Newbie : Discus Pair, Need Help!

**EddyTing** · 2nd Dec 2009, 22:14

Hi,

I've have just started with a Discus pair given by a bro here in AQ. Female of Rose Red and Male of Blue Diamond. So far they've been laying eggs twice but both are failures. 1st occasion, the male ate the eggs as the female lays them and the next, lasted for 3 days only and all gone, many are not fertilized as they turn whitish color. Wondering if you could help in few questions to understand them more...

1) 1.5ft tank with sponge filter as breeding tank at 28 degrees ok for them? No heater, room temperature.
2) What if I use a canister with 400 l/hr flow?
3) If they lay eggs again, can i perform water change and clean tank glass as usual? I'm changing every 2-3 days close to 80%. Water drawn from a reserved tank with some anti chlorine added.
4) Should 1 day those eggs hatch and turn into fries, what should I do?

Thanks in advance...

**Condor** · 2nd Dec 2009, 23:59

Not a expert when come to breeding

1)1.5ft tank still can be used as a breeding tank
but if really success, have you think of the space of letting the fries growing.
Too crowded and u will get lots of stunt fish. Of course, you still can move them to bigger tank.
The advantage of having a small tank is that the pair wont have any problem finding the fries when they free swim.
2)Discus prefer calm water
3)I used to change water 2-3 hours after they layed eggs, added some M.blue (blue solution) to prevent the eggs from fungus. Just a few drops will do.
The eggs will hatch in 2-3 days time, usually I will do a water change before they hatch for at least 50% this is to clear the blue water.
4)An experienced pair will know what to do, they will move the fries from the eggs area to another place. In another day or two maybe three (too long didnt breed discus, a bit forgetful) the fries will free swim and look for dark surface(the parents) and feed on the body. You got to remove all dark object if you dont want the fries to go there (in this case will be your sponge filter). Day 5 u may start to feed them with Baby Brimp Shrimp.

Hope this help u
Sorry if there is any spelling error

**Condor** · 3rd Dec 2009, 00:18

Forget to add
pls cover the eggs with wire mesh after they competed mating

**joopsg** · 3rd Dec 2009, 16:28

Hatch rate of discus will increase if they are kept in soft and acidic water.

**StanChung** · 3rd Dec 2009, 17:05

Change your filtration to sponge filter aeration only. Too fast flow and the fish sperm fly everywhere except on the eggs. After that you can use MB if you like.
White eggs mean unfertilised.
28C is fine.

**Condor** · 3rd Dec 2009, 20:05

Hello StanChung
Will you be coming for the coming competition in Singapore?

**StanChung** · 3rd Dec 2009, 20:37

Hi Condor,
please pm me in future instead of going out topic in Ed's thread.

[I might-if I knew when it was.]

**EddyTing** · 3rd Dec 2009, 20:59

Thanks guys, I think the female will be laying eggs tonight. Will do according to what you guys advised. Will update again on the progress...

**EddyTing** · 5th Dec 2009, 18:37

Hi guys, today the eggs are 2 days old. And getting lesser also but left much more than i expected, from my experience with their 2nd batch of eggs. Color also much different from the 2nd batch. Previous was red and now it's sort or yellowish. There's also 3-4 eggs white. Any advices or opinion if they'd hatch this time?

**StanChung** · 5th Dec 2009, 20:35

Just vacuum any crap with small hose or just leave them alone.
They may peck you at this time. Quite cute.

**EddyTing** · 5th Dec 2009, 22:06

Thanks for the advise Stan...Think I'll just leave them alone. Somehow got a feeling, tomorrow all the eggs will be gone though...

Raining over here in JB lately. Temp dropped to 26-27. Wonder if they would survive and hatch... I'm left with 50 fertilized eggs only.

**Condor** · 5th Dec 2009, 23:11

Cover them with wire mesh if you are afraid of parents eating eggs

**EddyTing** · 6th Dec 2009, 22:34

I was going to until an experienced American sis of another forum says it's not advisable as the parents may not learn how to care for the eggs / fries later. I think she may have a point, so didn't do that. As expected, all eggs are gone now...again, need to wait for next batch. Maybe I'll transfer them into 2ft with heater, see if it works for them...

**Condor** · 7th Dec 2009, 07:54

Why need to use heater?
Your discus are not sick
Unless your tank are in those air-conditioned room

Around 5-7 days, your pair will lay eggs again

**EddyTing** · 7th Dec 2009, 18:41

Thought Discus prefers about 28-29 degrees to be comfortable? I was thinking could it be that the temperature fluctuates too much that's causing the failures. I'm quite sure they will in a few days time as today is the 6th day since the 3rd batch eggs came out. By the way, quite curious on what breed will I get with this pair. Half-half of parents coloration or combination of both?