Small cory eggs

[Cinnebuns]

I've been breeding my panda cories for several months now. I pull eggs from spawning mops a few times a week. Recently I've come across something new. Eggs that are smaller than normal. It's possible that one of my females just became sexually mature because I have noticed one spawning that never did before. Is that maybe why?  She's newer to it and younger?  Ideas?

[Fish Folk]

On 8/13/2022 at 2:13 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I've been breeding my panda cories for several months now. I pull eggs from spawning mops a few times a week. Recently I've come across something new. Eggs that are smaller than normal. It's possible that one of my females just became sexually mature because I have noticed one spawning that never did before. Is that maybe why?  She's newer to it and younger?  Ideas?

Yep. That would be my assumption. Works that way with my Killis. Congratulations!

[FLFishChik]

On 8/13/2022 at 2:13 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I've been breeding my panda cories for several months now. I pull eggs from spawning mops a few times a week. Recently I've come across something new. Eggs that are smaller than normal. It's possible that one of my females just became sexually mature because I have noticed one spawning that never did before. Is that maybe why?  She's newer to it and younger?  Ideas?

I have been thinking about breeding my Pandas (no previous breeding except mollies… and well… they need no help). I’ve tried finding info online but I haven’t found a whole lot. Would you mind sharing how you do tho so when I am ready, I’ll have a good starting point?

[nabokovfan87]

Definitely seems plausible and it's something I've seen.  Horde gets to a specific size, then they decide it's time to grow.  They probably get about.... 1" or 1.25" for the females and then they start to lay or show activity for me.

I will have to keep an eye out for the size of eggs.  It's a good point.    I think on my black corys I have 1 M and 1 F that I got from the last spawn, so it'll be a good chance to see what happens.

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:27 AM, FLFishChik said:

I have been thinking about breeding my Pandas (no previous breeding except mollies… and well… they need no help). I’ve tried finding info online but I haven’t found a whole lot. Would you mind sharing how you do tho so when I am ready, I’ll have a good starting point?

Yeah definitely!! Always happy to pay forward info others have given me and experience has taught me. 

First thing I will say is that they don't become sexually mature until 12 months of age. Usually when you get them they are younger than this so it's good to keep that in mind. 

 

Tank Setup

It helps to figure out what kind of layers they are. I know mine personally like to lay in vegetation real or simulated (by use of spawning mops) but some like to lay on glass or decor. I THINK most tend to be ones that like to lay in vegetation, but tbh my only basis for thinking that is because I hear of it from others more often. What they prefer to lay on will determine how you set things up for them. 

Tbh, I don't know a lot about decor/glass laying process since that's not what mine is, but from what I gather they literally just pull them off the glass. If yours prefer vegetation then there are some things you can use to make collecting eggs easier. The first and most common is a spawning mop. These are super easy to make out of 100% acrylic yarn. It simulates dense vegetation or moss. I do know of some people who actually use live moss or other plants, but it's MUCH easier to find eggs in a mop to move them to another tank or breeder box. The people I know who use live usually aren't pulling eggs but just let them do their own thing. I like to use 2 spawning mops. It's not essential but this is my reasoning. I like to pull eggs roughly once an hour on the nights they spawn.  Having 2 means they have access to 1 while I'm checking the other. 

Here is a pic of my tank with the mops:

 

Conditioning

The next step is conditioning the females to spawn. Feeding a large amount of high protein foods help them make eggs. I feed sinking shrimp pellets but any protein will work. I feed a decent amount on a regular basis but sometimes feed extra when I want them to spawn. 

Triggering

One thing that I find fun is you can trigger them to spawn the specific day you want them to. Every fish is an individual and some have a different "fetish" than others, but most are triggered by cold water changes. Do a water change and put water back in that is cooler than the tank temperature. It doesn't have to be a huge change but I like to do 5-10 degrees cooler. Don't worry about it shocking the fish. It doesn't change the tank temp by much. Some people will even do things to make it sound like it's raining. I've never done this personally. I have however noticed that when it's raining outside they almost always spawn. 

