Yup, this is very common once they have lost the majority of fry. They know the survival rates are so much lower with only a few individuals, therefore they "consider" it a wasted expenditure of energy to continue tending to fry when that energy could be better utilized in the production of more eggs to once again spawn etc.
Normally one of the pair (and it isn't always one or the other, it does vary) will take longer to give up on the fry, whereas the other will become disinterested and become more engaged in the act of eating and re-establishing territory and potential spawn sites.
Corydoras are your arch nemesis when it comes to raising fry, they are night time egg/fry hunters and their bold stupidity means that they will quite happily swim right into the middle of the fry, parents and all, eating a good mouthful before being pecked and shooting off at a million miles an hour.
If you have clown loaches that are 3.5-4" or above then consider the chances of fry surviving to be, well, nil. When my pair first started spawning I watched as they struggled with a loach for 20 minutes to a half an hour in order to protect the eggs, but loaches are very powerful and stubborn fish. You could visibly see the Bolivians become increasingly tired until eventually the female gave up all together, she just didn't have the energy left. As they became more experienced and as they spawned more and more they really toughened up, to the point that they were able to kick that same loaches butt. That loach and just about any other fish that comes within 15" of their fry. lol. They will get there and I don't think that having a few predators is a bad thing at all, it strengthens the bond between pairs, encourages stronger parenting instinct, teaches them each time how to better protect their fry and generally makes them strong.
The problems only come if they are overwhelmed with predators, or if a fry eater is too powerful, in those instances it is best to remove a few/remove the predator altogether.
They'll get better, chances are they'll fall out now, I'm serious! But they will come round to it again and they'll be a lot better at it the next time.
Blair.
Normally one of the pair (and it isn't always one or the other, it does vary) will take longer to give up on the fry, whereas the other will become disinterested and become more engaged in the act of eating and re-establishing territory and potential spawn sites.
Corydoras are your arch nemesis when it comes to raising fry, they are night time egg/fry hunters and their bold stupidity means that they will quite happily swim right into the middle of the fry, parents and all, eating a good mouthful before being pecked and shooting off at a million miles an hour.
If you have clown loaches that are 3.5-4" or above then consider the chances of fry surviving to be, well, nil. When my pair first started spawning I watched as they struggled with a loach for 20 minutes to a half an hour in order to protect the eggs, but loaches are very powerful and stubborn fish. You could visibly see the Bolivians become increasingly tired until eventually the female gave up all together, she just didn't have the energy left. As they became more experienced and as they spawned more and more they really toughened up, to the point that they were able to kick that same loaches butt. That loach and just about any other fish that comes within 15" of their fry. lol. They will get there and I don't think that having a few predators is a bad thing at all, it strengthens the bond between pairs, encourages stronger parenting instinct, teaches them each time how to better protect their fry and generally makes them strong.
The problems only come if they are overwhelmed with predators, or if a fry eater is too powerful, in those instances it is best to remove a few/remove the predator altogether.
They'll get better, chances are they'll fall out now, I'm serious! But they will come round to it again and they'll be a lot better at it the next time.
Blair.
