Some questions about angel eggs

My pair have tried again with the eggs, this time they've stuck them on the horizontal flat top of an internal filter. They've always used the intake pipe before now. I saw them cleaning it the other day, so I wondered if more eggs were on the way. Also, the day of and just before the eggs they are often seeming to bite each other on the mouth - almost like a tug-o-war. It seems rather furious, maybe not aggressive, but like they're in the middle of some mating ritual domestic dispute, and everyone really keeps away at this time! Is that normal? I do fear one of them will get hurt.

With the eggs though, I've got a breeder net ready and at the last egg batch I removed them off the pipe into the net in case some bore fry. They didn't.
Should the eggs be separated into the net? Or is another tank better? Should mum and dad be separated with the eggs? I think dad is actually eating them after a few days when they stay in the community tank. I don't have a filter capable of handling the empty 75 tank, otherwise I'd move all 437 of them into their own tank.

 

Congrats! It sounds like you have an unhappy pair of angelfish. Usually biting on the mouth and tug of war is a test of strength and dominance. Sometimes cichlid pairs will do this before they spawn but I have rarely seen it in angelfish.

From what I've read about your angelfish in your last posts, I would remove the eggs to their own tank. Add an sponge filter or some other type of 'fry proof' filer to the tank with some current running over the eggs. Also I would add some M-Blue to the tank to help prevent fungus.

I hope you get babies!

 

I'm desperately hoping to have the filter sorted by this weekend and then I'm moving their cranky butts to the bigger tank, lol. This pair give me so much grief!

Could I simply put the filter they are stuck on into my QT tank now then? Or should I put the eggs in the net basket and then hang that in the QT? I have 2 juvie plecos in there at the moment. Will they eat the eggs? and will the male angel have done his business with the eggs by now? I assume they were laid in the last 6-12 hours.

 

I've taken the eggs out now. As I was posting before, I heard lots of splashes and have been now watching them fighting the worst it has ever been. I fear they have hurt each other. She is not swimming normally, is jerky almost like a seizure, is swimming occasionally sideaways, vertically, upside down, etc. He is acting afraid. Hetried jumped at the surface 3 times now when she is on his tail, and is generally just cowering. The lights are out, and things are slowly calming down as I type, but I'm really quite worried. At the risk of transposing human emotion on fish, it honestly looks like she is frantic and angry that I have taken her eggs, and she is all hormonal and agro on him.

I don't know if I've done the right thing. I'm quite worried.

 

The plecos will eat the eggs. You want to put the eggs in a place that they will get good watercurrent and not be around any other fish. The male will have done his part immediately after or during laying.

Wow that sounds horrible. Personally I would have rehomed your angels a long time ago and gotten a different pair. I don't know what's going on. Usually my females just laid again after I removed their eggs.

 

Thanks for all your help. I just don't know anymore. The plecos have left the eggs alone, but I'll put them in the breeder net and sit them next to the air line. It's giving a lot of water movement.

I got a new canister today at a huge discount, so I just need to shuffle some furniture and this big tank will be running. Hopefully by tonight. The angels can have a whole 75 to themselves and hopefully the ridiculous amount of space is just what they need.

I should rehome them, I agree. I almost did give the male away, and the people will take him any time I need but I just feel it isn't their fault and their tank is perhaps too small, or they are stressed with the current tank mates or something. If they still carry on in the big tank then I will give at least one of them away.

I'll try and get a video next time they fight. I'm very keen to hear your opinion on it.

Thanks again!

 

I just moved the eggs. Not an easy job because of the vents in the filter... I hope none of the eggs that have fallen in there produce babies.... I missed a few eggs, I noticed, when I put the filter back in the main tank, and mum and dad must know and are back on guard.

The eggs look excellent, by the way. The best batch yet, I reckon! They're a nice tan colour and only maybe one or two are white. There would usually be white eggs by now, coming up to 24 hours later.

Anyway, thanks again. I have furniture to move and a massive tank to ready!

 

Hm... I think the larger tank would help but I've had angels breed in 10 gallon with no problems. I think it's just you have an incompatible pair.

I'd love to see a video and try to figure out what's going on.

That's great that all the eggs are fertilized and doing well! Did you keep them wet while moving? I'm not sure if I understood you correctly, did you mean that the parents have some of the eggs back? If so that's great. It'll probably distract them from each other for now . I hope the eggs hatch! Do you have all the food and stuff for the babies?

 

Thanks again for the advice, rogue.
The eggs didn't make it after all. The angels are back to normal, but I think they will be back to it when it's egg time again.
I'll update you when I get a video.

 

Sorry you lost your eggs
My angels do the lip lock before they spawn. I was told a long time ago that this is a test. If one of them backs off and runs they won't spawn with the one that runs. They are weaker. They have to prove their strong enough to be mates. In the wild they have a large choice of mates and I imagine this is the way mates are choosen.
Carol