Gold Comp opinions/information needed

[tootie]

Hi Folks,

New to gold comps which I've reared since about 3cm. I noticed that the female was in the barnacle, guarding some eggs. Later she was out of shell, eggs visible in shell and her and male stayed outside shell chasing other fish away. Next morning I looked and the shell was empty of the eggs, obviously some of the other fish in the tank must have eaten them.

I am wondering since this is possibly the first time they have bred (that I am aware of) is this common? Also would it be better if I didn't have them in with other fish (which may be problematic in terms of space) - in this tank (4ft x 18 x18) I have another 3 gold comps, black occies and julidochromis ornatus - they are all small juvies which have been reared up together?

Any opinions / experiences would be greatly appreciated to hopefully have a bit more success in the future.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Shirley

[brucem]

:-)

[brucem]

Hi Shirley,

sometimes I've had females lay eggs near the entrance to a shell for them to be fertilised, only to move them further back in the shell for the fry to hatch and use up their yolks. Could your females have moved the eggs to a part of the barnacle that you cannot see?

Bruce

[tootie]

Thanks Bruce - I can see inside the whole part of that shell and is as clean as a whistle - no eggs in there.

Also neither the male or female is hanging around there anymore.

Shirley

[Link2Hell]

They may not have been fertile Shirley

just do as you did this time keep an eye on them

I would look to moving the barnacle into a fry saver

just remember that Alto fry can fit through flyscreen

so use filter foam in the flow window and a Tetra style

sponge filter pumping over the fry saver to turn the

water over

micro worms are a good starter and then BBS

Chris