My bolivian rams spawned (2 pictures)

And here is a link to a (crappy , sorry, I took it with my camera) video I took of the parents protecting their fry from the other fishes. If you look attentively, you will even see the parent pick up a fry that wandered too far in their mouth and spit it back into the group. :) I looks like they are "wooshing" it in the mouth before spitting it. I wonder why... Maybe they want to disorient it or frighten it so that it doesn't do it again?

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=sMs1WO7ewMY

I hope this works, it's my first time ever uploading and linking to a video...
 
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The video came out just fine. :thm:

I did see one of the Rams grab a fry to protect it from an overly curious Cardinal tetra, and then saw both chase away what looked like a hungry Black Skirt. It was fascinating to watch. I think they swirl the fry in their mouth to clean them.

Thanks for posting it. :clap:
 
I know... It so exciting! Actually, it's a Black phantom tetra (or is it the same thing?). ;)
 
Congratulations!!! Awesome pictures too! Enjoy them, they are really cute!
 
Hey Bounette!

Thanks for the nice compliments, you're very kind.

Ahem, yes, all of those fish are my little babies, or were at one stage if they were part of my learning curve (not that they died, just that as I refined my taste they were passed on to others who would care for them.) But yeah, mostly all mine :D. Hehe.

Awesome fish eh! Do keep us updated as you go, even if it ends "badly", it's all experience and works towards your success.

Blair.
 
Yeah... I knew it would end "badly", but I still find it sad a little. There weren't a lot of fry left when I woke up this morning, about 20 or so. Yesterday I would say there were twice that much.

This reduction in number can be due to one (or a combination) of 3 factors: 1) the other fishes ate them, 2) they weren't eating - cause it's really hard to tell if they actually EAT the frozen BBS, sometimes I see them spit it, but I also see them evacuate, so that means they ate something..., 3) the nitrates (20 ppm) killed them - I wanted to make a 15-20% water change this morning.

So sad... :(
 
Hey heads up!

It happens, a lot of it depends on their experience, trust me - when my Bolivians really first started mating they lost a lot of eggs to pleco's, fry to corys, black phantom tetras, red-eye tetras etc etc. Once they'd done it a few times they really learnt more and more about parenting, becoming better guards, working better "schedules" between them so that they do not become hungry/tired and also at working together to defend the eggs and then fry.

Now they are capable of keeping a 7.5" sev away and so have been moved to their own tank with only a few, non predatory dithers to allow them the luxury of spawning and raising fry in relative peace.

It all comes with practice! You'll get there. Just keep those WC's daily and make sure you match parameters and temp. I use a pipette to direct the BBS at the fry as this really ensures that the majority of it is concentrated there. They will often mouth it and then spit back out, but then usually take it up again. Have you noticed this? Presumably this is at a point where they have used their yolk sack up.

Blair.
 
I think something happened yesterday night. Maybe a feeding frenzy from the Corys? This morning, at some point, both parents where in a corner, not looking after the fry (very unlike what I've seen so far). They looked... exhausted? Discouraged? Maybe they really tried to protect the fry, but were unable to do so in the end? (Do you leave lights on? I didn't.)

Maybe I am giving them feelings they don't have, but you really should have seen them. I felt like they were about to give up. Then, the female went back to look after the fry. The male was staying in the corner. She looked angry and him, and - maybe you'll know what I mean - she made the "pull over sign" to him. Like she was telling him, "Come on! I'm not going to do this alone!".

Right now, they are back to their parents duty, but it's like the heart isn't there. The fry is already going farther from them, and they don't bring everybody back like they used to do.
 
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