We have WRIGGLERS!

Ok quick update... the second spawn didn't last at all. On their first day of free swimming they did not latch on to the parents and I think they just ate them... coz when i got home that night only 2 or 3 stragglers were left.

Now I have the 3rd spawn and today is the first day they are free swimming. I come home and they are all over the tank and but not on the parents. Both parents are still very dark. I have not turned on the tank light. All they get is ambient light from the room. I have not yet done a WC... temps at 81F. Is there anything else I should be doing? I feed the parents at least 2x a day. Just so they don't get hungry and start snacking on the fry. I also have a brine shrimp hatchery in the works. From what I read I should start giving them BBS after 3 weeks of free swimming and feeding off of their parents... is there anything I missed or should be doing?
Please let me know. Hopefully this goes well. Thanks!
 
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First off.

Lower your water. Getting the frys to attach during the next 24 hours is very important. I would cut back on the feeding and I don't usually do WC until the frys are attached.

This is what I do for my pair. Once I see wigglers, I get ready to remove my sponge filter from the tank cause once they go free swimming, they head for the darkest object in the tank. Once they are free swimming, I take out the sponge filter and lower the water to just above the fish height. I keep an air stone in but run at very low setting. For some pair, the attaching takes longer than others.

I like to introduce bbs by day 3 or 4 after they attach to the parent. By the end of the first week, I start adding shaved fbh to their diet.
 
First off.

Lower your water. Getting the frys to attach during the next 24 hours is very important. I would cut back on the feeding and I don't usually do WC until the frys are attached.

This is what I do for my pair. Once I see wigglers, I get ready to remove my sponge filter from the tank cause once they go free swimming, they head for the darkest object in the tank. Once they are free swimming, I take out the sponge filter and lower the water to just above the fish height. I keep an air stone in but run at very low setting. For some pair, the attaching takes longer than others.

I like to introduce bbs by day 3 or 4 after they attach to the parent. By the end of the first week, I start adding shaved fbh to their diet.

Thanks for the tip! I lowered the water level and took out the sponge filter and they attatched themselves within 24 hrs. I had to leave the light on so they knew where to go. Once I turned the lights off they scattered across the tank. I lost a couple of fry but I still have a good amount left.
 
Hello everyone! Quick recap... This is Day 4 freeswimming of the fry and are already attached to the parents. Also this is the 3rd spawn I have had and like they say 3rd times the charm! Well been lucky so far. Followed Discus Only's advice and things are going pretty good. I have brine shrimp ready to hatch (hopefully they will hatch tomorrow) and I also have golden pearls from kens. I'm thinking of feeding them this and the bbs alternately. How many times a day should i be feeding them? I plan on getting an automatic feeder as well. And what about the water changes? How many times day? I have read a few things online about feed and wc scheduling but was just wondering what other people who have been through this did. Thanks... oh yes and of course here are pics :)

Discus Spawn 3 006.JPG Discus Spawn 3 011.JPG Discus Spawn 3 016.JPG Discus Spawn 3 017.JPG Discus Spawn 3 018.JPG Discus Spawn 3 019.JPG
 
Congratulations! Start feeding them bbs if you haven't already. They need to eat a lot and keep the water clean. The best part is watching them turn into discus shape.

How many frys do you have?

With regards to feeding.

1. Start feeding them bbs shrimp, even when they are still getting food from the mom/dad. They may not take it at first but they learn quickly that bbs are food and will go after them. You will be able to tell that they are eating bbs when you look at their belly (it will be orange).

2. I like to keep my frys tank clean. I do a wipe down of all the surface of the tank and do wc daily. You just have to take extra precaution not to crush the frys or siphon them out.

3. Using an auto feeder is ideal if you are not home all day. I like to feed them 6-8 times a day. I use a combination of flakes, fry starter and frozen beef heart.

4. If you are feeding bbs, make sure you feed them fresh batches everyday. I have a new batch in the morning and one at night. It takes about 24 hours to hatch so I use three 2 liter bottles.

Good Luck
 
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This is so cool. I don't think I'm even close to ready to start breeding fish.
 
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