Diesel Trout
Fish Fanatic
I added three Bolivian rams to my community tank about four weeks ago. Two of them paired up instantly and began hanging around each other. On Saturday I noticed them coming out of a rock cave (wink wink), then settle under the plants in the corner of the tank. Later in the day I noticed they still hadn't moved, and upon closer inspection to my great surprise I saw a layer of small white balls on a smooth flat rock! The pair were taking turns swimming slowly over the eggs; the male was probably fertilizing them. They had also dug a depression on the sand around the rock.
Since then the female (known to me as the female only because it is the primary guardian of the brood - indistinguishable to me otherwise) has been quite aggressive at chasing away the other lone ram plus her mate! She will even chase them from opposite ends of my 72 gallon tank. The pair have become quite yellow in colour, and the ram being chased all the time is quite pale in comparison.
Today after work I looking into the tank and discovered that the eggs were no longer on the rock! Did they get eaten? No, the rams actually dug a hole in the sand about three inches away from the smooth rock and placed the brood in there. And they are now wriggling around to boot! What an exciting day.
This is my first encounter with fish laying eggs. I have taken no steps to intervene in the process other than put a piece of foam around the filter inlet. I will see what nature has in store for these little guys.
Since then the female (known to me as the female only because it is the primary guardian of the brood - indistinguishable to me otherwise) has been quite aggressive at chasing away the other lone ram plus her mate! She will even chase them from opposite ends of my 72 gallon tank. The pair have become quite yellow in colour, and the ram being chased all the time is quite pale in comparison.
Today after work I looking into the tank and discovered that the eggs were no longer on the rock! Did they get eaten? No, the rams actually dug a hole in the sand about three inches away from the smooth rock and placed the brood in there. And they are now wriggling around to boot! What an exciting day.
This is my first encounter with fish laying eggs. I have taken no steps to intervene in the process other than put a piece of foam around the filter inlet. I will see what nature has in store for these little guys.
I don't know if the tankmates got to them or they finally used up their yolk sacks, became free swimming and were swept away by the current. The parents were still swimming around the area, perhaps looking for their babies, and still chasing others away.
