Quick Help Eggs!

[Cathy G]

Hey, I have ram eggs - been wanting them for quite sometime and am ready to pull them away from the parents - who always eat them.
When should I get them? They just spawned 2 hours ago or so and are taking turns guarding them - Should I wait for a couple more hours or pull them anytime.
Thanks!
Cathy

[Gumby131]

watch it and do it when they strat to look like there eating them

[Z Man]

I always either pulled the eggs or the parents if they were the only fish in the tank, IMMEDIATELY after they are finished spawning. No sense taking any chances.

[Cathy G]

Hi,
I pulled them before I went to bed last night. For all my ram issues, this might be the first sucessful spawn as my last male was infertile.

Anyway, I pulled the majority of the eggs, left a few in the tank and the new male is guarding the nest, even though my female is much larger.

They are scrapping now, going head to head and at this point neither one is backing down. He won't relinquish the duty of protector.

At what point should I consider interfering? I don't want to wait until fins are torn, but is there another way I can tell that separation is in order?

Oh, my question might have seemed dumb last night, but I wasn't sure if it took the sperm some time to fertilize the eggs or if the deed was done when the fish were done....

Thanks for whatever help you can offer!
Cathy

[SynoSteff]

Hey Cathy G,

I had the same prob when my ram's spawned for the first 2 times. The eggs got eaten. Then I got some advice to remove the female and leave the male. This worked like a charm and the male guarded the eggs and the fry. I would recommend trying this as the male will fan the eggs, which helps prevent fungus (spawn rot) if you do remove the eggs try and keep the water very aerated and have an airstone or current near the eggs to prevent fungus.

With the fertilisation, as far as I know it happens within seconds (with Synodontis at least, this is true)

Good luck, I would remove the female as soon as the whole spawning ritual is over.

Good luck :)

can see a pic of my male at http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71208
He makes a good parent

[Cathy G]

Syno, your ram is gorgeous. Lots of deep rich reds. I was reading some of the comments posted on that thread - there are lots of folks who don't realize that if you bring the ram home from the lfs, their colors improve with time and maturity. Also, if you are seeing gorgeous colors on small young rams at your fish store that chances are they are Asian breed and are pumped full of hormones. These colors will go away with time, the fish may be drab and infertile. The color will probably come back with maturity, but the infertility won't change...

Thanks for the tips. SO, your male ram never ate any of the babies? Not even when they were free swimming? At what point did you remove him or the fry? Did you start them out with microworms?

This is very exciting for me, I figure if I can raise these fry to maturity, I'll have healthy hormone free, worm free, parasite free, stress free rams! Whata change from the regular ones!

Cathy G

[Z Man]

I forgot to mention my good friend "Big John" in upper NY state. His motto with new species he is working with is; "I'll take these eggs and hatch them myself. If successful, you guys (the pair) can have the next spawn!"