second try

[LizStreithorst]

I tried once before to foster Angel eggs with my Discus pair with the sterile male.  Last time the male Discus scarfed the eggs.  This time my best parent raising HB pair spawned at the same time as the Discus and on the same kind of "cone".  I wanted the Angel pair to have a break so last night, soon after spawing was completed, I swapped cones.  So far so good.  The Angels are pretty much ignoring the Discus eggs but the Discus are guarding the Angel eggs.

If these make it to wigglers I'll have to find a temporary home for the Pearl Gouramies.  I think the snots will be OK.  I've never had a snot to bother Discus eggs.

[Mugwump]

I tried once before to foster Angel eggs with my Discus pair with the sterile male.  Last time the male Discus scarfed the eggs.  This time my best parent raising HB pair spawned at the same time as the Discus and on the same kind of "cone".  I wanted the Angel pair to have a break so last night, soon after spawing was completed, I swapped cones.  So far so good.  The Angels are pretty much ignoring the Discus eggs but the Discus are guarding the Angel eggs.

If these make it to wigglers I'll have to find a temporary home for the Pearl Gouramies.  I think the snots will be OK.  I've never had a snot to bother Discus eggs.

I wish we lived closer to you.....I'd really like to watch the progression with those fry....this is a great experiment....If the angels hatch out...they won't know what to do with the slime coated discus....or will they???.....if the discus fry hatch out....they won't find any slime coat....

pics  pics  pics....of the goings ons....please...

[LizStreithorst]

To my knowledge Brewmaster over at simply was the first and only one to try this.  He posted pics of the Angel fry eating from the Discus' sides.  The Discus eggs won't hatch out as the male is sterile from the virus.

Lots of whities, I know.  Most likely because I had to do a huge WC in the 100 gallon Discus tank to get the conductivity low enough for the eggs to hatch.  The swing likely didn't do the eggs a world of good.

[Mugwump]

...or simply the swing in water temp did it when you switched the cones......discus at 84 deg's.??...angels at 80 deg's .??...then a big water change......the eggs have been disturbed a bunch................I'll bet you still get some fry tho....

[LizStreithorst]

I try to keep all the tanks around 82 because the water I store for WC is around 82 and all my fish are comfortable at that temp.  There may have been some difference, though.

[Mugwump]

I try to keep all the tanks around 82 because the water I store for WC is around 82 and all my fish are comfortable at that temp.  There may have been some difference, though.

naw...not if you're that close with it......

[Mugwump]

How's it all look today??.....good, I hope....

[LizStreithorst]

Most all of the eggs fungused but I do have some wigglers.  The parents are caring for them well.

[LizStreithorst]

The wigglers are still being well cared for.  I was planning on moving the Pearl Gouramies and Fish (the Betta) to another tank and leaving the pair with their wigglers.  I'll be adding 10 Sterbai to that tank tomorrow.  George will be sending me the GBRs soon and they will go into that 100 gallon as well.  I have decided to move the Discus pair and the cone instead. 

I know it's a risk, but this pair has always guarded their own infertile eggs until they turn to a wad of fungus.  Then they guard the wad of fungus until I can't stand looking at it any longer and wipe it off the cone.  They have great parenting instincts.  Right now the fish are in a 100 gallon with plants in pots all over the place.  I think my chances are better if the Discus and their Angel wigglers are in a BB with nothing but a sponge and a heater.  I'm just added a bunch of rain water to my RO mix container and am waiting for the temp get right before I do a huge WC on the tank the pair and eggs will be moved to.

[Mugwump]

...you've been busy.....I hope they do well with the moving around...the parents will be fine I'm sure. now let's hope the spawn does well too...

[LizStreithorst]

I matched all the water parameters exactly and did the deed.  First thing that happened when I pulled the cone is that the big wad of fungus that most of the wigglers were on fell off the cone   I netted the wad of fungus and moved it to the new tank.  Then I moved the pair.  We'll see how good this pair's parenting instinct is.  I'm afraid to look right now.

In my defense, if I'd planned on doing this experiment I'd have had the Discus pair in a BB by themselves in a BB.  It's just that both the good Angel pair that needed a break and the Discus spawned at the same time so the timing was right. 

[LizStreithorst]

Dad is searching the tank and blowing loose wigglers back on the cone.  I am impressed.  I knew that the instinct was there but what this pair is doing goes above and beyone good parenting.

[LizStreithorst]

Look at all the white fluff on the left of he cone.  The little black dots are some of my wigglers.  I changed lenses, but I don't have the right lens to get the pic sharp.  You can still see if you look close.  That's "their dad"  guarding them.

[Mugwump]

Great pic.....he's determined to get fry....no matter who's .....

[LizStreithorst]

I checked the tank as soon as I got home from work and my heart sank.  Dad was mouthing the white stuff on the cone but there was nary a wiggler to be seen   Then I looked around and found that they'd been moved to the sponge's lift tube   It appears that there's about 60 of them.