The Oscar At Work

[jollysue]

Oscar at work has layed eggs. I'm sure she is over five years old and a foot long. She's a survivor for sure in a boys' group home with a new group every year, some of whom have records for animal abuse. Her diet varies with the season. In the winter and spring she will see an occasional toad plopped in her tank. If it is in her tank it will get eaten.

Well today she layed a ggod sized clutch of eggs. She is dutifully and proudly guarding and showing them off.

The boys want to get a male to fertalize them. I told them it was too late. I am assuming that it is too late. Oscar is in a 50 usg that will not get bigger. But they want to split the tank and get a male for next time. I told them the tank was too samll already.

I wondered how old an Oscar is before she lays eggs? Will she eat the eggs since they are not fertile? Would she mate or would there be problems if she was to meet a nice young man? even just for the spawn?

 

[jayjay]

Very risky adding an oscar to another, especially in a tank that small. Also sexing is impossible except by venting.

Ideally you'd need to get a group of 6 youngsters add to a large tank of 180g+ then as they pair up, keep one pair and remove the others. Then when the pair breed you're going to need a large grow out tank for fry.

She will most likely eat the unfertile eggs. Age isn't really what matters, it's size. Yes there would be problems adding a male, it would lead to fighting as she is used to being alone and it's a small tank.

 

[jollysue]

Thanks, jayjay, for responding. These are pretty much my assumptions. I am expecting and hoping for her to eat the eggs. She is all feminine right now and hovering around and over them looking very pleased. The boys are praying for immaculate conceptions for Christmas! They are super anthropomophizing her. One boy says we don't want her spirit crushed. I keep saying"It's a fish! It's all hormones and nature. She's going to eat them, because they are not fertile." But they don't listen. 8)

But I will copy the newly pinned Oscar thread and your answer for them. Several have repeatedly suggested that we split the tank and put a male in the other half. We keep telling them that the tank is too small, and I have told them what we would have to do to find her a suitable mate.

When is it too late to fertilize them? I keep saying it is too late when she lays them and there is not sperm at the spawning. But I would like to give an official answer.

Again, thanks!

 

[jayjay]

I don't really know the answer of how long they can be before being fertilized, I'd guess about an hour maybe? I've never tried adding a male at any point.

 

[jollysue]

'kay. Maybe some one else will stop by who knows. I told them about how they harden up and they have to still be soft to be fertilized.

 

[jayjay]

It won't be a long time, they defiantly won't be able to be fertilized now.

 

[jollysue]

They were already solid white looking when I saw them. I am assuming they are opaque when they are fertile, like my cory eggs, so you would be able to see the wigglers.

 

[jollysue]

I missed a day of work. I came back and Oscar had eaten her eggs. The few remaining around in the bottom were fungased. So much for the second coming being an immaculately conceived Oscar!

 

[PoPoV]

LoL...poor kids