Bolivian Ram Breeding

[jtnova13]

Ok so i had the rams for about a week and guess what!? eggs and a very protective mother! The eggs each have a little black spot in them. Does that mean they're fertile, or that they're not? What do I feed the fry if i move them to a small fry tank? Do i have to move them to a small tank? The other tankmates are neon tetra and a small pleco.

 

[RadaR]

If they were unfertile they wouldbe white. Dont move the eggs or babies 1) moving the fry could kill them due to change in water stats or temp 2) the parents will do a very good job of looking after them and its fun to watch. Only problem i can see is that the plec might eat the eggs at night because cichlids "sleep" at night. Also the Neon(s) might get hassled alot. Feed the fry brineshrimp or microwoms and then move onto flake. Only start feeding them when the fry have consumed their yolk sacs which will be in 2-3 days.

 

[jtnova13]

oooh im gunna be a daddy! anyway, the pleco hasn't touched the eggs, they're in a pretty hidden place on a flat rock behind the plants. I hope my LFS has micro worms! The tetra have been staying to the other side of the tank mostly.

 

[RadaR]

Good luck with it all. Here is a good place to buy microworm cultures. I bought 2 recently and would recommend it.

 

[jtnova13]

haha that'd be good if i lived in the UK.

 

[jtnova13]

this morning i woke up and there were little little fishies nibbling on their egg sacs. Went to class, came back, and now ALL of the egg sacs are gone along with the little fishies. I can't find them anywhere and the mom and dad were guarding them the whole time.

Did they eat their babies?

 

[ox5477]

the parents may have eaten the fry. do you know if this was the first time these fish have spawned? cause i think with cichlids, for the first few times breeding, they dont quite get it right. but they will prob be better parents the next time they spawn

or possibly one of the other guys in the tank got to the frys and ate them.

 

[jtnova13]

the tetra dont bother it, the pleco is about 1.5" and i dont think he'd been over there but maybe. The parents were guarding it pretty fiercely.