krib eggs not hatching

[lesley]

My pair of kribs have spawned twice in the month that I've had them, but I haven't had any fry yet. The parents both seem to guard the eggs for the first two or three days, but on the fourth day, they (I think it's the female) start eating them a few at a time. I'll check them in the morning and everything seems okay, but I check them in the evening and some are missing and again before I go to bed and all of the eggs are gone and the female starts getting her color back.

Do you think there could be some sort of fertilization problem and the parents realize that they aren't going to hatch? The eggs are sort of milky-peach color. I've heard krib eggs described as "amber" but I would definitely call mine peach colored. I think my pH is around 8, so could that be a problem?

Am I just being impatient and my kribs need a few more tries to get it right?

[Kit Walker]

Could possibly be that they are a young couple. From books I've read, young Kribs don't always get it right, but as they mature their breeding becomes more successful.

[Tim Bo]

Extremes of hardness can also affect fertilization. What is the chemistry of your water? Bad eggs will often get eaten.
IF they're young, you want to make sure they are well fed so their appetite is limited.