Bolivian Rams Spawning

[philak]

They have laid about 60 eggs so far after cleaning a flat piece of bogwood for most of the day. I have a hospital tank that im 2/3 of the way through cycling right now so ammonia and nitrite are clearing after about 20 hours.

Is it best to leave the wood where it is or should i remove it to the hopsital tank? And if i move the wood do the parents need to go with it? I'm thinking if i leave it where it is not many eggs will survive the night with my dwarf neon rainbows in the same tank.

 

[Truck]

Leave them with the parents, if it's their first time, they're likely to die, because cichlids are terrible first time parents, they get better with time though, the parent will look after their fry and protect them from danger, but the odd one maybe eaten. wait until the fry are free swimming before feeding, start feeding with inforsia, and then move onto baby brine shrimp and other small foods. I would keep the parents and fry in the main tank.

 

[philak]

Thanks for the quick reply. This is the first time i have had fish spawn so it's quite exciting even if the fry don't make it this time.

How long until the free swimming stage with Rams if any get that far?

 

[Truck]

normally 4-5 days before they're free swimming.

 

[philak]

Cheers.

Here's the proud parents taking a break.

 

[fishyfeet]

awww bless, post me some of the fry can you, di

 

[philak]

Will do Di, if i'm lucky enough to get some.

The last problem is that they have chosen to lay on bogwood about 4 inches from the filter inlet. Guess that will need to be moved or covered soon.

 

[philak]

If and when the fry hatch, how do i feed them infusoria? I've bought Liquifry today too but unless i put the fry in a nursery(which i also bought) i'm finding it hard to see how i can ensure either food stays where it's needed.

Should i try to seperate them from the parents once the yolk sack is gone and they are free swimming or just put infusoria /liquifry in the tank and hope for the best?

Btw , i'm trying to make my own infusoria but i gather im a few days late in doing so, seems forward planning is needed for fry. Can i buy it anywhere as my local MA looked at me oddly when i mentioned it?

Cheers

 

[philak]

An hour ago the adult pair picked up all the fertilised eggs, leaving the white ones behind, and moved them to a pit they had dug. I couldnt see any change in the eggs from the day they spawned but now i can see tiny wriggles everywhere in the pit.

Still less than the size of a pinhead.Should i try squirting liquifry down by them?

 

[Truck]

The white ones have gone bad. I doubt whether liquifry is small enough, if you can, try and get some baby brine shrimp, the parents will probably eat the fry because they're not very good first time parents.

 

[philak]

I'm practically force feeding the parents to try and stop the temptation to eat their own eggs/fry and so far they have done everything perfectly, been very attentive.

I'll try getting some baby brine shrimp in the morning.

Cheers

 

[snowflake311]

It depends on the fish it could go well. When they hatch syphon them out it's easy to do. I feed my fry first bites it's powder fry food. Don't over feed a tiny bit goes a long way. For the first day or two they don't need food they have the egg sack to live off of. Daily water changes will be good for the fry.

 

[philak]

I guess since they are wriggling they have already hatched. I'm tempted to try and syphon a few off and leave the rest with the parents.Seems wrong to seperate them from all their fry after the effort they have put in defending the eggs for the last few days.

 

[philak]

Its been 8 days now since they laid the eggs and remarkably, for a first time spawning pair, it looks like most have survived to the free swimming stage which is just happening today.

I'm torn as to what to do now . The tank looks a mess with Ram dug pits everywhere in the substrate and roots of plants exposed. Add in the fact that i've been reluctant to do too much maintenance cos i didn't want to disturb them and i have dirty glass, overgrown plants and a 3rd ,stressed out, female Ram that the pair won't let be.(Anyone need one?)

If i remove the fry to a breeding trap i become even more responsible for feeding them and i go away some weekends. I figure that in the main tank they will at least get some small food particles floating past. Plus , do the parents get very upset if you do this? Do fish sulk? If i leave them with the parents some/most will probably end up as food for other fish which is not a happy thought for me and i will still be feeding them as best i can . I thought about making a tank divider to segregate the parents/brood from the rest of the fish but that has loads of issues with filtration and heating etc.

Finally, i assume they are likely to do this all over again in a few weeks or so and given the lengh of time it takes Ram fry to grow i won't be able to give them away or exchange them in a LFS anytime soon.

Having baby fish in a tank is a great experience but it sure poses lots of problems that i realise i hadn't thought all the way through!

 

[philak]

For Di

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPrK_X83eyQ&feature=youtube_gdata