Dovii female eating eggs?

[Jonnyakawombell]

Hi all looking for some help here, as soon as my female Dovii is laying her eggs and he fertilises them she is eating them,the first 2-3 times I just put it down to botched breeding atempts, as its normal for them to get I wrong the first few times but she has done it every spawn for while now and I'm out of ideas I've bred many different types of cichlids but I have know idea why she is doing this, any ideas would be massively appreciated, thanks

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Hi all looking for some help here, as soon as my female Dovii is laying her eggs and he fertilises them she is eating them,the first 2-3 times I just put it down to botched breeding atempts, as its normal for them to get I wrong the first few times but she has done it every spawn for while now and I'm out of ideas I've bred many different types of cichlids but I have know idea why she is doing this, any ideas would be massively appreciated, thanks

This has happened to me like 8 spawns with a different cichlid. She would just eat it and the male would beat her up good when she was smaller and I'll separate for a few days. It's pretty common for that to happen you need to take out the pot where they are laying and aerate with a air stone. For me it's one of those things if they do it they do it and if not its okay. I find it normal though.

You can try to take out male and see if she eats them or not. I tried that but same thing would happen lol

 

[Jonnyakawombell]

This has happened to me like 8 spawns with a different cichlid. She would just eat it and the male would beat her up good when she was smaller and I'll separate for a few days. It's pretty common for that to happen you need to take out the pot where they are laying and aerate with a air stone. For me it's one of those things if they do it they do it and if not its okay. I find it normal though.

You can try to take out male and see if she eats them or not. I tried that but same thing would happen lol

Problem with that is I can't put my hand in the tank or he will bite me lol, can't really move him neither he's to big and I have no were to put him, I would say this has happened for around a year now, this is the first time this has ever happened to me, but hearing you say it's common has made me feel a lot better, though my female had gone crazy.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Problem with that is I can't put my hand in the tank or he will bite me lol, can't really move him neither he's to big and I have no were to put him, I would say this has happened for around a year now, this is the first time this has ever happened to me, but hearing you say it's common has made me feel a lot better, though my female had gone crazy.

Nope it's been 6-7 months with my couple. I'm thinking my male is shooting blanks and female eating eggs. Not sure just a theory though haha

I used a divider and would push the male on the other side.

 

[Jonnyakawombell]

Nope it's been 6-7 months with my couple. I'm thinking my male is shooting blanks and female eating eggs. Not sure just a theory though haha

I used a divider and would push the male on the other side.

Yeah I suppose he could be I guess, never though of that lol, he's definatly trying to fertilise them as he's following her after she lays, do you think it could have anything to do with the size difference between the 2 of them or not?

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Yeah I suppose he could be I guess, never though of that lol, he's definatly trying to fertilise them as he's following her after she lays, do you think it could have anything to do with the size difference between the 2 of them or not?

My male is 3 times bigger than my female. My male will try to fertilize the eggs as well. The only way to know is when they're sleeping steal the pot lol

A year is a long time though I would think hes shooting blanks. They eat eggs if they're stressed, first time parents, if there is fungus on them, or there is any threat coming their way. If they're not comfy in their environment they'll eat them for example adding another big fish that can be an alpha.

What helped a lot for me was smaller fry like 2-3". I used midas since I used to breed them. I did that so the aggression can be scattered around and not just to the female.

 

[Jonnyakawombell]

My male is 3 times bigger than my female. My male will try to fertilize the eggs as well. The only way to know is when they're sleeping steal the pot lol

A year is a long time though I would think hes shooting blanks. They eat eggs if they're stressed, first time parents, if there is fungus on them, or there is any threat coming their way. If they're not comfy in their environment they'll eat them for example adding another big fish that can be an alpha.

What helped a lot for me was smaller fry like 2-3". I used midas since I used to breed them. I did that so the aggression can be scattered around and not just to the female.

Oh ok just though with male being 16-17" and female only being 8-9" might have been playing a part, but not likely then if yours is 3 times the size, so what your saying is add a few dithers to see if it will defuse some of his aggression?

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

My jags have a good size gap too, male is 12ish and the female is 7ish. They spawned successfully the first time and I've still got fry, this time they did it second day back in their tank after a move and now she's eating all the eggs. I believe it's due to stress versus her cycle.

 

[Jonnyakawombell]

My jags have a good size gap too, male is 12ish and the female is 7ish. They spawned successfully the first time and I've still got fry, this time they did it second day back in their tank after a move and now she's eating all the eggs. I believe it's due to stress versus her cycle.

Yeah my female may be stressed as well, my male is a pure head case and pritty much constantly harass's/attacks her, could be that he is just too dominant

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

My male is a head case as well, the female bites me too though... I got lucky there I guess lol. Not exactly hoping for more spawns as I don't need them other than for feeders. I'd prefer it only in regards to the beating they're giving each other now that the eggs are all gone lol.( AND NO she is not out in the open and vulnerable, has a couple of hiding spots he can't get too - for the others watching this thread lol)