Etroplus suratensus spawn.

[duanes]

Found eggs on the underside of a 4ft log, in a cichlid community tank this morning. Should be interesting to see how long they are around.
Trying to decide if removing the log would be the way to go.

 

[Oddball]

Unreal! I didn't realize dandelions was a aphrodisiac.

 

[duanes]

Must be same as oysters for us, was just a week or 2 after they started eating them, that the courtin began.


One tried to jump in with the pair and make it a menage a trois

eggs still there this morning, with the pair guarding rigorously.

 

[duanes]

Eggs gone today, best case scenario, they hatched and the parent hid the wrigglers.
Worst (and most probable) the parents ate them.

 

[duanes]

About 20 days after the last spawn disappeared, eaten by either parents, or tankmates, the Etroplus are at it again.
Being a bit paranoid after the loss of last spawns eggs, about halfway thru the spawning, I wrestled the 4 ft log out of the tank, and put it in a hastily prepared 20 gal hatchery tank, and placed the egg plaque nearest the influent to the hatchery, and added an airstone close on the other side.




and in order to minimize any trauma from spawnitus interruptus, replaced the stolen log with a similar one from another tank.

 

[duanes]

couple egg close ups

 

[duanes]

As you may have guessed the eggs I tried to artificially hatch, didn't for some unknown reason.
The pair was looking pretty frisky the last couple days, so as of yesterday. I removed all other species from the 150 gal tank, except the Etroplus pair and 3 other suratensus, that I will probably try and remove tomorrow.
Anyway, they spawned again today, the eggs are just visible on a stone, in the lower right hand corner.