hatching Bolivian Ram eggs

[kooter]

Well, I thought I would give it a try. I can't leave the eggs for the parents to look after because of anxiously awaiting tank mates....they start eating the eggs before the female is even done laying them, despite eager attempts by both parents to rid the predators.
See pics of eggs in my "make shift" home.
This is 24hrs. after laying.
I have the glass vase resting on the driftwood and leaning toward the outake of the filter. This worked even better than I thought since the current is just enough to keep the water cycling in around the eggs but not strong enough that the eggs are flying around. This way, the eggs are in the same temp. and water parameters that they were laid at.
I guess a couple more days I will know!
It looks like most of them are fertilized, only a select few are white.
Now time to read up on what to feed the little guys once they lose their egg sac. :read: :)

[WeeNe858]

best take out the funguseded ones

[Cathy G]

I never had any luck trying to hatch the eggs in a small/floating container in the parent tank... not saying it can't be done, but I couldn't get any survivors.

I wrote up how I artificially hatch them, click on the link on my home page.

They will hatch in 3 days, they will wiggle for 5 or so. You need to have food ready by that 5th day. They eat infusoria, live baby brine shrimp, microworms and for some people the Hakari first bites. (I don't recommend trying to feed them just on the first bites..)

Keep the tank light subdued, the light increases the likely hood of fungus.
Cathy

[kooter]

I never had any luck trying to hatch the eggs in a small/floating container in the parent tank... not saying it can't be done, but I couldn't get any survivors.

I wrote up how I artificially hatch them, click on the link on my home page.

They will hatch in 3 days, they will wiggle for 5 or so. You need to have food ready by that 5th day. They eat infusoria, live baby brine shrimp, microworms and for some people the Hakari first bites. (I don't recommend trying to feed them just on the first bites..)

Keep the tank light subdued, the light increases the likely hood of fungus.
Cathy

I read your home page artical. very interesting! One question - why the use of hydrogen peroxide?

[Star_Rider]

hydrogen peroxide acts as an anti fungal agent(fungus inhibitor) once the eggs hatch discontinue use.

[kooter]

Just thought I would update you all with some pics!
The eggs are starting to hatch!

[kooter]

Thought I would let you know what I did to this point as well.
No hydrogen peroxide, just removed all fungused eggs.
I put the rock facing away from the light so very little light.
I used my smallest powerhead (aquaclear 10) to pump water from the main tank into the glass vase for circulation.
So far so good.:dance2:

[wackydan]

WTG! Keep us updated.

[kooter]

Here are some pics from day 3 and 4. They are really starting to swim around.
I have some brine shrimp eggs on the go, they should be ready by tomorrow, (Day 5).

:thm:

[Cathy G]

Aww, they are soo cute!
Nice picture taking btw.
Cathy

[kooter]

With the eggs that I was able to save before some got eaten, I would say that I have about a 90% successful egg hatch so far, which is approx. 30 wigglers.

[kooter]

Aww, they are soo cute!
Nice picture taking btw.
Cathy

Thanks Cathy!
I think today they will lose their sac and I will start feeding them freshly hatched brine shrimp! :thm:
I will keep you posted.
Thanks for the info. btw.

[kooter]

The "little guys" have lost their sac.
Here are some pics.
You don't want to know how many pics I had to get to capture some decent ones that were in focus! (sort of) :coffee2:

[kooter]

I fed them some newly hatched brine shrimp but I didn't see them eat any.
?? I know it's kind of hard to see but I could see some of the shrimp swimming around but my fish didn't go after any of them, is it too soon to try feeding them?

[Cathy G]

The shrimp should sink to the bottom and the fry will eat it. You will be able to see their pink tummies...

Cathy

[kooter]

The shrimp should sink to the bottom and the fry will eat it. You will be able to see their pink tummies...

Cathy

ok. thx. I noticed that after adding the shrimp the wigglers did seem to stay at the bottom of the vase. My shrimp are approx. 24 - 36hrs old, are they still ok to feed to them or should I hatch some more?

[Cathy G]

They loose their nutrition so hatch a new batch every 24 hours. I set mine up to harvest in the morning, so I siphon off the shrimp into another jar and start another going for the next day. You also might want to start adding in a tiny bit of First Bites so the little blighters learn that not all food wiggles. I cook about 1/4 teasp of the cysts for a large batch of young fry. You don't have that many so you could probably only hatch 1/8 teaspoon.

Good luck!
Cathy

[kooter]

Thank you for all your help!
I will keep you updated.

[kooter]

Here they are really starting to take flight!
I didn't realize I had so many! :clap:

I just hope that in my "noobieness" of feeding newly hatched BBS that I didn't give them any egg shells that they ate?!:huh:

[wackydan]

Keep them pics and updates coming!!!

What are you going to do with them?

