male ram eating eggs

[Jer-]

Hi

Shud i remove my male Ram from the breeding site if he keeps on peckin on the eggs and ending up eating it? theres still a fair bit left. I jus dont want it to eat them all. The female is great tho.

???

thanks

 

[nc_nutcase]

This happens somewhat often in one of two situation... with young parents that are working with their first few broods... or when the fish do not feel they can protect their young. Best situation for breeding is for the pair to be in a tank by themselves (although this is not 'required').

I've never tried moving parents around ,although I don't 'try' to breed fish... it just happens sometimes. If this is their first batch of eggs they may just be struggling to get the hang of it. They usually realize that eating the eggs isn't very good for the potential baby fish and stop doing it.

 

[pnyklr3]

If you want to raise fry, then yes. If you don't care, then let him be. I actually have females who eat the eggs because they get scared (or perhaps hungry ). It would be best, if you don't want disturbances, to keep the female and her eggs in a ten gallon tank.

Best case senario (if you must remove them) have the male and female breed in a 10 gallon, then remove the male, or remove them both. My breeder actually removes only the eggs, and puts them in a 5 gallon (keeping the eggs under water during the entire move) and adds meth blue (anti-fungal) to the tank. Works out well. Just make sure all tanks that are going to have new inhabitants are cycled.

 

[Jer-]

too late, my female is already freaked out and my male is now dominating the eggs....whenever the female goes near the eggs the male chases her off and continues eating the eggs....sloooowwlly.... very painful to watch.

I cannot move the eggs cos i dont have an established extra tank....damn.

so now the male is gonna eat the eggs and the female cant do jack about it cos she is too freaked out.

NOTHING I CAN DO RIGHT!!!!!!

ammature rams suck. haha

 

[nc_nutcase]

It may be worth setting up a temporary tank for the moment. If you take water out of your existing tank and put it into... hopefully another aquarium but something... they may have a chance. Be sure he has an air stone or some oxygen source.

Naturally up his standards as soon as possible.

 

[Dwarfs]

Are their any target fish in the tank? If not, adding some tetras could help keep his attention away from eating his eggs

 

[Jer-]

yes i have target fish.
I have 4 Rams in there. Its only a 15 gal. is that too small? is that y the female was freakin out? She was CRAZY! she lost ALL her color and was swimmin super fast when other rams approach her, even her partner male scared her.

Hey how long does it take for female rams to finish producing eggs and get ready to breed again?? provided i give them the ideal enviroment with lotsa live food

thx

 

[nc_nutcase]

I've heard it suggested to keep one pair in 20 Gal so I would definately think two pair in a 15 Gal is over crowded.

 

[pnyklr3]

I have seen a harem (1 male and 3 females) in a 20 gallon, and that was pushing it, territory-wise. I would say that space is probably the reason for the egg eating.