Need advice on my Redhead Tapajos project

[Big Jay]

I've posted over in the breeding forum a journal about this project. However, i think my answers might be easier to find here. I'm looking for advice on breeding and successfully rearing the young. First off, I have 5 in a 55g with an L200 pleco I've had for 8 years. There is without a doubt one breeding pair in the tank. I've gotten eggs 3x, maybe more.

First eggs - Eaten. By whom? Not sure.
Second eggs - Hatched and reared by parents for 2 weeks. I divided the tank with the pleco and remaining 3 on the other side. Things were going well till the divider fell over one night and that was it for the fry.
Third eggs - Eaten. Once again, not sure by who.

I've setup a separate 20g long to somehow address the situation. I'm confused as to what I should do.

1) Do I move the parents to the 20g long with the fry to rear them?
2) Do I move the remaining 3 to the 20g and leave the parents with the fry in the 55g and separate the pleco?

Getting rid of the pleco isn't an option. I've had him for getting close to a decade.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

My suggestion is to buy some suction cups to support the divider. Once fry are free swimming move them to the 20 with a super fine sponge filter so they don't get sucked up

 

[Woefulrelic]

Easiest option would be to trick them into laying on driftwood or a rock and then moving that object to the 20 once it's fertilized. Set up an air stone and look up how to dose with methylene blue to avoid fungus. You could leave the parents in the 20g if they aren't huge but that's a bandaid.

 

[Dis]

I second what woe said. Take the eggs out to hatch in another tank. Use the air stone and meth blue. Once they are free swimming feed micro worms, and newly hatched baby brine shrimp. They will be easy to raise at this point

 

[Woefulrelic]

You should see less aggression, more frequent spawnings and a higher rate of fry survival if you remove the eggs.

 

[Big Jay]

Thanks guys. Looks like removing the eggs it is. Hopefully I can get them while they're fertilized prior to being eaten or hatched.

I have a small AC20 on the 20 long as well. I should be able to cover the intake with a fine filter sock to prevent the fry from ending up in there right?

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

I prefer a super fine sponge personally, it helps to diffuse the current at the intake

 

[Woefulrelic]

you'll want an air pump hooked up to keep an air stone under the eggs to keep them properly oxygenated, with this in mind a sponge filter would be more ideal.