Angelfish Spawning Videos

HI Carol and all

I finally managed to record my angelfish spawning! It was also the first time that I saw it with my own eyes. I was sitting by the tank until the spawned, and was not going to miss it this time!

I have no doubt now that I have a pair. The breeding tubes are exactly as those of a male and a female, and when you just look at the way the male follows the female - it's obvious. I have two video clips to show you, so that any of you who have experience with breeding angelfish can confirm that this is a pair.

Though they were clearly spawning, and the male did - what it seems - fertilize the eggs by following the female and putting the milt over the eggs ... I did not see the milt itself. Does that mean that the milt wasn't there? Or that the milt is this transparent?

Sorry for the poor quality of the videos. They were recorded with a small digital camera and the lighting was subdued. In your Windows Media Player you can enhance the videos while viewing them by making them brighter. I hope you'll be able to see something and reassure me that I have a pair. Thanks

P.S. But first of all: how do you upload video clips? I went to "Additional Options" and browsed my video clips, then started uploading them. But every time I tried to upload them, it would take forever, and the website would eventually stop responding. The video clips are very short and small. What's going on?

 

Forget it :-\ the size of the videos is too large after all. Is there any way I could reduce their size and then post the videos?

 

Don't worry about reducing the size, go to somewhere like and then post the links

 

HI Isabella - there is a file size limitation for uploads (I think 400kb).   Try doing what rob2uk suggested if you can.  I just checked out putfile - very cool site.

 

Thank you Rob and Mike. It's all right. When I was recording my angelfish I had my size set to be very large, not to fit e-mails (which I realized too late). Which is why my video clips did not upload successfully on FishLore. I created an account on PutFile.com. The movies did upload there, however, they did not work there well either - I'd see only the first few frames, and that's it. You wouldn't be able to see anything. So I deleted them from PutFile. But I am keeping the account - will be useful for larger photos and for smaller movie clips.

If anyone wants to see the video clips, however, I can e-mail them to you. Maybe that will work - but I can't guarantee. Anyway, thanks for trying to help If I am home next time they spawn, I will try to record it as a very small file.

 

Isabella that's what happened when I tried to download the clip of my wigglers, I made the size too large.
Sounds to me like you have a pair. The milt is never visible, if he was following her I would feel sure he was fertilizing the eggs.
Glad you finally got to see them in action, its an awesome sight.
carol

 

OK! My angels spawned again yesterday and I recorded it again. Only this time the is so small I doubt you'll be able to see anything. I put the movie clip on PutFile.com. The quality of the movie is terrible as it was recorded very small and then enlarged on PutFile with the same small resolution. Anyway, here it is:
The golden one is a male, the blue-blushing one is a female. If the resolution was clear, you'd see a large breeding tube under the female's belly.

I am 100% sure they're a pair.

 

P.S. When watching the video clip, you can make it smaller - it looks somewhat better this way. Go to "view size" under the movie and select "320".

 

See I told you they would spawn again!!! Once angels start spawning just about all you have to do to get them spawn is to keep them wet ;D
Carol

 

So I see Carol! This breeding seems to be very regular now. I can almost predict when it's going to be again. It's like an angel-clock, lol.

 

Very Cool I didn't think the img quality was bad at all !

 

May be routine for some of you but.. not for me
Yesterday was W/C day. Finished 6 tanks - 85 gallons. Time for lunch and some Formula 1 Qualifying. Just happened to look over at the 55 and this is what I noticed. I could not believe my eyes and watched for about 1/2 hour. Then it dawned on me "Hey take a vid".
Anyway here is my first attempt at video. Enjoy!

 

Cool!

 

As mentioned first time view for me. Have had eggs quite a few times, but never actually witnessed the laying and fertilizing. I could see the eggs coming out of her tube. They are still juveniles (1 year old or so) based on the breeder I got them from last Sept. at that time they were 4 months young body size of about a quarter.
But, alas, not to be, lights went out a few hours after the vid and I noticed the both of them eating the eggs. Young inexperienced parents, I have been assured they will eventually get it right. Hopefully!
Live and Learn

 

Great video and gorgeous pair!!!

If you really want to try and breed them, try leaving the light on next time. I know its annoying...leaving it on for days. The fish might miss the dark times and lots of light brings algae. But when I am eager for a pair to succeed...if I find that lights-out is when the eggs disappear....then I leave the lights on.

Then after I get my spawn, I leave the lights out for all future spawns. And they do usually figure it out. But sometimes, when it is a community tank, they may never NOT eat the eggs at night. They would rather eat them themselves and get that nutrition, than have some other nocturnal fish come and swoop them up!

 

bizaliz3
Thanks for tip.
Will give it a try next time.

 

Well they are at it again. Just spawned on the same tube.
Will try leaving the light on as suggested by bizaliz3

 

Leaving the light on prevents the parents from falling asleep and/or the fry sneaking away and getting eaten.

 

Well they are at it again. Just spawned on the same tube.
Will try leaving the light on as suggested by bizaliz3

How did the overnight go???

