Firemouth Breeding Help

[martinglover]

I've got 2 Firemouth Cichlids and last night I saw them laying eggs on my filter. They've dug a lovely dish shaped hole in the gravel below it and have fought off the Plec who lived under the log nearby. He's now moved to the other end of the tank.

Am I to expect babies any day or does it take more than 4 days. Some people have told be 2days, some over a week. The eggs look to be fertilized (ie they appear to be a little larger today and have gone a more white (rather than see through colour they were).

Are there any do's don'ts when breeding? I've got a secondary tank set up today with some water from my original and have got that filtering and heating. I want the best start for these little ones and want to know how best to go about it.

My current plan is to move them into the spare tank when they hatch? Is that a good or bad move. If not right, what should I be doing! Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[star4]

If I remember right my Elliotti (same species as the firemouth) hatched at about 3-4 days, then between 5-7 days they become "free swimming" (egg sacks used up and able to swim about) if you want to remove them this is the best time to syphon them out into another tank, far easier to use a tube then try and net babies as there is less chance of damaging them. Then comes the fun part, feeding crushed flake, brine shrimp eggs or newly hatched brine shrimp, Tetra prima crushed in a pill crusher works brilliant . Lots of water changes too are best for young fish, daily if you can manage it.

However if this is their first spawn, they may just eat the fry not long after they have hatched, it is usual but my experience with the Elliotti they are fairly good parents and usually get to the free swimming stage. Hope this helps.

 

[martinglover]

Ok, we're on day 3 (day 4 tomorrow - Saturday) of these eggs. Some have gone a darker white and some stayed and not done much. However now there seems to be a definate furry white substance over some of the eggs. What is this?

 

[kaivalagi]

algae/fungus...the parents should be fanning the eggs and destroying ones that get infected to stop this though

First time for them though I guess, some parents are better than others even in the fish world Just leave them to it, if it doesn't work out the second time around will more than likely be okay

 

[star4]

It sounds like the eggs are not fertile, they should be a light brownish colour and clear, by this point you should be able to see eyes and a backbone too. There is a possibility you may have 2 female firemouths, I have heard 2 females will spawn together. My firemouth would spawn with anything available!!!