How to move angelfish wigglers?

Hey everyone, I'm new to fishlore.. I've looked at so many forums and such in the past but have never made an account myself. I decided to take my question here because fishlore has always given me good answers from other people's posts. So I thought I'd try posting myself.

So a few days ago my angelfish pair (silver striped and marbled) started breeding. Thursday I think? Anyways, they laid their eggs on the filter tube. I did a bunch of research on what to do and decided for the first time to just leave the eggs in there to let the Angels take care of.. Also because I was going to be gone all weekend. I wanted to see what was going to happen. My dad was there watching the tank so I wasn't worried. Well when I came back the mother had moved the eggs from all the dead white ones on the filter tube. I found where she moved them to, she cleaned out a little cave in the driftwood by the filter tube. And there I saw that they were all wigglers! I was surprised to see that they made it this far!

The angelfish are pretty big and mature and I guess are already pretty good at the parenting thing! So now I want to raise the fry, I have a quarintine tank but did not have it readily set up for artificially hatching the eggs. (I will do that next time) I went out yesterday and bought a little net breeder for the fry to move them to so they can stay in the tank until they get a little bigger. Then when I get my sponge filter and the fry are a bit to big for the net breeder I will move them to the 5 gallon. I also bought brine shrimp eggs to hatch and hikarI first bites to feed the fry. I should be all prepared for next time!

But anyways, here's the big question; can I go ahead and move the wigglers off of the driftwood with a turkey Baster? Or do I have to wait until they are free swimming? I didn't know if I could move them without killing them and would like to do it before they are swimming so I know they won't get eaten. I think I've got everything else down, if not I will definitely post here for any other questions. If there's any info you need on the fish/tank or any other tips or tricks you'd like to give me please let me know! I look foward to working with all of you on this forum.
Thanks,
Riley

 

Welcome to Fishlore
Congrats on the wrigglers, Tolak breed angels so will be able to answer your questions.
I'll be interested in the reply too as I'm hoping my angels will breed successfully in the future, good luck

 

Firstly welcome to fishlore you will find everyone here really helpful.

All cichlids are pretty good parents and it sounds like your Angels are doing a pretty good job so far.

What other fish do you have in the tank

 

Thank you Coradee!! I appreciate you taking your time to welcome me and mention someone! I hope your angels can breed successfully! They will at one point and you will love when they do!

HI Littlebudda and thank you! The tank has 6 serpae tetras, 8 Cardinal tetras and a few cories, I had some fish die a while back when I had a ph crash. I am going to get a few more cories again as I had 6. I am also going to get 4 otos to help the algae. I'll just have to find the biggest ones so the Angels hopefully won't eat them. I am also still looking for some good German blue Rams but everyone is always running out! Also the tank is planted with co2. It's a 55 gallon.

 

See what other people think but I'd say with your current stocking you should be able to leave it to the parents to look after them.

I've had mine breed many times I had 3 breeding pairs and the only fish I found to cause problems were my BN plecos to the point that I moved my eggs into a breeding net and came out in the morning to find my BN in the net eating the eggs.

If the parents are attentive which it appears they are then leave them and watch the wonder of cichlids parenting

 

I might do that this time. I'm not sure yet, like you suggested I would like to get a couple opinions as the Angels are being very aggressive and I'm not totally sure what to do.

 

Don't get to concerned with the angel aggression they will chance off anyone who comes near and unless they try to eat the fry the aggression is mostly show. With what you are stocking they should be smart enough to stay away. In my case BN plecos are notorious for not giving up a good meal no matter what try's to attack them.

With cichlids they are great parents and will raise and protect the fry to a size that they will be safe in the aquarium. It is pretty amazing to watch if the fry swim to far away they will pick them up and bring them back.

 

Wow I have never heard of them picking up the fry and moving them back! My only other concern was the parents and other fish eating the fry

 

It is possible due to inbreeding some Angels have lost there parenting skills and will eat the eggs or fry so far they haven't eaten the eggs or wrigglers so in a day or so you will find out about the fry if you get through the first day of free swimming you should be good.

I've had some parents who lose interest as soon as food goes in the tank, some that will go to there normal sleeping spot and leave the eggs unguarded over night and some that are great parents.

 

Sounds good.. The only next thing is getting the fry out later on. Isn't it going to be difficult to net them up?




And just so I know, I would still like someone to answer if I can move the wiggles off of the driftwood to the net breeder with a turkey Baster with out killing them?

 

I've heard of people doing it but I've never done it myself.

As to getting them out later the parents will look after them until they are a fairly decent size and shouldn't be too hard to catch

 

Thank you for all the help Littlebudda. The mother has now moved the wigglers again! This time to the front of the same piece of driftwood. They look as if they are almost ready to be free swimmers! The mother is guarding them very heavily. She is not moving far from the fry while the dad keeps watch in about the middle of the tank to make sure no one passes. I have also seen the mom pick up some of the fry and move them back to where they fell from! What a cool thing to watch! I'm going to try to post a picture of the fry. Tell me if you can see it or not

 

Fishcatcher always a pleasure they look great make sure you post some photos and video once they are free swimming

 

Moving fry & wigglers is common, if you think the wigglers are gone sit back & watch, they will move them around in an attempt to hide them. Limiting commotion around the tank, as well as keeping a dI'm light lit near the tank when the main light is off will help prevent the parents from eating the wigglers & fry.

Now is the time to be considering micro food for the fry, BBS is your best option there. Also consider what to do if you're really successful; you'll need tank space as well as a home for a lot of little angels!

 

I sure will Littlebudda!
And thank you for the good info Tolak! Yes they do keep moving them. I think I'll have free swimmers by this afternoon. So I then wait 12 hours and then feed them the BBS?

 

Yes, 12-24 hours freeswimming their yolk sac is used up. If you feed a bit early not to worry, in a community tank some of the smaller fish will take care of the extra BBS.

 

Thank you Tolak. I will update you all when they are free swimming. Again I appreciate all the help.




Update: All the fry are now free swimming!
They are doing great! Mom gets really mad when I come up to the tank, she darts over and stares at me. How funny. They are doing absolutely great as parents. Staying with the fry and constantly catching them and moving them around. I am glad I went ahead and let the parents raise them their selfs. I will keep you all posted! Thank you for all the help everyone. I greatly appreciate it!

 

Update: All the fry are now free swimming!View attachment 168049 They are doing great! Mom gets really mad when I come up to the tank, she darts over and stares at me. How funny. They are doing absolutely great as parents. Staying with the fry and constantly catching them and moving them around. I am glad I went ahead and let the parents raise them their selfs. I will keep you all posted! Thank you for all the help everyone. I greatly appreciate it!

I was thinking about you last night wondering how they went I'm glad there going well looks like you've got your hands full.

I find I spend some much time watching my cichlids when they have fry it's so interesting

 

I have lost many of the babies. I know there is only a small survival rate but they seem to have thinned out a lot. It looked like there was less and less every time I looked. Maybe they are just weak ones. It seems it is starting to level off and they are doing good with Regular feedings and parent care. When should I move them?