How to tell if my gold ram eggs are fertilized?

[Corbidorbidoodle]

I've got a rock with Golden ram eggs. The dad seems to be protecting them, and most of them are transparent. Does that mean they're fertilized and ready to be moved to a breeding box?

I had a pair of GBRs lay eggs. I moved them to a separate container and aerated and heated it, and added some copper power, they all just turned gross and no babies. I don't think they were fertilized though. I never did see a male near them.

But these ones seem to be better. Both parents are swimming around, and cleaning the rock, and chasing off my rainbow fish. Should I just leave them? Or would it be better to move them to a breeding box?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I wonder if @dasaltemelosguy would know? 

Your gold rams are beautiful.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Corbidorbidoodle]

Thank you very much! I think they may be my favorite of the Ram lines.

I've got a couple of different tanks with different Rams going. I'm hoping to learn how to get a little bit of passive breeding out of them. I'm not trying to go pro or anything, but it would be fun to have a little bit to spread around to other friends in the hobby.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@Guppysnail just got some rams recently. Tagging her so maybe she can learn along with you.  She's got a Bolivian ram and GBRs.  Her GBRs laid eggs pretty much a day or two after she received her shipment, if you can believe it!

[Guppysnail]

I have only had eggs once. Half were amber/clear. Half solid white that I associate with unfertilized cory eggs.  They got eaten so I really have no clue 🤷‍♀️
The forum GBR breeder I go to is @Fish Folk

They also have a journal that may help. I know it helped me. 

 

[Fish Folk]

@Corbidorbidoodle the tan ones here look fertile. White ones are not…

What happens is that fungus _immediately_ attacks the infertile eggs, and then spreads to fertile ones.

[Corbidorbidoodle]

Of course, that makes sense.

@Fish Folk, What do you think is the best way to combat the spread of fungus?

[Fish Folk]

On 11/1/2022 at 1:45 PM, Corbidorbidoodle said:

Of course, that makes sense.

@Fish Folk, What do you think is the best way to combat the spread of fungus?

In nature, water is flowing, so fungus is less of an issue than in an aquarium biome. Additionally, I _think_ low pH and higher tannins counteract fungus.

Rans fan their eggs instinctively to ward off fungus. They also sometimes “mouth” eggs to remove it, and will often puck off infertile eggs.

My experience has been that Rams are usually very poor parents for the first 6+ spawning attempts. Some learn to raise their own fry in time. Others don’t.

I _always_ pull Ram eggs, place in an isolated floating flow-through tray with aeration, and treat with either methylene blue or hydrogen peroxide.