# Why did my EBR's start eating their eggs?



## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

I am so frustrated with these fish. They are beautiful, and I think cuz they are so pricey and have a short lifespan, I am determined to get fry and grow them out. I have had the pair for ~6 months and they have spawned ~8 times. I was trying to let them raise the fry themselves because I read their parenting was crucial to the survival of the fry. For the first few spawns, they were tankmates with 8 month old angelfish who didn't seem to bother with them spawning, or take any interest in the eggs. The eggs would stay there, on the rock, until they were about to hatch, then they would disappear. All of them. 

Some were infertile, some were developing. They never had a huge spawn, maybe 20-50 eggs max. I then took out the angels and gave them the whole tank. They have started to spawn more often, I think. The first time they spawned, tankmate-free, the eggs were eaten (or moved) just disappeared right before hatching. The second time tankmate-free, they ate them the next day. Again, the last time, they ate them overnight.

I know they are fertile, I have hatched one when I had the angels in there by stealing the eggs with a turkey baster and hatching it in a brine shrimp net. I added it with the angelfry I had the same age, and it never made it, I guess. I tried stealing the whole rock and putting it in a net and the eggs succombmed to fungus. 

Either way, the parents are not good at removing the unfertilized eggs, and I have never seen wigglers with them, but I have definitely seen 'good' eggs just prior to hatching.

I am so frustrated and want to breed these guys so badly, idk if I should just grab the rock just after they spawn next time and it in methylene blue or what? Try the brine shrimp net thing again with a powerhead blowing softly on them? 

I know it's a lot to read, but can someone pls help me?


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## Captain Jim Dandy (Oct 30, 2011)

I would do exactly what you posed in your question.. treat them as an angelfish "hatch" and pull them..as far as the m. blue or h. peroxie,I don't use it, though I may soon to improve a pairs' koi eggs.


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

I believe Mikaila is having trouble getting her rams past fry stage and the fungus thing I've heard of too. 
I recall her saying she'll attempt RO water without remineralizing it ( I think!) for the eggs and fry. They are picky picky fry. I'm not even going to bother with my EBRs lol


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanks all.

I was thinking of that too, I have removed the crushed coral from the filter to let the ph drop, although I was continuing with adding a bit of equilibrium for the plants, I assume they would consume most of the minerals. I think an acidic ph prevents fungus, unless I mixed that up, so low kh, not sure how much gh affects that. Honestly though, in my case, the 'good' eggs were developing with the unfertilized eggs along with them (when I left the parents take care of them) the fungus never spread to all of the good eggs, they just disappeared, all of them together around 40 hours or so after the pair spawned. Everytime. Except the latter two, where they didn't even fungus up yet, they were just gone.

I can't figure out why they would just start eating the eggs right away all of a sudden. The pair seems to be fighting less since I removed the angels, but I wonder if adding some dither fish would help. Like small tetras.

I think I will try removing the rock and all next time as soon as I see the male fertilizing them, it's usually in the evening they spawn, at the end of the photoperiod, and placing the rock in a tight weave net with a soft powerhead to aerate the eggs. I could use an air stone, but with the rock blocking the flow, that just wouldn't work.

I will let you know how this works-again, maybe I will try to remove the unfertilized ones, they are just so small, very hard to pick out.

Unless anyone else has any suggestions, I am open to them


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

Ok, just to record everything, hopefully help someone else too, I tested the ph and it now at 6.8-7.0. That's still with adding a bit of Equilibrium, and I assume my kh is 0 since I am not adding co2.

I figure as long as I keep up with regular (weekly) 50% w/cs, my ph should hopefully stay stable enough. I do fear the dreaded massive ph drop when kh is kept low to nil. The temp is stable at 80F. GH is a 3 or 4.

I will pipe back in in about two weeks to let you know how it goes. Thanks everyone for your help, I feel a bit better now.


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

I'll see if I can get Mik in here for you.


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