CAS512

Hey everyone, i haven't been on here for so long, probably cos i don't have anything to ask or any news, until now!!! it was my birthday last week and my brother brought me some fish. he got me 2 bristlenose, one male and one female and guess what there were eggs!!! the guy at the fish store was getting the male and was trying to get him off the log and realised that he was guarding the eggs so i got a whole family.
so far everyone is fine, i'm not sure if the eggs will survive as they've been taken from one tank and put in mine.
i'll keep you posted as to what happens.

Actually I have a question. i've read that it takes 5 - 7 days for the eggs to hatch (i'm unsure when they were layed at the pet store and i don't think the people at the shop knew) but if they don't hatch will other fish eat them or should i get them out of the tank?
I have merged your two posts. Don't forget there is an edit key at the bottom of every post for corrections and additional thoughts.
Thanks!
Ken

aquarist48

Hello Cas and glad to have you back. I suggest leaving the eggs alone and let nature take its course. The Dad will take care of the eggs and he may move them all over the tank to keep them safe. Too, it helps to see the process and learn from it so you'll know what you need to do when they spawn again.
Congrats on getting the entire family and best wishes for some fry.
Here is a link to another members thread and his new additions of Pleco and eggs you may find interesting:
eggs part 2!!!!
Breeding Albino bristlenose plecos
Ken

CAS512

i've just looked in where the eggs were and they're gone. i can't see them anywhere else, the dad is still hanging around where they were though, what does this mean? does he still think they're there?

aquarist48

Cas he has either moved them or they've been devoured. Did you check out the links I gave you? Dad can put the eggs in some really strange places.
Wishing you the best!
Ken

CAS512

yeah i did check them out thanks Ken. I might have a better look and see if i can see them. It's just the dad is still doing the flutter thing in where the eggs were, it looks as though he's still looking after them, but i can't see anything in there.

CAS512

I found them!!! They're still in the ceremic tube, he's just moved them from the left side to the right.
there's a couple of grey ones, does that mean that those eggs didn't make it

aquarist48

LOL the thought of Dad fluttering and fanning is cute. Try not to disturb them very much. Dad knows what he is doing
If the eggs are turning white that means they aren't viable. The parents will usually take care of them by eating them if they aren't viable.
Ken

CAS512

will do, i just wanted to double check that he wasn't just doing it to nothing. i won't disturb them again. so does the grey eggs mean that they have died?

aquarist48

More than likely yes... don't try to remove them though. Let Dad do it.
Ken

CAS512

oh darn! yeah i won't touch them, it would most probably be hard anyway with all the other orange ones. i hope they hatch.
should i be worried about my other fish eating them if and when they hatch?

Edited your post. Refer to fish lore rules #2

aquarist48

Cas losing fry to other tank mates is always a possibility. Once they become free swimming wrigglers it would probably be best to rehouse them into a grow out tank. In the link provided in the earlier post...if you'll read through them and click on some of the links inside the posts you'll find more information there as well.
Ken

CAS512

okay, thanks for your help. Unfortunately i don't have another tank, but i shall look at getting one. i'll check out the other links too.

aquarist48

Sounds good Cas. I really hope you have some healthy fry. I'm sure you'll get additional responses as well. I know several of our members have had very good luck breeding Plecos.
It's time to feed my fish
Have a good day!
ken

Toddnbecka

The male will guard the fry until they're past the wiggler stage, they may even hang around for up to a week before moving off on their own. As for other fish eating them at that point, they will if the fry are small enough. Can you place a divider in the tank?

CAS512

I was thinking about a divider, would I just get them from a fish store?

Butterfly

If you have an extra heater and a sponge filter you can use a rubber maid tub(come in all different sizes) at the dollar store for a couple of dollars to use as a grow out tank.
when I was breeding and raising bristlenose thats what I used quite a bit for grow out space.
Carol

CAS512

No I don't have a spare heater or sponge filter. It sux not being prepared for this. I wasn't planning on breeding any of my fish but these were a present just last saturday. I think I will look for a divider, it seems the easiest and quickest thing to do at such a short time. I really want the babies to survive and not get eaten by the other fish.
If i divided the tank and only had the babies and the dad on one side, will the dad eat the babies eventually if i didn't move him out?

Butterfly

No he won't eat them. He will eat unfertilized eggs. BN dads are really great and protective.
carol