Angels Spawned

[Biulu]

As I was just talking to a fellow fish hobbyists, I saw my angels were spawning, which is great news as I have been waiting for months for some to pair off. There had been some liplocking and other flirting with a larger male but she decided he didn't meet her requirements and now chose a male which is much smaller than she is (around the size of a 2 dollar coin), so apparently size doesn't matter .

This is their first spawn plus it is in a community tank so I do not really think anything will survive. However, I do want to try to make their chances as big as possible. I have read something about lighting having an influence on egg eating but can't remember whether to leave them on or off?

What do you suggest I do?

Here is a pic of the new couple and their eggs

 

[Kevin8688]

If you mean from their parents, I've read around that angel fish are great parents and will defend their babies. They will get a bit aggressive to any fish that comes close to them. After the babies hatch and are attached to the sack for those couple days the parents might move their babies around by putting them in their mouth and then spitting them back out. Not really sure about the light though sorry .

 

[Tolak]

Leave at least some room light on. Parent raising in a community tank is very rare, the less light the harder it is to defend the spawn. Like most fish, the parent's won't pass up a meal, if they feel the eggs are in that much danger they will eat them.

 

[Biulu]

I have now 2x tried to put the lights on; first the aquarium lights and then a smaller LED light and every time I do this, the parents start eating their eggs ... So, I guess I will leave them off and will try to accomodate them as soon as possible in a tank of their own.

The fish I am most worried about are my loaches; they seem to find eggs everywhere...

 

[DanTheFishMan11]

cut the leaf off and put in fry trap :duh:

 

[fluttermoth]

^^ The trouble with that is, there's evidence to suggest that fish need to have been parented to know how to be parents themselves.

If you take the eggs away, then that's another generation of angels that will be poor parents. Most cichlids will get the hang of brood care, given time, but it's a shame to lose that natural behaviour.

Watching a good pair caring for their fry is one of the best experiences in fishkeeping, IMHO.

Moving the pair to a tank of their own and letting them learn how to care for their fry is the best option. They usually spawn quite regularly once they've paired up, so there's no need to try and save every brood.

 

[minnnt]

^^ The trouble with that is, there's evidence to suggest that fish need to have been parented to know how to be parents themselves.

If you take the eggs away, then that's another generation of angels that will be poor parents. Most cichlids will get the hang of brood care, given time, but it's a shame to lose that natural behaviour.

Watching a good pair caring for their fry is one of the best experiences in fishkeeping, IMHO.

Moving the pair to a tank of their own and letting them learn how to care for their fry is the best option. They usually spawn quite regularly once they've paired up, so there's no need to try and save every brood.

This is what i have always thought and always advised, but there is an article in PFK that dismisses this as a myth?

My Angels always ate the eggs when the light went off, kept it on and they were fine. They had a tank of their own too. The male was very aggressive towards me when they had a spawn.

 

[fluttermoth]

there is an article in PFK that dismisses this as a myth?

 

[minnnt]

Hmmm... That was my expression too.