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Electric Blue Acara eggs. Help!


Marms918
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Hi everyone,

I just started in this hobby in May. I have a planted 75g with 2 electric blue acaras, 10 congo tetras, 6 peppered cory, a clown pleco, a bristlenose pleco and 2 mystery snails. 

I got the 2nd EBA on August 8th and the fish have already spawned and the eggs are on a plant leaf.

All but a few of the eggs appear darker, so I assume they are fertilized and the 2nd EBA is male. The fish are about 3” right now so not even full adult size. What are my next steps if I want to keep some fry if/when they hatch? I have a spare 10g that has been running as my hospital tank. Should I get a breeder box or some sort of tank divider for the main tank instead to give them the best chance?

Any advice is much appreciated as I am a complete newbie when it comes to fish breeding and raising fry.

Thanks!

 

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  • 1 month later...

I'd think pulling the eggs and moving them to the 10 gallon would be your best bet so they don't get eaten by any of the other tank inhabitants, although the female will likely try to guard the eggs from predators. Congrats on the EBAs. They're beautiful fish. 

 

 

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@Pete Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I let the eggs hatch and was going to move them after work but they all got eaten on about the 4th day post hatching. I was so mad at myself.

You have impeccable timing, however, as the female laid a new batch of eggs yesterday! I got a 20g long in anticipation of this happening again, but it isn't set up yet. I do have a spare sponge filter in my main tank and was thinking of setting up the 20g today or tomorrow at the latest. If it won't be ready in time, the 10g is still set up as well, but she is definitely heavily guarding the eggs. Should I move them now or wait until they are in the wiggler stage?

Or, should I just move the leaf to a breeder box in the main tank? She laid on the exact same leaf as before so I am hesitant to cut it off the plant. 

Thanks again for your response! 

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Ooh congrats @Marms918 that's a tough call. I'd be tempted to try and move the eggs into the breeder box and keep them in the same tank. Not sure the best way to move the eggs though. Turkey baster maybe?

Need to move them pretty quick if they were laid yesterday. They could start hatching tomorrow.

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Thanks @Pete! So I got about 30 of them in the breeder box using a turkey baster. They hatched and she was moving them already to the pit when I got home last night and she was not happy with the intrusion, lol. She is still guarding a bunch of them so I am going to let those get a little bigger before I try again.

I ordered a brine shrimp hatchery and eggs that should be here Monday... regardless, if this batch doesn't pan out I will be 100% ready next month (assuming they continue to breed monthly). 

I am cycling the 20g long now. Do you think the best course next month would be to move the parents into the 20g prior to them breeding? Or, grab the eggs immediately next time and move them before they hatch? I hope to raise the fry in the 20g until I am able to sell or give away. I guess the month old fry would possibly eat the babies? Going to run out of tanks!! 🙂

Definitely a big learning experience that I am excited about, even though it wasn't planned, considering I didn't have fish until July! If these guys make it I'll be sure to post some pics. 

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Next time they spawn, grab the eggs early and move them to a breeder box in the 20 before they hatch. Not sure if the older fry will prey on the babies, but I'd think you could put a divider in the 20 while the new fry grow out before letting them intermingle with the older generation. But that's just my guess. It sounds like a fun challenge! Can't wait to see some photos.

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