'Assume' there's eggs?

[CyberCoyote]

My pair of Macmasteri (id'd here, thank you guys so much) have been acting different. The male stopped chasing the female around early last week, they seemed more chummy. She became VERY yellow and now I rarely see them. Him more than her, and when I saw her sneak some frozen brine she looked thinner and as yellow as a school bus.

She slides away into a spot behind a bunch of java fern and anubius.

I don't really have a lot of faith in seeing babies, the tank houses 4 totally oblivious bronze cories as big as the male. Just want to make sure this behavior is spawning and not something more incidious.

 

[Mike Wise]

Appears that the female has spawned - which puts you corys in danger of attack and damage.

 

[CyberCoyote]

I'm keeping an eye on them. The only other thank I have is a 10 gallon, the Corys started out there until I got the 40, and catching them in THAT tank was tough, this tank has 10 times the plants and hiding places, will be traumatic if I need to move them into the little tank for protection.

 

[CyberCoyote]

You called it, the female was leaving some war wounds on the bigger corys, managed to catch them all by leaving the net in there in a corner with food as a lure (took 2 hours for 4 fish)

Another question, though. I counted on the corys to always be kicking up all the stuff that settled on the sand so it could be swept up by the HOB, added an airstone to the dead corner of the tank even they couldn't help with. Without them in there, does it all come down to stirring it up when vacuuming?

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm afraid gentle stir & vacuum is the best option.

 

[CyberCoyote]

Pretty surprised to see THIS this morning. Thought the Corys were in there too long. I do NOT have any other tank to move the Mom and fry into. They seem to be munching on the itty bitty things growing on the marismo ball. I powdered up some flakes, and have some o-nip tablets that break down into very fine pieces. Will the algae and who knows what else growing in there be enough for some of them to make it if Mom can keep the tetras at bay?

 

[CyberCoyote]

Just an update on the Macmasteri first spawn. A month in and a good number of the fry are doing well in the community tank. I have a 20 tall cycling for a grow out-future spawn tank but they have survived with Mom's diligence. I know I'll have to give these guys up in another month or two, but I've really grown attached to them. Dad has fully matured and us quite the looker.