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Red eggs?

slightlyhector

New Member
Messages
9
To the best of my knowledge my cockatoos have spawned twice the first time their eggs were white and they ate them. but today around 5:00 I saw them spawning again and when the male left all the eggs were red is there a reason for that?
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
On the few occasions I've seen Apistogramma eggs they have been pink, but I think this is to some degree diet related and that white eggs aren't invariably infertile.

I find that it is best not to try and look at the eggs, as it may upset the female. If she has the chance you will nearly block the cave entrance with sand, so that you can't see in and the male or other fish can't get in. As long as she is yellow and defending her cave fry will appear.

cheers Darrel
 

Tedstank

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
66
Location
Maryland, Along the Chesapeake Bay
I've never peeked at the eggs of my apstos, but on several occasions my Inka 50's layed eggs on the side glass of one of my tanks. Those eggs were always a reddish brown color. The area was heavily planted and I had 15 growing out in a 40 gallon long tank. There were sleeper males, but the big guy and his girls seemed to like the glass over coconut shells, until I moved him and his favorite into a ten gallon. He would eat out of my hand and she was constantly rearing fry.

My cockatoo's never had reddish eggs, always the colorless....when I had the chance to see them.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Egg color is basically due to diet for most apisto (A. diplotaenia is an exception). Fertile eggs can be red, white (but not fuzzy), green, and tan.
 

Apistomaster

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
703
Location
Clarkston, WA
My experience with egg colors is the same as Mike's.
I think the first spawns from wild Apistogramma tend to be red as are the eggs of Apistos which are receiving plenty of newly hatched brine shrimp.
I am sure that diets rich in carotenoids will always trend red.
Many of the eggs from tank raised fish which have not had a steady diet of brine shrimp nauplii or a FD plankton like CyclopEeze will be tan to a translucent no particular color.
I feed my breeder Apistos newly hatched brine shrimp one or two times a day because they need live food and if they are set up for breeding there will be live food for the fry. I am not into checking for eggs except when I plan to remove them from the beginning. So I never know when a female will begin shepherding free swimming fry but if she does the fry will find food. To me it is a win/win to feed live bbs.
 

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