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Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
I have a single BP who lives with 3 silver dollars, a ghost knife and a small pleco. She went on a redecorating frenzy lately, and removed all the gravel in an area down to the undergravel grate, and chased everyone else from the area.
About 3-4 days later, we have eggs!!! I have no expectation of development, but can't even figure out the breeding behavior with a single fish.
Some of the other strange behavior preceding the eggs were subbing against a piece of driftwood where she ended up attaching the eggs, and swimming horizontally in the hole she had created. She had carved a low spot before, but never like this.
Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
gotta love these odd fish! Take pictures! Sounds really neat. Mine have a cave and when I clean the tank gravel moves back into the cave. they spend the rest of the day cleaning it out again. really funny!
Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
I'll try to take and post pics.
4th day now, not much happening with the eggs as expected, but they are turning white, which apparently is a common fungus problem with eggs. Half of the advice I read says take them out, half says don't. On the basis that the BP seems to have this figured out, and I haven't, I'm going to leave her alone and simply watch. The only real concern is that the maternal instinct is strong, and she won't leave the eggs to eat; she was by far the most aggressive feeder in the tank.
I've cut down on the volume of food for now, and have added pellets that sink faster directly over her nest, hoping that making it easier allows her to feed. So far no signs of distress.
Does anybody know how long before they decide that the eggs are not viable?
thx
Re: Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
Usually 3-4 days. My convicts hatch after almost 4 days exactly. But don't get your hopes up because they won't hatch unless you male was a non-blood parrot.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
Thanks Chris, eggs still there well guarded by Mom. We'll see what happens.
I only have the one BP, so if anything comes out of this, I'll be curious to find out who the little rascal in the tank is :)
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
Do you have any other cichlids in the tank?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
No other cichlids. Three Silver Dollars ( At least one male from the red tipped anal fin), a ghost black knife, a small pleco, and a Golden Dojo Loach.
I can't for my life figure out the breeding behavior
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Redecorating - It's a girl!! Maybe
She probably felt the need to lay eggs then. They won't hatch since there is no male to fertilize the eggs.
OK Show is finally over! We
OK Show is finally over!
We were debating on taking the eggs out or not. My daughter handles the tank with me, and we decided on her route to let the fish do what they know to do. Day 5 (I think average to hatch) came and went, an we worried that she was not doing anything with them. Well, between days 6 and 7, she pretty much disposed of all the eggs (eating them), and she is swimming around and feeding now. A couple of other characters in the tanks that had been terrorized by the whole thing seem calmer.
It was all very interesting, but I'd rather skip this part next time around.
Thanks for your help, advise and info.
Re: Ok this waz wierd....
IT WAS ALIENZ! Nah it was probably your fish.
RE: Ok this waz wierd....
I don't know how old your BP is but they get better as they get older.
We have a fake rock about 6' dia. 4 to 6" tall with levels and holes in the bottom, for those days when my BP is having PMS. Refuge for the catfish. The first day we put it in, she had it completely covered with gravel and was digging underneith it, within a few hours. She had another cave. We kept undoing it and she keeps redoing it. She grabs the artificial plants and puts them where she wants swimming across the tank dragging a huge plant behind her. They become fast and good and keeping things like they want. Afterall it is their place. :)
Re: Ok this waz wierd....
hhmm
Re: Re: Ok this waz wierd....
its strange,but not unheard of. i guess he really wanted to redecorate :)
Re: Ok this waz wierd....
what else do u have in there?
Re: Re: Ok this waz wierd....
just benjamin, a bala shark, and barley