[Cathy G]

There are always a bit of shells in when I feed mine too. I'm just not careful enough siphoning them out I suppose, but since they really only eat the wiggling stuff, don't worry about it.

Nice pics!
Cathy

[kooter]

There are always a bit of shells in when I feed mine too. I'm just not careful enough siphoning them out I suppose, but since they really only eat the wiggling stuff, don't worry about it.

Nice pics!
Cathy



Thanks! I get so excited when I get home from work to see my "little ones"!
:dance2: I thought I had about 30 fry, but as you can see there are almost twice that many.
Have you tried to "decapsulate" the eggs before hatching them? this does seem to be a little overkill unless you are hatching 1 lb. of eggs at a time.


What are you going to do with them?

wackydan

The LFS I frequent will take them. Either buy them or trade them for whatever I need!

[Cathy G]

No I never tried it. The thought of even more work and using bleach etc... :eek:

I'm a bit overwhelmed by too many things going on. I have 30+ borelli fry, 100+blue ram fry, 5 Madagascar rainbow fry, and am still trying to find homes for 50 Boliv. young adults from a spawn 9 months ago! (Did I mention that I impulse bought 6 Turquoise rainbows and have been trying to coax them out of fear and trembling so that they eat something?! On top of this, I decided to start a home business and am setting up a new website/store, getting licenses and tax numbers... did I mention 50% water changes in all my tanks 2 times/week)?!?!

All I want is for every little fish to STOP needing any live bbs so I can just sprinkle something in a couple of times/day. But, I am happy for you in enjoying the fry. They are a blast to watch and just wait until they stop looking like big sperm and start looking like tiny fish with big eyes!

Cathy

[Star_Rider]

No I never tried it. The thought of even more work and using bleach etc... :eek:

I'm a bit overwhelmed by too many things going on. I have 30+ borelli fry, 100+blue ram fry, 5 Madagascar rainbow fry, and am still trying to find homes for 50 Boliv. young adults from a spawn 9 months ago! (Did I mention that I impulse bought 6 Turquoise rainbows and have been trying to coax them out of fear and trembling so that they eat something?! On top of this, I decided to start a home business and am setting up a new website/store, getting licenses and tax numbers... did I mention 50% water changes in all my tanks 2 times/week)?!?!

All I want is for every little fish to STOP needing any live bbs so I can just sprinkle something in a couple of times/day. But, I am happy for you in enjoying the fry. They are a blast to watch and just wait until they stop looking like big sperm and start looking like tiny fish with big eyes!

Cathy

blue rams and bolivian rams!!!
Hmmmmmm

[kooter]

No I never tried it. The thought of even more work and using bleach etc... :eek:

I'm a bit overwhelmed by too many things going on. I have 30+ borelli fry, 100+blue ram fry, 5 Madagascar rainbow fry, and am still trying to find homes for 50 Boliv. young adults from a spawn 9 months ago! (Did I mention that I impulse bought 6 Turquoise rainbows and have been trying to coax them out of fear and trembling so that they eat something?! On top of this, I decided to start a home business and am setting up a new website/store, getting licenses and tax numbers... did I mention 50% water changes in all my tanks 2 times/week)?!?!

All I want is for every little fish to STOP needing any live bbs so I can just sprinkle something in a couple of times/day. But, I am happy for you in enjoying the fry. They are a blast to watch and just wait until they stop looking like big sperm and start looking like tiny fish with big eyes!

Cathy

wow, you are a busy woman!
good luck. I know how demanding it can be. I am recently a new dad so I have to divide my time between my 3 month old daughter, my new fry, and my wife! I find it hard to deal with my one batch of fry, never mind different batches from different species!

They are a blast to watch and just wait until they stop looking like big sperm and start looking like tiny fish with big eyes!

LOL - can't wait!

[wackydan]

updates????

[kooter]

I will get some pics real soon. I have been busy getting rid of some hydra that happened to get into my fry tank somehow?! see this thread:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99477


Soooooo, after all this I have 15 fry left!! :mad: :sad:

[Cathy G]

Try PraziPro on the hydra. Also, feed smaller meals so there isn't much left over to feed the hydra.
Cathy

[kooter]

sadly I must say that I only have 1 fry left. Most of them escaped and what was left the hydra got a hold of. I wish I knew what hydra was before they got the little guys! :devil: Where they came from I don't know. I think I will wait and get properly setup before I try raising them again. My first attempt was quite a successful hatch but sadly turned into a frantic day to day "what to do" scenerio. :read:
Thanks for all your input and information.
Until next time I try my "fatherly" hand at raising fry and documenting their progress....................caio. :rolleyes:

[grannylvsfish]

oh that was so sad. I loved every picture, and was really interested in them. poor little guys :( you did an awsome job, and putting them in that jar was smart. I can not wait to see your other babies!!!