6 replies to this topic

[MadMoorii]

Hi guys,
I've read through tonnes of posts here, but I can't find an answer to my specific query. We have never had our bristlenoses breed before, so are a little freaked.

One of our little bristlenose catfish has laid about a dozen eggs on the underside of a rock on top of a pile of rocks in the middle of the tank (not in the supplied cave). In the tank we have about 9 other cichlids. The dad bristlenose is dutifully stuck to the underside of the rock looking after the eggs.

We're worried that as soon as the eggs hatch, the other fish (electric yellows, c.mooriis, electric blues) will eat the wrigglers. None of the other fish can fit in the little hole the eggs are in or even seem to realise they're there.

We have another little tank which is currently housing 6 4-week old electric blue fry and a little catfish (for algae management). Should we move the rock with the eggs (and dad) attached to the small tank so the bristlenose fry (when they hatch) have more chance of survival? We have some fry savers, but no air stone - so we're not confident in moving the eggs alone in to a fry saver. Will the dad continue to look after the eggs on the rock if we move them both?

Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations? We think the eggs have only been there for a few days.

What is the usual "gestation" period? How long between laying, wriggling and being self-sufficient?

Thanks so much for your help!!

[STEVEGREEN]

if you want them to survive , they will have to be moved , sounds like you dont have the equipment required , you should move the rock and dad to a bare tank , and that tank should be filled with the water from the tank they where bred in . sorry but you dont have the tools to get the job done.

if they have recently hatched you need dad to fan the eggs , if they go in your grow up tank you have no chance as your yellow/etc fry will always be hungry and make minced meat out of the bnose fry.

another problem is a floatie might not work as the weight of the rock will sink it.

if i was you sounds like the girls is very young as bnose usually lay 80 to 150 eggs at a time , i would leave them be and give the fish in your big tank a tasty treat.
12 eggs is seriously not worth the effort and who knows some might survive anyway.

once they produce over 50 eggs then it might be worth getting another tank for them , just remember to use the original tank water as bnose fry react badly to change of tank water .

hope this helps
Cheers
Steve Green

[MadMoorii]

Thanks Steve. I guess we'll just let nature take its course then. I guess its just a shame to see the fry get eaten after all the dad's hard work.
Appreciate your help though.

[Scat]

Hi

If you leave the eggs in there until they hatch(just a tail sticking out and they wriggle a bit) then you can take the rock out and flush them off into a frysaver and they will absorb their yolksac and develop into juvinile bristlenose.

Ive raised alot of bristlenose this way myself and the first time you breed them is always exciting so i hope you have some luck.

Cheers
Craig

[MadMoorii]

Thanks Craig!
It seems all the eggs have disappeared (ie. been eaten, we assume). We'll wait until they're a little older and lay a larger batch of eggs. Then we'll try and save them all.
Thanks for your help though!
Kate

[cichlid4lyf]

the first time my bristlenose spawned it was ona rock aswell!
so i got a siphon and siphoned the eggs into a fry saver and put a airstone in there!
they all survived. and are healthy.

phillip

[MadMoorii]

the first time my bristlenose spawned it was ona rock aswell!
so i got a siphon and siphoned the eggs into a fry saver and put a airstone in there!
they all survived. and are healthy.

phillip

Sweet - that sounds like something I can manage. Might do that next time Phillip (if there is a next time).