Encouraaing Discus Breeding

[Evan]

I would agree with Bigdaddy, the eggs are not being fertilized.  Give the guy a few more tries, if he does not get it and you have another male you could force a divorce.

[Julie]

Or you have 2 females paired up.  Have you seen the male fertilizing the eggs?

[aidensmomma2000]

I *think* I have. Both ovipositors are visible and they both go over the eggs, but I havent actually seen the eggs being laid. One will lay the eggs (I guess?) and she will take a break and he will go over them. They take turns, and they both fan and blow on the eggs when theyre done.

*shrug*

Every batch of eggs has turned white...

[aidensmomma2000]

Ok after poking around online Im pretty sure I have a male and female. Theyre ovipositors? (is this what theyre called on fish?) are definatly male and female.

[Julie]

Ovipositor on the female, not sure what it's called on the male.
The females' is larger and pointier than the males'.

[aidensmomma2000]

Definatly male and female, but the eggs are turning white...no fungus, so I guess theyre not being fertilized.

Maybe the male is just faking it!  :lol:

[Julie]

Send him to the curb.  :wink:

[aidensmomma2000]

Well I will if they keep going at this rate, but what do I do then? I have plenty of other discus but no idea which ones are male of course. Do I just replace him and hope they pair up?

[Evan]

yes, that is pretty much the idea.    Trade another suspected male for the guy who is there now.   It will not always work though.

Let the current guy go at it for a while he might get it right.  Some claim it can take several times for them to get it right.

[Nelson]

Well I promised Nelson one if they ever hatch- he can be the pseudo godparent  :wink:

Thanks Robin...it would replace a Snow WHite I lost recently.  I had it for abour 8 months and it never grew and a very light eater.  I think it just wasted away :cry:   On the subject of eggs, I just had my third batch from a large pair.  Like the others, the eggs seemed brownish and the eggs disappeared after about 48 hours.

[TR]

I was really looking forward to being a god parent aidensmomma  Hang in there Discus are by no means an easy fish to breed.

Just  be more more aware as to what might be going on,(example) I noticed bigdaddy mention that many of  the eggs weren't fertilie.  If that is the case a trick that I was taught by a breeder was, Check to see how your turbulence in your aquarium is.

I had pair of Discus once who kept spawning but for some reason the eggs were more infertile than fungus.  I did everything from A to Z regarding the water quality.

When the breeder came over to help me assess to what might be, going on, he noticed the movement in the water was to strong of a current.  He made me turn of all the main filters for a few hours after the  spawn took place.

He then explained that it's easier for the eggs to get fertilized when the water is at a calmer state, If theres to much turbulence in the water it sometimes makes it harder for the fishes sperm to take hold it gets washed away vs totally fetilizing it's exact destination.

Another thing is to make sure the water it at the cleanest state then usual, maybe a slight water change a few days before they start to spawn again, Just for the sake of making it harder for fungus to take hold.

It maybe none of the above aidennsmomma and mere hit and miss, and the fish will get better as the continue to breed! but it never hurts to share friendly knowledge in this crazy fish hobby of ours :lol:

                                       TR

[aidensmomma2000]

Thanks for the wonderful advice!