Spawning 

Watching them spawn is kinda fun. When I first started I used to watch them do it for hours. Even now I catch myself watching sometimes. Kinda makes me feel like a voyeur lol. The process is cool. A few hours before they actually spawn, you will see the females cleaning the spots they are going to want to lay their eggs. Once they are ready, they do the famous T position. The female takes the sperm into her mouth. After that she deposits an egg into her back fins. This is usually only 1 egg but can be up to 4. She will then swim around to find a spot to lay the egg. This can take several minutes. While she's doing this the males will chase her hoping to be next in line after she lays that one. After she lays it the whole process starts over. 

Here is a video I got of the T part of this process:

 

Pulling Eggs

I have no life so I have no problem staying up late to pull eggs on most nights lol. It is ideal to pull as soon as you can. The longer they sit, the greater chance of them being eaten. I have watched another female go in right after an egg was laid and eat it. Depending on what other species are in the tank, others may go in the mop and steal eggs too. I commonly find half eaten eggs while pulling eggs. You can wait till morning to check, but just know that your yield may be much lower. 

When pulling eggs you can remove the entire spawning mop. You can't find the eggs just by looking at it in the tank because they bury them. You really have to look closely. It's easy to miss them. Frequently I will catch a glimpse of an egg and then quickly lose it. The eggs are pretty sturdy but still be careful. They do take a few minutes after being laid to harden. If you happen to grab them early they may be more fragile. You can put the eggs in a breeder box, tank, or even a jar. 

 

I can go over hatching and raising fry later. I need a break haha. 

 

[FLFishChik]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:49 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Yeah definitely!! Always happy to pay forward info others have given me and experience has taught me. 

First thing I will say is that they don't become sexually mature until 12 months of age. Usually when you get them they are younger than this so it's good to keep that in mind. 

 

Tank Setup

It helps to figure out what kind of layers they are. I know mine personally like to lay in vegetation real or simulated (by use of spawning mops) but some like to lay on glass or decor. I THINK most tend to be ones that like to lay in vegetation, but tbh my only basis for thinking that is because I hear of it from others more often. What they prefer to lay on will determine how you set things up for them. 

Tbh, I don't know a lot about decor/glass laying process since that's not what mine is, but from what I gather they literally just pull them off the glass. If yours prefer vegetation then there are some things you can use to make collecting eggs easier. The first and most common is a spawning mop. These are super easy to make out of 100% acrylic yarn. It simulates dense vegetation or moss. I do know of some people who actually use live moss or other plants, but it's MUCH easier to find eggs in a mop to move them to another tank or breeder box. The people I know who use live usually aren't pulling eggs but just let them do their own thing. I like to use 2 spawning mops. It's not essential but this is my reasoning. I like to pull eggs roughly once an hour on the nights they spawn.  Having 2 means they have access to 1 while I'm checking the other. 

Here is a pic of my tank with the mops:

 

Conditioning

The next step is conditioning the females to spawn. Feeding a large amount of high protein foods help them make eggs. I feed sinking shrimp pellets but any protein will work. I feed a decent amount on a regular basis but sometimes feed extra when I want them to spawn. 

Triggering

One thing that I find fun is you can trigger them to spawn the specific day you want them to. Every fish is an individual and some have a different "fetish" than others, but most are triggered by cold water changes. Do a water change and put water back in that is cooler than the tank temperature. It doesn't have to be a huge change but I like to do 5-10 degrees cooler. Don't worry about it shocking the fish. It doesn't change the tank temp by much. Some people will even do things to make it sound like it's raining. I've never done this personally. I have however noticed that when it's raining outside they almost always spawn. 

Spawning 

Watching them spawn is kinda fun. When I first started I used to watch them do it for hours. Even now I catch myself watching sometimes. Kinda makes me feel like a voyeur lol. The process is cool. A few hours before they actually spawn, you will see the females cleaning the spots they are going to want to lay their eggs. Once they are ready, they do the famous T position. The female takes the sperm into her mouth. After that she deposits an egg into her back fins. This is usually only 1 egg but can be up to 4. She will then swim around to find a spot to lay the egg. This can take several minutes. While she's doing this the males will chase her hoping to be next in line after she lays that one. After she lays it the whole process starts over. 