 

Well, it appears I still have approx. half of the eggs. Still a ways to go. Thanks

 

Update.

Only a few unfertilized eggs left. As mentioned 1st time parents. Try, Try, Try again.

 

Had another spawn on Saturday, its been 72 hours still have approx. 30% of the eggs. Been keeping a low light on at night. Let's see how far they get.

 

Had another spawn on Saturday, its been 72 hours still have approx. 30% of the eggs. Been keeping a low light on at night. Let's see how far they get.

Mine hatch at 48 hours....I'd think you should see some wiggling action at 72 hours.... How closely did you look at them?
What is the temperature of the tank?

 

Jinxed it. Took a closer look and noticed black dots in a good portion of the eggs. Water Temp 78. A few hours after my post noticed the parents starting to eat more eggs. Quickly setup a breeder box, removed the pipe wrap with the remaining eggs and added a air-stone. Waiting for lights to come on for a closer look. Probably all for not?

 

Are you absolutley SURE there were not tiny wiggling tails attached to the eggs? I just can't get over them not being hatched over 72 hours later. They do hatch faster in warmer water, but your tank is only 2 degrees cooler than mine. And they hatch at 48 hours very consistently for me. Like...48 hours on the dot!!
If they had hypothetically possibly hatched and you didn't recognize that...are you SURE the parents were eating them and not moving them to a new location? Mine start moving them the SECOND the begin hatching. And some hatch sooner than others. So there will be eggs in one spot and a group of wigglers growing in size in another location as the eggs hatch and the parents move them.

So how many do you think you have in the breeder box now?

 

bizaliz3
I was watching intently even had my son "Eagle Eyes" checking (I have "Old" I mean tired eyes). LOL
Happy to report some Success! I think as you mentioned the temp may have been to cool. I now have about a dozen wigglers in the breeder box that is attached to another tank which is at 79-80. I have a BBS hatchery going for a spawn of Bolivian Rams and also have micro worms for feeding. It's up to "Mother Nature" right now.
Thanks!

 

Congrats! So exciting!!
I am surprised that a 2 degree temp difference could cause the eggs to take almost twice as long to hatch. I wonder if there are other elements involved in the speed of hatching.

I hope your little group of wigglers make it for you!

 

Update!
Well I have 1 fry and 1 wiggler just about finished with the egg sack. Just gave the breeder box a shot of my culture of infusoria and have micro worms and BBS ready to go. Lets see what happens.

 

Just two left?
Just clarifying!!!

 

Yep, just 2. I am familiar with Bolivian Ram wigglers/fry but these 2 are so tiny. They are swimming but mainly bouncing. Had a 7 hour power outage Sat. nite. That may be why only 2 left, come on bouncers!

 

Yep, just 2. I am familiar with Bolivian Ram wigglers/fry but these 2 are so tiny. They are swimming but mainly bouncing. Had a 7 hour power outage Sat. nite. That may be why only 2 left, come on bouncers!

Aw. Too bad for that power outage.
Well two is better than one or none! I have had 3 different "loan survivors" over the years. The most recent two being my only surviving albino angel and my only surviving german ram.

Speaking of....I found my german ram fry to be smaller than my angelfish fry. But I suppose bolivian rams are larger than german rams, right?

Well you and I are in the same boat right now. I have just 4 wigglers from my green giant angelfish pair. I hope all 4 make it. These 4 haven't starting hopping around yet, but should be soon!

 

Congrats and Good Luck! How is I think "Ory" doing?
I think mine are getting ready to spawn again. She is nice and plumb and her tube is really extended I think she is waiting for him, his is just slightly showing. I decided to leave the intake tube wrap off and just put a piece of slat in. It's up to them.

 

Update. The little one lasted 3 days was bouncing around. Thought just maybe, But alas, not to be.

 

Aww bummer! Sorry to hear it!
Have the parents spawned again? you mentioned they were looking ready a week ago.

 

Yes they did and within 24 hours decided to eat the eggs "AGAIN"

 

Yes they did and within 24 hours decided to eat the eggs "AGAIN"

It can take angel parents may times before they ever successfully raise the fry without eating them. Wild angels have better parent instincts verus the ones "human" made. If you want to try and raise them yourself you should watch the parents and wait for eggs. Usually where they are cleaning, they are going to also lay eggs as well in that same spot.

 

Yes they did and within 24 hours decided to eat the eggs "AGAIN"

Ugg. How annoying.
How many times have they spawned now roughly?

 

They have spawned 4x so far. They are still young parents and from the research I have done and the advise I get from members here and another forum. I am sure they will eventually get this right. Who knows it might be the keepers fault? Just a youngster myself in this "Wet Pet" hobby. Learning all the time.

 

They have spawned 4x so far. They are still young parents and from the research I have done and the advise I get from members here and another forum. I am sure they will eventually get this right. Who knows it might be the keepers fault? Just a youngster myself in this "Wet Pet" hobby. Learning all the time.

Most pairs do figure it out eventually. But if they don't I don't think its the keeper's fault.