I have had a couple of breeders pairs throughout time and the best I can tell you is grab a book on it to help out. Some of the things I have read to do include feeding them bloodworms, dropping or raising the temp a few degrees(please research before trying as I can't remember which, and drastic temp variations can hurt them) and water changes. Some signs that they are a pair include liplocking, picking at each other, etc. The best way to get a pair is to buy 6-7 juveniles (I prefer one of each strain) and after a year or two, you will find one pair. This is good and bad because it is best to seperate them into their own tank, so the others will need another home. Once they lay the eggs and they are fertilized, you will want to leave the parents in for a few days to seperate the good eggs from bad (the bad eggs will mold and kill the good). A good pair will take care of the eggs up until almost the free swimming age, but I have known my pairs to eat them from anywhere from immediately after laying them to when they were free-swimmers. I also read that the parents know if a batch will be good or not and eat them as they are laid if they consider it a bad batch. Once the fry have hatched and are free swimming, you will need baby brine shrimp to feed them. Hatching those little guys is almost as much of a project as breeding the angels alone.
With all that said, I have NEVER had a successful batch, but I've never really devoted that much time or energy to it either. The 2-3 times I had some free-swimmers, they all died in a seperation tank (I assume from starvation?) and more often the eggs have been eaten by the parents or other fish.
Hope at least some of this helps, but I am by NO MEANS an expert here!
J
With all that said, I have NEVER had a successful batch, but I've never really devoted that much time or energy to it either. The 2-3 times I had some free-swimmers, they all died in a seperation tank (I assume from starvation?) and more often the eggs have been eaten by the parents or other fish.
Hope at least some of this helps, but I am by NO MEANS an expert here!
J
