Firemouths Just Layed Eggs

[Karl1987]

My Firemouths have just layed their very first batch of eggs on a rock in the middle of my tank , and I want to ask a few questions just to make sure I dont do anything wrong.

Is it okay to do a waterchange tomorrow as I usually change the water every tuesday and friday, or should I wait a couple of days?

How long will it take the eggs to hatch (thats if they survive as it is their first time)?

If they do hatch should I leave them in the tank with the adults or should I put them in their own tank?

Thanks

 

[jayjay]

The water change may stress them enough to eat the eggs, try and cause as little disturbance as you can.

Eggs should hatch depending on temperature after around 4 days, they will probably be free swimming 5 days after that.

Are there other fish with the pair? If so what?

 

[Karl1987]

The water change may stress them enough to eat the eggs, try and cause as little disturbance as you can.

Eggs should hatch depending on temperature after around 4 days, they will probably be free swimming 5 days after that.

Are there other fish with the pair? If so what?

Yeah I keep them in a 200 litre tank with 2 angelfish, 2 small bristlenoses, 5 corys, and a shoal of rummynoses and harlaquin rasboras (9 of each). The tank is heavily planted at the minute, lots of fast growers like vallis, hygrophila polyperma and dwarf ambulia which I was planning on giving a real good trim tomorrow but I will have to wait now.

Ive been lucky though, my pair have always been very docile ever since I got them, the only fish that they are chasing at the minute are the angelfish but this only happens when they swim over the middle of the tank were the eggs are. Theyre even letting corys swim within a couple of inches of the rock before moving them on but with no real aggression mostly flaring of the gills.

I wish they had just held on for a couple of days, I was supposed to be going to my lfs tomorrow to buy a few more plants and a new co2 system but that looks like its on hold for now if I cant disturb the tank ..Thats what I get for doing a larger water change than I usually do on tuesday as it seems to have made them spawn.

I take it im gonna have to wait until the eggs have hatched before I can do any water changes and add some plants to the tank???

 

[Waterbox]

Yeah just leave it alone for now. I would just leave the eggs and everything in the tank to see what happens. Unless you just want to hatch all the eggs seperately yourself, but I think it is more fun to watch the parents do their job. Do not be too disheartened if they eggs never hatch though, it will probably take them a while to figure out how to hatch them.

Good luck and congratulations, let us know how it goes.

 

[Karl1987]

Well so far so good theyre still protecting the eggs and have dug a pit just below were the eggs are.

Is there anyway of telling if the eggs are fertile

 

[Waterbox]

I usually cannot tell if the eggs are fertile until the 3rd or 2nd day, but they will be completely transparent if they are infertile. Also, the infertile eggs grow fungus on them more easily than the fertile ones. Fertile eggs have a pinkish color to them and are not clear. Also, after a few days you might be able to see the fertile eggs getting dark in the middle as the fry develop inside.

I think I am going to get some firemouths this weekend

 

[Karl1987]

The eggs were transparent the first day when they were layed but today theyve changed colour more like a light brown/bronze colour. Still no really aggressive behaviour from them unless something comes within a couple of inches which usually turns out to be an angelfish lol. Theyre the most docile cichlids ive ever kept.

 

[jayjay]

They sound fertilized. Unfertilized eggs are white normally.

 

[Karl1987]

They sound fertilized. Unfertilized eggs are white normally.

Yup they defiantly are fertilized had a closer look at them tonight and I can actually see the eyes of the fry now. Shouldnt be too long before they hatch now, its been just over 2 days now since they were laid.

 

[Karl1987]

As expected Ive now got baby firemouths . The male is right above the pit looking after them while the female keeps going back to the rock every few seconds picking up any fry that have just hatched in her mouth and then goes back to the pit and spits them out lol.

 

[Waterbox]

Cool man congratulations. Put up some Pics if you can!

I just got 2 Firemouths yesterday, they are cool fish. About how big would you say yours are?

 

[dane261]

now theyve started you will have many batches i used to keep them and i had to seperate the parents they were breeding faster than i coud get rid of them


cheers dane

 

[Karl1987]

Cool man congratulations. Put up some Pics if you can!

I just got 2 Firemouths yesterday, they are cool fish. About how big would you say yours are?

Yeah il try get some pics up tomorrow. As for sizes m female is about 3 inches and my male about 5 inches.

 

[kribensis12]

Congrats!!!!!!!!! Cant wait for pics!