually end up in a bloodbath in that size tank, or there are other fish spawning. Consecutive days spawning is a cory trait, if there are any corys it would be from them, or perhaps snails.

Egglayers are not livebearers, you do not use a breeding net. To get any reasonable amount of angels from a spawn you have to have freshly hatched baby brine shrimp, that means setting up a hatchery. Angels will spawn every 7 to 14 days, so I wouldn't worry about it, and let your friend worry about breeding & selling angels. There is a little more to it than livebearers, but once you are set op you can get a few hundred or more fry from one pair every month.

 

[tucan]

I have yet to see the same pair of angels spawn two days in a row. Either you have two pairs, which would eventually end up in a bloodbath in that size tank, or there are other fish spawning. Consecutive days spawning is a cory trait, if there are any corys it would be from them, or perhaps snails.

Egglayers are not livebearers, you do not use a breeding net. To get any reasonable amount of angels from a spawn you have to have freshly hatched baby brine shrimp, that means setting up a hatchery. Angels will spawn every 7 to 14 days, so I wouldn't worry about it, and let your friend worry about breeding & selling angels. There is a little more to it than livebearers, but once you are set op you can get a few hundred or more fry from one pair every month.

there is only the angels and 1 pleco, so i just assume it was the angels . i just notice another thread about pairing angels - do they pair up? or does one male service all the other females like mollies do? can you actually tell the difference between males and females?

 

[Tolak]

Yes, they do pair up, but on rare occasions you will get a trio, usually one male & two females. The only way to sex angels is when they are actively spawning, the female's breeding tube is shorter & wider, the male's is longer & pointier.

If you only have the angels & a plec in there they are angel eggs. Spawnings on two consecutive days means two pairs. The only tank I've been able to keep two pairs in without aggression problems is a 55 gallon or larger. Your friend should buy a divider as soon as possible, breeding angels are as aggressive as any cichlid when spawning.

The plec may have gotten the eggs, this usually happens at night. The parents will eat the eggs if they feel threatened. Try leaving a dim room light on during the night, if the parents can see a little better at night they feel more secure.

 

[tucan]

it was the angels who was pecking at the eggs. i shall go back tomorrow had have a look at the fishes and see if i can spot the pairs.

 

[Straydum]

the parents peck at the eggs to remove the unfertilized ones or the ones that wouldnt hatch, these eggs would appear white compared to the other translucent ones

 

[tucan]

ok. when back today and had a look at the fishes. i think there is 2 female and 1 male, is the breeding tube near the bottom at the back fin? i'm not sure what i'm looking at. if it is then yes 2 females and 1 male. i've looked in my friend fish food supply and she doesn't have any shimp brine kit & neither do i. but she does have a bottle of liquid fry no.1 will that do? or shall i but the eggs back into the tank and leave it for nature. and wait for my friend come back from holiday and let her deal with it. i'm sure they will spawn again soon won't they?

ps. straydum - i love your avator is it yours? i want to get a betta soon but i've only seen red, blue and purple ones on sales in the uk. and i want a different looking one like the one you got.

 

[Tolak]

Angels will spawn every 7 to 14 days, mine average around 9 or 10. The movement of live food triggers their feeding instinct, they need this for the first week minimum. You may get a few to survive with liquifry, but this usually ends up fouling the tank, you are better off running a little bit or quality flake through a coffee grinder, you need to practically atomize it to make it small enough.

 

[tucan]

my friend emailed me and said she know about the eggs but she just leave them in there and let nature take is course. she dosen't have the money nor space for bring up the frys.