German Blue Rams + Community

[littlefishie]

I tried posting in the Cichlids section but no one's answered.

I have a pair of rams in my tank with neons and panda cories. Last night they decided to lay eggs.
Unfortunately, it's bad timing. I'm leaving on Saturday for reading week [university's equivalent of March Break] and I won't be back until the 21st.
What I'm wondering is, if I leave the eggs and whatever fry may hatch in the tank, and let the parents take care of them [I won't be here to make any special MW or BBS cultures, and I doubt my housemates could manage -- they barely keep bettas alive], what are the chances of any fry surviving? If they do survive, will the tetras or cories eat them? Is there anything I could do for them while I'm gone? Like.. I don't know.. weekend feeders or something? I'm not a huge fan of them but I wouldn't know what else to leave them.

I also have live plants in the tank.. will that create planaria, and would the fry eat that?

Thanks!

 

[canarsie11]

Rams will protect the fry the best they can. Although eggs may not hatch if first run.

However, tetras may be too many and they may eat.

However, those rams will clobber anything that come near nest

 

[littlefishie]

It's the first run in my tank that I've noticed, though they may have bred at the shop or prior to this without my noticing.. I've been a bit distracted lately with school and personal issues, so yesterday was my first chance to really just stare at the tank for an hour.

I thought perhaps the fry would not fit in the tetra's mouth? Hmm..

The parents are also not guarding the eggs as carefully as yesterday.. they were just exploring the other corner of the tank for a moment. Hopefully if the eggs hatch, some of the fry will make it okay.

 

[snowyangel]

I've had my rams lay eggs numerous times but the eggs never hatch. If they did, those parents would guard them like area 51, so im sure definitely the cories wouldn't get at your fry. As for the tetras, dont doubt them at all. They're small but quick but I've seen even neons swallow a guppy fry whole.

 

[littlefishie]

Well then.. let's hope they try again when I don't have reading week -- I'll be sure to try to save the fry!

 

[littlefishie]

Hmm.. I just checked again, and all of the eggs are gone. Would they have hatched this fast? Or would the rams have eaten the eggs to protect them?

 

[Dubby]

What is the PH ? To hatch successfully they need low PH, I believe.

 

[yvez9]

if they eggs are starting to rot or are not fertilized, the fish will eat them. You need good aeretion to keep the eggs clean but if you say the parents weren't looking over them, they weren't keeping them clean either. They'll probably get the hang of it after a few tries.

 

[Kittycat]

Just a little concern--I've read while researching rams before that it isn't advisable to keep them with cories, as they are territorial, esp when breeding and cories would get beaten up. Has this been a problem for you?

 

[littlefishie]

At first they chased the cories around a bit, but now it's not really a problem anymore. They've established their territories.

pH = 7.4 -- I can't get it any lower than that without using chemicals.

Maybe when I get back I'll pick up a bare ten gallon, toss in some plants and a box filter, and let them spawn there. Then once the eggs hatch I'll take the parents out. I figure it's worth a shot.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

add driftwood! i'm having problems with too low pH because i added driftwood to my tank!

wow, what i wouldn't trade to have a set of breeding rams... here's hoping that the next batch makes it.

 

[littlefishie]

Driftwood = expensive here.. I'm hoping that I get to go to Big Al's after reading week, cos it's sposta be loads cheaper there. That, or I'll just have to spend a damned fortune on it at my LFS.. A 2-3" piece is like.. almost $7!

You could pretty much buy any pair of rams and they'd end up breeding, from what I know. I just had the guy at the LFS pick a male and female, and now they're spawning. Yay! It's raising the fry and making sure that the water conditions are appropriate that's tricky.

What was your pH before adding the driftwood, and what'd it go down to?

 

[Yenko]

The only plant that creates good amounts of planaria is Java Moss. The roots of Java Fern probably do the same thing but are not known for it.

 

[littlefishie]

*Shrug* Don't really have those.. I've got anubias, anacharis, hornwort, rotala indica, moneywort, and red ludwigia. Ehh.. I've got time to prepare for the next spawn.

Any idea what I should feed the fry next time around, if they hatch?

 

[Dubby]

pH = 7.4 -- I can't get it any lower than that without using chemicals.

Maybe when I get back I'll pick up a bare ten gallon, toss in some plants and a box filter, and let them spawn there. Then once the eggs hatch I'll take the parents out. I figure it's worth a shot.

You could try bubbling co2 to reduce PH. this would help your plants as well