Corys laid eggs -- what now?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
So my corys, either the juilis or the emeralds (more likely the latter, as there are 3 vs. 2 juilis) have laid eggs. They're all over the tank glass, near the filter intake, output, near corners, on the front glass... and more are appearing occasionally, but I think they've stopped now.

The problem is, this is in my 29G semi-aggressive tank. There's an angelfish, a three spot gourami, and a spotted bush fish / spotted climbing perch in there. So far none of them have shown any interest in the eggs, but even if they continue to ignore them I'm 100% sure they will eat the fry. The spotted climbing perch in particular; he ate all the neons, everyone else is only safe because they don't fit in his mouth.

What do I do? Build little net bubbles over the eggs somehow? I don't think I can move them, they're stuck to the glass...

Just counted, there are roughly 300 eggs between the 6 or 7 groupings I've found so far.
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
Read up some, turns out the eggs are easier to move than I feared, but not as easy as some of the sites I went to suggested. I managed to move maybe 250 of the original 300+. Quite a few were lost to predation once the angelfish and gourami took an interest in what I was doing and had a taste, and maybe 10-15 were popped ( :( ) but there's a bunch left. They're currently in a 5G bucket, I'm planning to put them in my 10G and move the crayfish that's in there currently somewhere else... or he may just go back to the store, I don't really have room for him right now.
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
Got some air stones in the bucket and an established 10G rated HOTB on it. Went out and bought a little tube of brine shrimp eggs for if and when the fry hatch. Should be today or tomorrow from what I've read. How quick do they need to get food? Should I be hatching the brine shrimp now?

Had to get a new air pump cause my stupid Whisper 100 (blue dome type) ripped both diaphragms. Still don't know what happened there. Looked around and it was going to cost like $15 for a repair kit, so I just got a cheap Marina air pump for $13 locally. Thing is quieter than the Whisper, too. I may repair it at some point, but considering how much I hate air pump buzz I doubt it.
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
Quite a few (more than 1/2, maybe 2/3, even 3/4?) of the eggs I moved have hatched. I'm feeding them Sera Micron fry food while I wait for some brine shrimp to hatch. They're still in a 5G bucket for the moment, going to move everything around and at least get them in the 10G today.

 
Last edited:

pinkertd

Moderator
May 29, 2007
5,976
1
62
New Jersey
Real Name
Debbi
It'll be a couple of days until they've used up all the nourishment in their egg sacs. I have excellent results feeding Hikari First Bites.
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
They're all moved to the 10 and still 99% seem to be doing well. I keep watching them occasionally, seeing one laying there or getting pushed around near the airstone (there is plenty of space for them to get away from it, but some seem to like it) and think "Oh no, little guy died" then a few seconds later it will spaz out and spin in circles or take off (relatively speaking, they are like flea sized, not fast at all) for the other side of the tank.

They spend most of the time on the bottom but I've seen a few that seem more prone to "free" swimming.
 

pinkertd

Moderator
May 29, 2007
5,976
1
62
New Jersey
Real Name
Debbi
Keep us posted on how they're doing. And pics, pics, pics when you can!!
 

Fractalis

Heavy Weapons Guy
Mar 3, 2011
699
1
16
cories are so cute

i have plans to get some more to keep my old one company and to breed the new ones
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
Got my camera back, I'll take some pictures of the current batch of fry. Also, the parents spawned again in the last 2-3 hours (wasn't paying attention, just noticed tons of eggs). Not sure if I'll pull this batch, if only because the 10G is already going to be /really/ full of fry. I may see if I can find a 20 on Craigslist cheap or something. Anyone in the Columbia, SC area want to donate an unused tank? Free cories in it for you. ;)
 

silentcircuit

AC Members
Mar 3, 2011
512
0
0
Columbia, SC
Real Name
Chris
They were all doing so great, growing... some were almost an inch. I hadn't done a water change for a week or so and figured it was long past due, so I did a roughly 50% change today, maybe closer to 60%. Let the water sit, put Prime in, dumped it as usual. Everyone was fine for a few hours afterward. I just went over to turn out the light on their tank and they're all dead. Every last one. I don't understand it. I am devastated. I couldn't even bring myself to siphon them out, I'll try to deal with it in the morning. What the hell happened?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store