Why do my Discus keep eating the eggs on the second day of spawning?

Question

Well after dealing with the problem of my Male Discus. My other pair has spawned and for the fifth time on the second day of taking care of their eggs they have ate all them. And every time its on the second day they don't go white or anything but they still eat it. I have tested all the appropiate tests for it too see if there is any ammonia or nitrates or anything that would make it eat their young but they all came back normal. They are kept in a simple tank with gentle filtration with nothing disturbing them like loud noises or other fish in the tank. They also take really good care of their eggs as they take it in turn to feed and fan the eggs so i don't know whats wrong. Also i think that the eggs are fertilised as they don't turn white but what do discus eggs look like fertlised? Please help!

Answer 1

Discus eggs, and other cichlid eggs, are typically a clear and/or slightly pink color when fertilized.

If they are young discus, I would give them another chance before taking the eggs and hatching them yourself. Raising discus fry is very difficult because part of their feeding when they are very young is actually off the mucous excreted on the sides of the parents.

If your tank is in a well traveled part of the house, they could be bothered by pets or people walking past the tank. Try taping some black poster paper on the front and one side (the side closest to the eggs) of the tank next time they lay eggs to cut down on outside motion.

I would also put a small night light (like for a kid's bedroom) next to the tank so they can see the eggs at night after the tank lights are turned off.

Answer 2

Fertile eggs are normally pale yellow, darkening as the babies develop.
I would allow them to spawn again but leave them strictly alone. I have known people wrap their discus aquariums in paper so that the fish could not see visitors from the outside world.
It may also help if you leave the tank lights off during breeding periods.

Answer 3

Its generally a sign of immaturity in the fish, or you may have two females which has happened to me, try taking one fish out on that second day preferably the male if you know which is which. If that fails do it the other way round. I've only been succesful with this method once. Its really difficult to raise them without the parents, and I've only read about it in one of whatleys books and never seen it done by any U.K. breeders.

Answer 4

I had this same subject what I did is take a pickle jar and wiped clean it very properly placed brackish water in and placed a plactic mesh from some orange nets and fixed it then placed the eggs in it and placed it on its edge in my tank so the mummy and father nonetheless could desire to recognize they have been there offspring then wait a pair of week and take the fry out and placed them in a 10 gallon community tank until they grew to a pair of million inch