Here is a video I got of the T part of this process:

 

Pulling Eggs

I have no life so I have no problem staying up late to pull eggs on most nights lol. It is ideal to pull as soon as you can. The longer they sit, the greater chance of them being eaten. I have watched another female go in right after an egg was laid and eat it. Depending on what other species are in the tank, others may go in the mop and steal eggs too. I commonly find half eaten eggs while pulling eggs. You can wait till morning to check, but just know that your yield may be much lower. 

When pulling eggs you can remove the entire spawning mop. You can't find the eggs just by looking at it in the tank because they bury them. You really have to look closely. It's easy to miss them. Frequently I will catch a glimpse of an egg and then quickly lose it. The eggs are pretty sturdy but still be careful. They do take a few minutes after being laid to harden. If you happen to grab them early they may be more fragile. You can put the eggs in a breeder box, tank, or even a jar. 

 

I can go over hatching and raising fry later. I need a break haha. 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it in detail! It is so helpful! Now I’ll know what to do when I get ready to try and breed them!!!

[TeeJay]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:49 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Yeah definitely!! Always happy to pay forward info others have given me and experience has taught me. 

First thing I will say is that they don't become sexually mature until 12 months of age. Usually when you get them they are younger than this so it's good to keep that in mind. 

 

Tank Setup

It helps to figure out what kind of layers they are. I know mine personally like to lay in vegetation real or simulated (by use of spawning mops) but some like to lay on glass or decor. I THINK most tend to be ones that like to lay in vegetation, but tbh my only basis for thinking that is because I hear of it from others more often. What they prefer to lay on will determine how you set things up for them. 

Tbh, I don't know a lot about decor/glass laying process since that's not what mine is, but from what I gather they literally just pull them off the glass. If yours prefer vegetation then there are some things you can use to make collecting eggs easier. The first and most common is a spawning mop. These are super easy to make out of 100% acrylic yarn. It simulates dense vegetation or moss. I do know of some people who actually use live moss or other plants, but it's MUCH easier to find eggs in a mop to move them to another tank or breeder box. The people I know who use live usually aren't pulling eggs but just let them do their own thing. I like to use 2 spawning mops. It's not essential but this is my reasoning. I like to pull eggs roughly once an hour on the nights they spawn.  Having 2 means they have access to 1 while I'm checking the other. 

Here is a pic of my tank with the mops:

 

Conditioning

The next step is conditioning the females to spawn. Feeding a large amount of high protein foods help them make eggs. I feed sinking shrimp pellets but any protein will work. I feed a decent amount on a regular basis but sometimes feed extra when I want them to spawn. 

Triggering

One thing that I find fun is you can trigger them to spawn the specific day you want them to. Every fish is an individual and some have a different "fetish" than others, but most are triggered by cold water changes. Do a water change and put water back in that is cooler than the tank temperature. It doesn't have to be a huge change but I like to do 5-10 degrees cooler. Don't worry about it shocking the fish. It doesn't change the tank temp by much. Some people will even do things to make it sound like it's raining. I've never done this personally. I have however noticed that when it's raining outside they almost always spawn. 

Spawning 

Watching them spawn is kinda fun. When I first started I used to watch them do it for hours. Even now I catch myself watching sometimes. Kinda makes me feel like a voyeur lol. The process is cool. A few hours before they actually spawn, you will see the females cleaning the spots they are going to want to lay their eggs. Once they are ready, they do the famous T position. The female takes the sperm into her mouth. After that she deposits an egg into her back fins. This is usually only 1 egg but can be up to 4. She will then swim around to find a spot to lay the egg. This can take several minutes. While she's doing this the males will chase her hoping to be next in line after she lays that one. After she lays it the whole process starts over. 

