Eggs in my tank?

[Mike Hartigan]

Please excuse my ignorance, but I've got a question. I have a 46
gallon freshwater tank populated with a few Zebra Danios, Black Skirt
Mollies, some Albino Catfish, two Glass Catfish, a trio of non-
descript Catfish, and a giant Pleco (a fine looking fish, indeed!).
These have all been together for at least six months, a few as long
as six years (the pleco among the old timers). I recently noticed a
couple hundred or so white eggs, each about the size of the head of a
pin, attached to the glass, primarily, though not exclusively, in the
upper corners of the tank. Any idea which of these critters might be
responsible? Are they waiting to be fertilized or can I expect to
soon be overrun with one of the above mentioned fish? Is there
anything I should do to ensure their safety and/or viability? I
think it'd be fun to see hundreds of tasty morsels swimming around,
with perhaps a dozen or so growing to adulthood. Any thoughts and/or
suggestions would be appreciated.

[Reel McKoi[_10_]]

"Mike Hartigan" > wrote in message
.net...
> Please excuse my ignorance, but I've got a question. I have a 46
> gallon freshwater tank populated with a few Zebra Danios, Black Skirt
> Mollies, some Albino Catfish, two Glass Catfish, a trio of non-
> descript Catfish, and a giant Pleco (a fine looking fish, indeed!).
> These have all been together for at least six months, a few as long
> as six years (the pleco among the old timers). I recently noticed a
> couple hundred or so white eggs, each about the size of the head of a
> pin, attached to the glass, primarily, though not exclusively, in the
> upper corners of the tank. Any idea which of these critters might be
> responsible? Are they waiting to be fertilized or can I expect to
> soon be overrun with one of the above mentioned fish? Is there
> anything I should do to ensure their safety and/or viability? I
> think it'd be fun to see hundreds of tasty morsels swimming around,
> with perhaps a dozen or so growing to adulthood. Any thoughts and/or
> suggestions would be appreciated.
====================================
It's not likely any fry would survive with that many fish in the tank unless
you have loads of plants they can hide in. Even then it's doubtful. Good
plants for fry to hide in are Java moss, riccia and floating water sprite or
water lettuce which does fine in aquariums.
--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

[Mike Hartigan]

In article >,
says...
>
> "Mike Hartigan" > wrote in message
> .net...
> > Please excuse my ignorance, but I've got a question. I have a 46
> > gallon freshwater tank populated with a few Zebra Danios, Black Skirt
> > Mollies, some Albino Catfish, two Glass Catfish, a trio of non-
> > descript Catfish, and a giant Pleco (a fine looking fish, indeed!).
> > These have all been together for at least six months, a few as long
> > as six years (the pleco among the old timers). I recently noticed a
> > couple hundred or so white eggs, each about the size of the head of a
> > pin, attached to the glass, primarily, though not exclusively, in the
> > upper corners of the tank. Any idea which of these critters might be
> > responsible? Are they waiting to be fertilized or can I expect to
> > soon be overrun with one of the above mentioned fish? Is there
> > anything I should do to ensure their safety and/or viability? I
> > think it'd be fun to see hundreds of tasty morsels swimming around,
> > with perhaps a dozen or so growing to adulthood. Any thoughts and/or
> > suggestions would be appreciated.
> ====================================
> It's not likely any fry would survive with that many fish in the tank unless
> you have loads of plants they can hide in. Even then it's doubtful. Good
> plants for fry to hide in are Java moss, riccia and floating water sprite or
> water lettuce which does fine in aquariums.

Could I move the eggs to a net breeder or would I damage them in the
process?

[Larry Blanchard]

On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:04:10 -0600, Mike Hartigan wrote:

> I recently noticed a
> couple hundred or so white eggs, each about the size of the head of a
> pin, attached to the glass, primarily, though not exclusively, in the
> upper corners of the tank. Any idea which of these critters might be
> responsible?

Most likely the albino catfish. Mine like to lay eggs on the glass.

Are they waiting to be fertilized or can I expect to
> soon be overrun with one of the above mentioned fish? Is there
> anything I should do to ensure their safety and/or viability?

They are fertilized but if the snails or the pleco don't eat the eggs, the
other fish will eat the young. And that includes their parents.

