Cacatuoides spawn

[Alex.]

Hi,

My cacatuoides have spawned, and there's a cluster of about 20-30 eggs on the roof of one of the female's plantpot caves.

What's the best way to get them to grow?

Also, will the male have even fertilised them, or may she still have spawned without his involvement?

As the females are still very young the chances are that it will be unsuccessful, but I'd like to know how I should go about caring for the fry.

Thanks

 

[ste12000]

Hi Alex, congratulations on the spawning and welcome to the forum. Can we have a few more details? tank size and what are the Cacatuoides housed with? if there are other fish in with them it will effect the chances of the female raising her brood. Ill try and help as much as i can.

 

[Alex.]

It's a 180L tank, a trio of cacatuoides (1M, 2F) with 20 cardinal tetra, 1 L183 pleco and 5 corydoras trilineatus.

The female keeps 'waving' her body at the male when he swims past the cave. Does that give any sort of indication as to whether the eggs are fertilised yet or not?

Thanks for the help

 

[Csababá]

Does it often occur that the eggs remain unfertilised?

 

[Alex.]

Sorry, I don't think my post was clear enough.

This was my first spawn ever, and I was asking if there was a way of finding out if the eggs are fertilised or not.

It doesn't matter now, as I came home from school today to find they had all disappeared, and no signs of any freeswimmers :frown:

 

[Csababá]

Sorry, it was a general question (for others as well) since the situation is the same in my tank, too. After 1-3 days the eggs disappear but I don't know whether the female or the others eat them up and why.

 

[bigbird]

Hi Alex,

Sorry to read that you lost your eggs. For a young female, she sometimes lays eggs herself, which are unfertilised for whatever reason. But normally the first batch is a so called trial patch. If you do get eggs again in the future, they normally should not change colour. It has been my experience that non fertilised eggs go white and fungal and then the female removes these anyway. There is a positive though and that is that she can lay eggs. Now you need the male to do his part and you should get success. Be wary of the tetras though as they are sometimes good fry hunters. cheer jk :biggrin:

 

[ste12000]

Sorry for the late reply. Ive been mad busy with work and the fishroom and have not been online much.
If you can see the eggs then i would suggest some better caves, i use half coconut shells with a tiny notch cut out, the females feel far more secure when they can totally block the entrance to the cave with substrate. If they think the eggs are too visable they may panic and eat them before something else does, try adding a choice of caves with small entrances. Concentrate on making the fish feel safe and secure and not on you being able to view the eggs, i always add a cave right at the back of the tank with the entrance hidden from view, if they want privacy then they can choose to have it....Im sure you will have success in the near future, Goodluck.

 

[ste12000]

Hi,



Also, will the male have even fertilised them, or may she still have spawned without his involvement?


Thanks

I forgot to answer this one..If there is a female that is ready to spawn...Dont worry the male will KNOW.. Us guys have that sense built into us

The eggs should of been fertilised. If not the male may be too young or not experienced enough. Give them another week or so and they will spawn again.

 

[Csababá]

Is it better to have only the mother in the breeding tank or is any dither fish needed, maybe the father?

 

[Alex.]

Well, my caves at the moment look like this:

Will pushing them further into the substrate help or will I need brand new ones?

Fingers crossed for another spawn then... :tongue:

 

[ste12000]

They are nice looking caves, but yes, pushing them down will increase the amount of privacy the female gets..This is important for a successful spawn. My pics below will show you how they use the cave and block up the entrance..By choice Apistogramma prefer a small easily defendable entrance.

Before spawning..

After spawning.(The female is inside with her eggs.)

This is a different female in a different cave, notice that she can only just squeeze in and out..

And all this question asking and knowledge gaining eventually leads to this..

WELL WORTH IT...............

 

[Alex.]

Thanks for the pictures!

Will they be able to move my substrate like that if it's a fine gravel?

I will try pushing all the caves deeper in and see what happens :wink:

And, does the male have to be able to get in? (I've no idea how apistogramma spawn)