Dwarf Gourami's Just Spawned

[MoreCoffee]

OK, I have a 130Ltr community tank with 1 male and 2 female dwarf gourami's (see sig for rest of inhabitants)
this afternoon we have just seen the male spawn with one of the females (at least twice so far).

I know the best plan now to remove the females and let the male take care of his nest. The problem is
I dont have another tank to transfer them to. (bad planning on my part !)
Apart from 2 days of nest building, this was a little unexpected, I'd happily go out and get another small tank but there wouldnt be enough time to set it up any cycle it.

I know that in this situation we will probably lose all the fry, my main concern is as the male is now likely to get more aggresive. how to stop him injuring/stressing the females over the next few days until things settle down.

............ Any suggestions please ?

Mr G

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I would think that with other fish in the tank, the male will feel threatened and eat the spawn, or once the fry hatch out, the other fish will eat the fry.

My suggestion would be to get a 10 gallon tank with a tight-fitting hood and fluorescent lights (this will maintain steady temp), sponge filter attached to air pump, and add old tankwater from the main tank. Add the nest to this tank, if possible, you would have to try your hardest not to destroy the nest, which might be an impossible task. Add male gourami, wait for fry to hatch, move male back.

There are many porblems with this scenario, so chances are someone will have a better answer. *shrugs*

 

[severina]

I say leave it and see how it all plays out unless you *really* want the possible hundreds of fry. You could still get a few if you have any plants in your tank. And I think your tank is big enough for the females to get away from the male if they are chased. So good luck

 

[MoreCoffee]

Thanks for the responses.

I had pretty much decided to go along with the sort of action that Severina suggested. I didnt have much of an option, without another tank available !

Things in the tank seem pretty settled, the bubble nest seems to have all but gone and there are no signs of fry. The male d seems to have abandoned his 'territory', he is also much more peaceful.

In the future it wont be so much of an issue as I'm setting up a 400 Ltr tank (once I've redecorated the room) and there will also be a 5Gal hospital/quarantine tank and 10Gal 'shrimp' tank available.


Thanks again .....

 

[sylvia]

Just something I can't help mentioning - if you want to 'instantly cycle' a tank, don't add any of the old tank water - this won't do anything but increase levels of ammonia. The important bacteria you need to transfer live on surfaces in the tank - mainly in filter media and in gravel - both of which provide a large surface area for the bacteria to grow on. To get a tank cycled realy quick, just grab a bunch of mature filter media and transfer it to the new tank (which contains DE-CHLORINATED water) and put it in that tank's filter. I always transfer as much gravel as I can as well but it's best not to add any gravel if the tank's being set up specificaly for fry (gravel makes feeding messier and more difficult). Remember that the bacteria will start starving to death pretty quick if there's no ammonia in the tank though - so move the media/gravel in at the same time as you add the fish.