Breeding German Ram

[Toss]

I need to ask for advice from the expert out there. I have a pair that currently raising a week and half old fry and the female just laid another batch of eggs last night. Right now the have the fry at one end and the eggs at the other end of 15 gal tank heavily planted tank. The parents take turn on caring the eggs and the fry. They switch every five minutes or so. It is very cute and rather amazing to watch them.
My question is, should I just let them do their think with the risk of loosing either or both batches or remove the fry. I had success in the past by leaving everything as is until they are about at least a month old.

thanks in advance
Enrico

[Steve_2]

I've bred German blue rams in the passed, but never had that problem. I always removed the fry as soon as they could swim, and with some pairs, as soon as the eggs were laid. I think your best bet if you want to have as many fry surviving would be to take the fry out and put them in a seperate small tank using water from the parents' tank, a small power filter with a sponge on the intake tube, and a heater. No need for substrate. The other thig you could do is just let them take care of the fry/eggs and see what they do. Even if you were to lose one or even both batches, rams breed often once they start, you'll get anther spawn soon.

Steve

[babblefish1960]

I am definitely of the opinion that you should leave them be and watch what happens. We have experienced this many times, and it always seems to work out depending upon the level of predation in the tank.

Just sit back, be amused and take some pictures, have fun with that, you may even get a shot that you'd like to put into the picture contest, could be fascinating, enjoy.

[BigDaddy]

If there are no other fish in the tank, I would say leave it all be.  These rams have bred for you before and are clearly good parents.

Now, if you ABSOLUTELY want to guarantee 100% survival rates, I'd pull the free swimmers and let the parents look after the second set of eggs.