# Discus eating eggs.......help!



## champion_qh

hi folks,

I've got a pair after a month moving into my tank. I was so excited to see the female laying eggs on the wall two days ago, maybe ~20 of them. But now problem comes, the male starts to eating them. I searched around and found it's kinda of common for a non-experienced male doing that. But I've found he only eats those white eggs, which are dead ones I think, and leave those clear ones untouched. So far, none of eggs turn into dark

Here is what i'm going to do next time
1. move them into a separate breeding tank (10 gal?)
2. keep temp >28 deg and change half of water weekly
3. get a moon light by the tank
4. no gravel, cover tank during the fertilizing


How's my plan? any comment? My only concern is if 10 gal is big enough (Sorry, I don't have tons of space at home for fish tanks, but I heard Discus need quite a big space for breeding). My pair are not big, I will say around 3'' maybe, about half size of those giant Discus I saw in April's store. Sometimes, I'm thinking maybe they are too young to have babies


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## bonsai dave

HI there it pretty common with new parents to eat the eggs case they don't feel comfortable with other fish around. I would go bigger than 10 may be 20 to 30 gallons for a breeding tank other than that I think your plan is good.


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## someguy

mine are continually lay'n and eating


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## ibenu

Eating white eggs is a good thing! Eating the non whites ( fertile) is bad. Are your clear ones turning white also? And if after how long? 20 eggs sounds like a small clutch, is your female young? Hpaay good news for you sounds like your well on your way to wigglers in future!


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## thefishwife

I agree its quite common for them to egg their eggs. Is this the first time they have bred? If they are young this will happen.

As Dave said a 10gal is too small for breeding, from what I was told a 29 was the smallest you should go. I had mine in a 29 gal and to be honest, I think that was too small for them. My breeding discus are probably 4 - 5".

Good luck, its always fun to go through this experience.


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## Peterchow

Before you set up a breeding tank, you should perform a preliminary screening of whether your pair is actually a mated pair. Sometimes, two females can pair up. When the female lays eggs, it does not guarantee the fellow closes to her is a male, or if he is a male, is he fertile ?????

I would let them play on their own for a few times until you can see the male learns to fertilize the eggs right after they are layed by the female.

Now, once they are confirmed a mated pair, if the pair is new in spawning, the first few batches are trial, and the parents may eat them until they both feel the batch is worth for them to raise. This process will take a few weeks before you actually see some free swimming frys, if they get that far.


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## champion_qh

Good point, I'm not sure if they are mated pair, but they are the only pair  They are a very young couple, but coordinated very well on guarding eggs. when one is out seeking food, the other is on duty. But most of times, both are around. How does male fertilize eggs? Now, half of eggs are gone, only clear ones left. Clear ones turn into white in couple of days.


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## Peterchow

champion_qh said:


> Good point, I'm not sure if they are mated pair, but they are the only pair  They are a very young couple, but coordinated very well on guarding eggs. when one is out seeking food, the other is on duty. But most of times, both are around. How does male fertilize eggs? Now, half of eggs are gone, only clear ones left. Clear ones turn into white in couple of days.


Once the female lays the eggs from her tube (you can actually see her tube came down), the male will shoot over the eggs with his sperms(his tube also stuck out a little). Inexperienced pair will try many times until female lays eggs in proper spacing & male covers most eggs with sperms.

If you see eggs are laid all over the place, the female is GREEN.
If you see all eggs turn white, it means zero fertilization
If you see small amount of eggs fertilized, it means male is fertile but inexperienced.

It will take a few days for the good eggs to hatch. Then you will see little hairy things attaching to the surface, and eventually they will be free swimming. Once they are free swimming, the parents will take over and call their babies to follow them, so that the frys can eat the slimes off the parents' back.


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## April

females mature younger than males. it may take him quite a fwe times before hes fertile or a high number fertile eggs.
dont move them yet.let them practise in the main tank till you get them very protective..and more fertile. if they do. they should get further with each batch. they are teenagers..and by sounds of it very young. if only 3 inch..very small. some discus have been hormoned..and dont grow big..but start laying very young due to horomones. sometimes hormoned discus will never be fertile. damage to sperm. 
i wouldnt encourage it till they get some size to them. good food..lots of wcs..try to get them bigger. 
when they are ready they will get wigglers..then its time to move them to their own tank.


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## Peterchow

aprils aquarium said:


> females mature younger than males. it may take him quite a fwe times before hes fertile or a high number fertile eggs.
> dont move them yet.let them practise in the main tank till you get them very protective..and more fertile. if they do. they should get further with each batch. they are teenagers..and by sounds of it very young. if only 3 inch..very small. some discus have been hormoned..and dont grow big..but start laying very young due to horomones. sometimes hormoned discus will never be fertile. damage to sperm.
> i wouldnt encourage it till they get some size to them. good food..lots of wcs..try to get them bigger.
> when they are ready they will get wigglers..then its time to move them to their own tank.


Very good points !!!!

Something for us to watch out - Small size female (3") laying eggs - hormoned. Damages to both male + female.


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## champion_qh

I searched again and found some similar thoughts. Thanks for all the help!

My Discus may never have babies


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## bonsai dave

champion_qh said:


> I searched again and found some similar thoughts. Thanks for all the help!
> 
> My Discus may never have babies


That suck I went through the same problem when i first started keeping discus. Now you know why there are a big price diffrent in good quality discus to the bad quality discus that have been flooding the market lately . Cheap is not always better.


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