She Spawned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I haven't been wearing my glasses for a few days and I noticed one of my Honduran Red Points has dug a hole in the sand in the front of the tank. She's been guarding the new hole for a couple days. I didn't think much of it, the most dominant HRP's in the tank are always guarding something. Anyways I looked closer and realized there's a bunch of babies in the bottom of the hole. At least I assume them to be babies(or they could be eggs, so tiny!). To me they look like little blue dots having seizures.

I guess my question is, what do I do now. I really wasn't prepared for this, the largest ones are only half grown. I'm worried about the four other HRP's in the tank. What do I feed the mom(so she can feed her fry), I have kens earthworm sticks.... Will mom be able to fend off her hungry tank mates? Is it normal for eggs to be shaking non stop like they're having seizures? I've never bred fish that actually parent the fry so I'm at a bit of loss as to what direction I need to move in. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh and also should I keep the tank lights off? Or would that make it easier for the other guys to sneak up on her hole?

Is dad nowhere to be found? Both parents will defend the fry as best as they can. Yes the other fish will start picking them off. Its amazing how all the other fish will work as a team to distract and attack. They are seizureing because they are about to hatch or there may already be a tail sticking out of the egg. If you want them to survive, your going to have to give them their own tank. (the babies only) As for now, just let mom and dad guard them, they can defend the pile as long as the fry are not free swimming. Once you see the pile of fry as whole fry all in a pile, then use a small hose or a turkey baster and suck them up. I use a small hose and siphon them into a container and then into their new home.

GL.

cons and HRPs hatch out as "wigglers" just a sticky egg with a tail ^_^

they stay like this for a few days till you start to see them hopping..than they will take off and be free swimming!!


you could leave them with the parents they are very good parents from what i have read, they will eat crushed flakes from day one...frozen baby brine shrimp work as well.


yay congrats!!! if I had room i would love some!!!

There's one that has been swimming around keeping everyone in their hides, but he's always done this, so i assume he is the pop. Momma fish has moved the eggs out of the hole and jammed them them under a plastic plant. All I've got as a means of fry food right now is Hikari first bites so that will have to suffice until I can get something more. Sucks I have to take their fry away but I don't have a place for the parent fish to live permanently aside from their 36gal.

Thanks for the help you guys.

They're beautiful Kaosu, sucks you don't have room. I always get compliments on them when people come over.

Congrats! That's very exciting!

pictures?congrats i know you wanted them to spawn

Congrats!

Thanks everyone. If they hatch and haven't been eaten by morning I'll pull them out. No pics right now, I have to go to my neighbors to upload pics.

So finally I found them free swimming and siphoned about 95% of the fry out but I left about 5 fry in there. My question is, is it better to leave a few fry for them to tend to or should they all be removed. Poor mom was trying her hardest to protect her youngins from the siphon. As much as I want to try and save all the fry I also feel bad about taking all of her young away.What should I do?

id leave a few to encourage them for next time.This way she will feel like she was tough enough to save a few

Leaving a few in there is a good idea. A lot of the time if you yank all of the fry, the male blames the female for them disappearing, and will open a can on her. Not to mention, if the babies are gone then he may want to spawn again, and she wont be ready. And during this time he may inflict some serious damage to her.

updates please lol

The 15ish fry I left with the parents were consumed by the other fish when the fry really got moving. A good majority of the fry I put in the breeder box are still kicking so far. Tiny little things.

Here's one pic of one of the HRP's hiding from the parents, too cute.

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Ok off topic what is that rock in the background i have huge ones and no idea of what it is.Love the little car

A lava rock.

Where would i find more huge ones?

aquaman95 wrote:Where would i find more huge ones?

thats what she said...

aquaman95 wrote:Where would i find more huge ones?

Don't even remember where I got it, most likely a tank buy because it's not something I would spend money on.