Fertilisation of Discus eggs

**libra04ts** · 30th Jul 2008, 09:45

Hi,

How do I know after the female had spwaned the eggs, whether the male had fertilise them?

What do i need to feed the babies?

Thanks.

**diboroan** · 31st Jul 2008, 03:03

Normally you see the male following in the path of the female after she has laid to fertilize the eggs. If fertilized, eggs should hatch in 3 days then around 2 days to free swim.

fry will feed on the mucus produced on the parents body and you can feed them some baby powder food if you wish and eventually you can hatch bs for them to feed on and then move on to beef heart etc.

**trident** · 31st Jul 2008, 08:53

if the eggs are not fertilized, within 2 days they will turn white.

for fries around 7 days old can feed newly hatched brine shrimp

**libra04ts** · 31st Jul 2008, 13:17

Hi All,

Thanks for the info. I did not get to see the laying process though, I went home and the eggs are already laid.

The eggs will turn white if not fertilized, but when I first saw them, they are already white in color. Does that mean anything? If fertilized, it will turn to other colour?
If fertilised, the fries will come out of the eggs or the eggs will just turn into fries?

Thanks.

**trident** · 31st Jul 2008, 14:31

If the eggs are fertilized the color is creamy in color,
after 2 days those not fertilized will turn white, while
those fertilized will turn dark.
Day 3 they will hatch, wiggler stage.
They will just stick on the tile and sometimes their parents will move them about.
Will free swim 6-7 days after been laid.

**diboroan** · 31st Jul 2008, 15:09

Originally Posted by libra04ts

Hi All,

Thanks for the info. I did not get to see the laying process though, I went home and the eggs are already laid.

The eggs will turn white if not fertilized, but when I first saw them, they are already white in color. Does that mean anything? If fertilized, it will turn to other colour?
If fertilised, the fries will come out of the eggs or the eggs will just turn into fries?

Thanks.

I think they probably come out from the egg but they will have their egg sac on to provide them with nutrients.

**luenny** · 1st Aug 2008, 10:21

Congrats on your discus spawning. Anyway, just leave the eggs alone. Fertilize or not you will know in a few days. Most parents will remove the white unfertilized eggs. It's not good for you to remove them because you may scare the parents in the process and they may end up eating the whole batch of eggs. Just keep your fingers cross and hopefully you'll see wrigglers soon.

**libra04ts** · 5th Aug 2008, 11:26

Well, think the eggs are not good or what, they are not fertilised. They have been eaten up by the discus. So now waiting for them to spawn again and hope they can work out.

**trident** · 6th Aug 2008, 08:26

After 3 days if the eggs are white in color, just wash them away.
If you are afraid that the parents might eat the eggs, get a small stainless steel wire mesh to cover the tile.

**b_goh88** · 6th Aug 2008, 11:32

Hi,

Currently I've 6 discuss in my planted tanks and 2 of them pair up. Last Thursday eggs are lay on the java fern, but the next day all eggs are eaten up (not sure by the parent fish or other).

I'm thinking of removing this pair to another tank by themselves. Need advise as this is the first time I try breeding.

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK?

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2times a week, is it ok?

3) Must I put the ss mesh over the tile after eggs are lay?

**trident** · 6th Aug 2008, 20:04

Hi,

Currently I've 6 discuss in my planted tanks and 2 of them pair up. Last Thursday eggs are lay on the java fern, but the next day all eggs are eaten up (not sure by the parent fish or other).

I'm thinking of removing this pair to another tank by themselves. Need advise as this is the first time I try breeding.

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK? Yes, they would need a breeding tank to breed. A bare tank with airstone is fine. Tank size is ok, but depend on the breed. Albinos will need a smaller tank as their fries have weak eyesight and might not be able to find their parents.

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2times a week, is it ok? Use tap water with anti chlorine will do. Water change 2-3 times is ok, but have to watch the water condition when fries free swim.

3) Must I put the ss mesh over the tile after eggs are lay?
Better to use a stainless steel mesh to protect the eggs. Also add a few drops of methylene blue to prevent fungus growth on the unfertilized eggs.

**diboroan** · 6th Aug 2008, 20:06

Hi bro,

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK? Yup this is fine

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2 times a week, is it ok? Why do you want to use the plant tank water? Just use tap water put in anti-chlorine would do.

3) Must I put the stainless steel mesh over the tile after eggs are lay? It would depend on the pair, some pairs eat up eggs some don't. But to be safe just put unless you are willing to test it out.

**b_goh88** · 7th Aug 2008, 11:38

Thanks guys for all the advise.

For the planted tank water, I thought this is better cause it is aged water and since the discus I've live in this enviroment before I move them to the breeding tank.

Well if tap water with anit-chlorine is ok, then it save me trouble from taking water from my planted tank to the breeding tank and then top up water to the planted tank.

I'm very new to discus, I don't know what discus I've. I got them from a LFS and it happen that two got pair up after a year plus. I will try to post their photo and maybe need help from you guys to identify them.

**diboroan** · 7th Aug 2008, 13:48

I think the thing with the planted tank water is that it may contain bacteria(from other discus, fishes, plants), that the fry may not be used to or are not strong enough yet to fight off so to play safe use tap water with anti chlorine.

**b_goh88** · 7th Aug 2008, 14:03

Ok. I'll used the planted tank water during the transfer of the breeding pair, after that I will slow change the breeding tank water with tap water + anti-chlorine.

By the way, do I need to add any other thing? Years ago a friend told me that discus need low ph water but our tap water is usually at ph 7. Do I need to lower the ph? and if I need what is optium level and which is the best way to do that?

**trident** · 8th Aug 2008, 08:19

ph 7 is good enough for the discus to breed, these are tank bred discus and are used to tap water. If they don't breed than can consider adding ketapang leaves or peat.
but to my experience usually don't need, once they are ready, they will breed.