hoges Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Hi All, I have a few problems with my breeding pair of blue rams. Up until the last 2 months they have been a very successful breeding pair, being excellent parents and successfully raising many of their fry to sellable size. They have spawned 4 times in the last 2 months and as soon as the eggs have hatched they have eaten all of their kids. They are still in their own tank, plenty of plants and hidy holes, good water condition etc. Can anyone suggest what might have changed for them to suddenly do this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmiccreepers Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Perhaps they felt the fry were in danger. Mine did the same thing (before they stopped breeding). It took 3 lots of fry being eaten until I found out that someone (he whos' name shall not be spoken ) was tapping on the glass to make the parents move the fry about. When caught in the act the defence was, "it looks really cool when the parents pick 'em up and move 'em". After this I left the light on 24/7 and wrapped news paper around the tank so the fish would feel more enclosed. Next spawn it worked, got the fry to a good size before moving them. Sorry for the long winded answer, but in short, I have heard of other fish and animal spieces eating their young when there is danger. Cheers, Cassandra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoges Posted December 29, 2004 Author Share Posted December 29, 2004 Thanks for that, I assumed that's what might be wrong, but I can't really work out what has changed to make them feel threatened... its the same tank, same layout, plants etc.... I doubt that anyone is tapping on the tank, unless it's me in my sleep, because no one else is around... hmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett4Perth Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I find this soooo... frustrating with my Rams. They seem really healthy, spawn regularly and yet invariably eat their young. Initially I thought it was a maturity thing as initially they ate the eggs after 24 hours and the next time the fry got to free-swimming. However, they have gone back to eating the eggs again??? There have been instances when it may relate to interferance, like the time I remove a SAE from the tank as it was preying on the free-swimming fry. With-in hours all of the fry had been eaten, the parents are far more effective predators than the SAE On other occasions there has been negligable interferance, just feeding the fish. I would really like to know the answer to this. Cheers Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicksGotFish Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Well at least you got some free swimming my Blue Rams eat the eggs on the second night every single time... But then again they are only new.... Maybe the warming weather in summer what is your temp kept at?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett4Perth Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Temperature has varied a bit. Currently have my heaters off and is usally about 27C has been as high as 30C in early December when had a hot spell. Cheers Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmiccreepers Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Have you considered removing the fry once they are free swimming? I have tried this and have successfully gotten them to 3 weeks- them we had a blackout for four day and I lost them. Cheers, Cassandra. P.S I just want to add that I found a new male last monday, and they have already laid eggs. Touch wood they will hatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicksGotFish Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Watching one of my pairs lay now its sad because there is more than 50 eggs almost reaching 100 and I know they won't make it.. I was going to give them away there is no way I can now.. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmiccreepers Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 I was thinking about the delema some of us are having with our Rams eating the eggs. My thought- and it may sound stupid - was what if once the eggs are fertilised we harvest them and put them in an egg tumbler? Any thoughts? I realise that the eggs are stuck to the log/rock, but I'm sure there is a way to ease them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicksGotFish Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 Yep always thought about that but haven't got the stuff or been bothered to make one Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 was what if once the eggs are fertilised we harvest them and put them in an egg tumbler? There's no need to tumble the eggs as you would with mouthbrooders, they just require good water flow over them to simulate mum and dad fanning the eggs with their fins. A strategically placed air stone does this just fine. As Blue Rams eggs are prone to fungus I've heard of people adding a few drops of methyl blue to the water. Any thoughts? I realise that the eggs are stuck to the log/rock, but I'm sure there is a way to ease them off. Don't try to ease off the eggs, pick up the log/rock with the eggs on it and place the whole thing in the fry tank. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 pick up the log/rock with the eggs on it and place the whole thing in the fry tank. But don't take the eggs out of water at any stage, use a water filled contained to transfer the log/rock between tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmiccreepers Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 It's a plan . Next lot of eggs I'll give it a go and let everyone know what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.d.m Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 skippys spot on here ,years ogo this was the only way some fish could be bred , set up a small tank (2footer) put in the correct dose of methilyn blue and a small sponge filter , then place the rock or flowerpot etc so theres water movemet over it and wait, a couple of things the methilyn blue should stop any fungus but if you see any white eggs its a good idea to pick them out with tweezers and put a small amont of gravel or some rocks on the bottom so the wrigglers dont get swept away, with luck you should get at least a 90% hatch and survival rate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbeer Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 If they are breeding on a rock or driftwood just move it. I just move it as quick as possible and don;t stuff around with a bowl or anything. Figure getting eggs moved and settled is more important,and eggs are pretty tough. After doing this a couple of times I found the little buggers will know what you are doing and either try and hie the eggs better or lay straight on the gravel. I also didnl;t wory about methyl blue but found air flow important. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicksGotFish Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 I don't have a spare tank at the moment though I will soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoges Posted January 6, 2005 Author Share Posted January 6, 2005 can you float them in something inside a big tank, I find this works well when I'm short on tanks. I think I will remove the eggs next time, I just didn't want to do that at first considering they had made such good parents in the past. I'm glad other people are having this prob, I thought I would be alone on this one... I also didn't realise so many people kept rams!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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