Here is a video I got of the T part of this process:

 

Pulling Eggs

I have no life so I have no problem staying up late to pull eggs on most nights lol. It is ideal to pull as soon as you can. The longer they sit, the greater chance of them being eaten. I have watched another female go in right after an egg was laid and eat it. Depending on what other species are in the tank, others may go in the mop and steal eggs too. I commonly find half eaten eggs while pulling eggs. You can wait till morning to check, but just know that your yield may be much lower. 

When pulling eggs you can remove the entire spawning mop. You can't find the eggs just by looking at it in the tank because they bury them. You really have to look closely. It's easy to miss them. Frequently I will catch a glimpse of an egg and then quickly lose it. The eggs are pretty sturdy but still be careful. They do take a few minutes after being laid to harden. If you happen to grab them early they may be more fragile. You can put the eggs in a breeder box, tank, or even a jar. 

 

I can go over hatching and raising fry later. I need a break haha. 

 

You better stop watching them do it so much they might get shy. 😎

[Cinnebuns]

@EmoryI'm gonna ask you this because based on your post it seems you might know the answer and idk who else is a rainbowfish person. Is it possible these "small cory eggs" I'm finding are actually from my pseudomugil furcata?  I realized the appearance of them may have coincided with getting some. They do look exactly like cory eggs only smaller but idk what rainbow eggs look like. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 8/18/2022 at 11:42 PM, Cinnebuns said:

@EmoryI'm gonna ask you this because based on your post it seems you might know the answer and idk who else is a rainbowfish person. Is it possible these "small cory eggs" I'm finding are actually from my pseudomugil furcata?  I realized the appearance of them may have coincided with getting some. They do look exactly like cory eggs only smaller but idk what rainbow eggs look like. 

Yes they very well could be rainbow fish eggs. 

[SimmonsSnailsNScales]

This seems like a good place to get my question answered. I have a group of emerald cory cats in the 75-gallon community tank. They have laid small clusters of eggs on the glass a few times. I was unable the get the eggs off the glass without damaging them. I wish I had a picture of them now. After reading @Cinnebuns post I imagine that the eggs I saw had already been partially eaten. I fear that my tank has too many other nosy fish that prevent the corys from doing their thing very often. I am thinking about moving the corys to my shrimp tank to let them spawn and then moving them back to the 75 gallon. Then I would just let the baby corys grow up with the shrimp.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?

[Emory]

On 8/19/2022 at 6:42 AM, Andy's Fish Den said:

Yes they very well could be rainbow fish eggs. 

Yes they could be rainbow eggs, they look very similar!

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/19/2022 at 7:04 PM, SimmonsSnailsNScales said:

This seems like a good place to get my question answered. I have a group of emerald cory cats in the 75-gallon community tank. They have laid small clusters of eggs on the glass a few times. I was unable the get the eggs off the glass without damaging them. I wish I had a picture of them now. After reading @Cinnebuns post I imagine that the eggs I saw had already been partially eaten. I fear that my tank has too many other nosy fish that prevent the corys from doing their thing very often. I am thinking about moving the corys to my shrimp tank to let them spawn and then moving them back to the 75 gallon. Then I would just let the baby corys grow up with the shrimp.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?

Hey, sorry I took awhile to respond. 

It's very common for eggs to get eaten in a community tank. It's not just the other fish but the cories themselves will eat them. This is one reason I use a spawning mop. Since yours are already laying on the glass they may not use one.  The way to get them off the glass without damaging them is to roll them. About 5 or so minutes after they are laid they harden and are pretty sturdy. Before that they are a little delicate. 

In terms of keeping eggs in with shrimp, as long as they are neocaridina then it's a huge help actually. That's what I do. Neos will nanny the eggs and clean off fertile ones while eating infertile ones. Any other shrimp will eat all eggs unfortunately. 

If you have any other questions let me know!

[Cinnebuns]

Im now convinced these smaller eggs are rainbow eggs. I turned one of the mops into floating yesterday. Today I checked and found 2 of the small ones. 

[Cinnebuns]

99.9% sure they are pseudomugil furcata eggs. Found a fry.