geo tapajos "hatchery" set up

jamntoast

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 8, 2014
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winnipeg
I had a pair of my Geo tapajos (finally) spawn for me. I'd been having issues because the only adult female I had was paired up with a male who is too pushy, but at last some of the female fish from a precious pair are ready to do the deed and so far one other paired up. They laid their clutch on thursday and today, rather than let them raise them on their own, I snatched the rock they were on up out of there to try my hand. Hopefully they bounce back and drop another shortly, which I have no doubt they will. I would have let them keep them but they are in a community and I guessed this was easiest to make sure I get all the little fry.
Here is what I have for the set up. The tank is ~20g with a sponge filter and I have an airstone sticking out just a little from under the rock. I hope that's enough circulation to prevent fungus. I have never removed the eggs before so this is a learning experience.
Here are the parents. Not my nicest looking male but definately the biggest and so far he's been a great partner.

And here is how I have the eggs currently
So tell me if this looks good and any tips you might have. Thanks
 

tlindsey

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I had a pair of my Geo tapajos (finally) spawn for me. I'd been having issues because the only adult female I had was paired up with a male who is too pushy, but at last some of the female fish from a precious pair are ready to do the deed and so far one other paired up. They laid their clutch on thursday and today, rather than let them raise them on their own, I snatched the rock they were on up out of there to try my hand. Hopefully they bounce back and drop another shortly, which I have no doubt they will. I would have let them keep them but they are in a community and I guessed this was easiest to make sure I get all the little fry.
Here is what I have for the set up. The tank is ~20g with a sponge filter and I have an airstone sticking out just a little from under the rock. I hope that's enough circulation to prevent fungus. I have never removed the eggs before so this is a learning experience.
Here are the parents. Not my nicest looking male but definately the biggest and so far he's been a great partner.

And here is how I have the eggs currently
So tell me if this looks good and any tips you might have. Thanks
All of the eggs look great, can't wait to see the wigglers :)
 

jamntoast

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Jul 8, 2014
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Ive noticed a bunch have turned white/dead. Is this normal and the parents would just be eating those ones and I would never notice otherwise? Or is it possible its because not enough flow or the conditions between the 2 tanks were too different when I moved them?
 

tlindsey

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The parents would normally eat the white eggs , the parents of most Cichla do a great job with guarding the eggs, and fry. Give the pair a chance to do what's natural to them .:) If pair are new at spawing it may take them a couple of times to get it right.
 

jamntoast

Plecostomus
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Jul 8, 2014
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winnipeg
The parents would normally eat the white eggs , the parents of most Cichla do a great job with guarding the eggs, and fry. Give the pair a chance to do what's natural to them .:) If pair are new at spawing it may take them a couple of times to get it right.
Yea I know that, I just mean as far as maximizing how many fry survive am I doing this correctly? Next time I will leave the eggs with the parents, I was just anxious to see what would happen and i f I left them too long I was worried most would get eaten by the other fish in the tank.
With this clutch, so far about half are dead and I figured I would change the set up so I stood the rock up so the bubble move across it and the live ones all seem to have detached. I then switched out the smaller air stone for a bigger one to create more flow. I can see when I look really close little tails hanging off the eggs. I think they are still alive.
 

tlindsey

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You are doing a good job so far especially if you have wigglers, my only concern is that you keep their water clean in the fry tank. BTW what do plan on feeding the fry after the egg sac is absorbed?
 

jamntoast

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In the past I had just fed crushed up flake, But I have never pulled them out this early before. I had always yanked them at free swimming stage. I was assuming if I just keep up on daily water changes for a while and try to grind flake up real good they would manage to get enough nutrition. Should I get first bites or something?
 

tlindsey

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In the past I had just fed crushed up flake, But I have never pulled them out this early before. I had always yanked them at free swimming stage. I was assuming if I just keep up on daily water changes for a while and try to grind flake up real good they would manage to get enough nutrition. Should I get first bites or something?
Grinding up the flake food as you stated will be fine, personally I like Hikari FIrst Bites but that's just me.:)
 

jamntoast

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Jul 8, 2014
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When they are wigglers with a substantial yolk sack still, do I need a lot of water movement? The air stone I have in the tank churns it up pretty well. At times there's a fry tornado going on, I don't think it hurts them, but do I need all of that?
 

tlindsey

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If you have a t-valve on hand or your air pump has a dial I would turn it down a notch or two. BTW very happy to hear about the wigglers. :)
 
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