It's very difficult to move the eggs. Best chance for survival, if snails
are not a problem, is to move out the other fish till the eggs hatch - a
few days. Then siphon the fry out into another tank and return the other
fish to the tank.

Feed the fry several times a day - at least 5 to begin with, 4 after the
1st month, 3 after the 2nd or 3rd depending how well they grow, and only
go to twice a day when they hit at least an inch in length.

I feed fry Hikari First Bites, frozen baby brine shrimp, and vinegar eels.

[Reel McKoi[_10_]]

"Mike Hartigan" > wrote in message
.net...
> In article >,
> says...
>> It's not likely any fry would survive with that many fish in the tank
>> unless
>> you have loads of plants they can hide in. Even then it's doubtful. Good
>> plants for fry to hide in are Java moss, riccia and floating water sprite
>> or
>> water lettuce which does fine in aquariums.
>

> Could I move the eggs to a net breeder or would I damage them in the
> process?
===============================
Moving them would probably kill them. Are you sure they not those small
snail eggs? Are there any small snails in your tank? Most smaller fish
scatter their eggs all over plants, they don't stick them to glass like
Angel fish and a few others. Also, any that are stuck where other fish can
find them are quickly eaten.
--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

[AquariumFatasies[_2_]]

On Dec 29, 11:42*pm, "Reel McKoi" >
wrote:
> "Mike Hartigan" > wrote in message
>
> .net...
>
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >> It's not likely any fry would survive with that many fish in the tank
> >> unless
> >> you have loads of plants they can hide in. Even then it's doubtful. *Good
> >> plants for fry to hide in are Java moss, riccia and floating water sprite
> >> or
> >> water lettuce which does fine in aquariums.
>
> > Could I move the eggs to a net breeder or would I damage them in the
> > process?
>
> ===============================
> Moving them would probably kill them. *Are you sure they not those small
> snail eggs? *Are there any small snails in your tank? *Most smaller fish
> scatter their eggs all over plants, they don't stick them to glass like
> Angel fish and a few others. Also, any that are stuck where other fish can
> find them are quickly eaten.
> --
>
> RM....
> Zone 6. *Middle TN USA
> ~~~~ *}<((((*> *~~~ * }<{{{{(ö>

Move the fish leave the eggs where they are if you expect any chance
of them hatching. Plant eating plants (herbivoires) still love to eat
fish eggs so chances of those eggs hatching is slim to
none............I agree with the others odds are its cory eggs....in
all likelyhood.

[Larry Blanchard]

On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:42:59 -0600, Reel McKoi wrote:

> Are you sure they not those small
> snail eggs? Are there any small snails in your tank? Most smaller fish
> scatter their eggs all over plants, they don't stick them to glass like
> Angel fish and a few others. Also, any that are stuck where other fish can
> find them are quickly eaten.

In my experience (YMMV) snail eggs tend to be a mass. Catfish eggs may be
attached to the glass in close proximity to each other, but each is a
separate entity.

And I have sat and watched my albino cory cats attach each egg singly to
the glass. They mate and the female carries an egg to the glass in her
fins and ataches it. If the original poster watches in the morning before
the tank lights come he may observe that behavior.

[Mike Hartigan]

Thanks for all the replies. It was useful information but, alas,
nature had other ideas. The eggs are gone and there's not a fry to
be seen. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough - I'll keep an eye on it.
Sadly, the pleco died, though I'm sure this is a coincidence.

Another, related question - I returned from a two week vacation on
Sunday to find these eggs. While I was gone, the furmace quit
working for three days, and I was told that the temp in the house
dropped to 42 degrees during that time. The tank's heater was
working, but I suspect it couldn't keep up with that. Also, my son
(the house sitter) told me that he forgot to feed the fish for two
days in a row last week. Perhaps this was partly to blame for the
pleco's demise. But, aside from that, I've been led to believe that
fish can be coaxed into laying eggs by adjusting their water
temperature and feeding patterns. Could this be one of the reasons
that the fish laid these eggs at this time?

In article >,
says...
> Please excuse my ignorance, but I've got a question. I have a 46
> gallon freshwater tank populated with a few Zebra Danios, Black Skirt
> Mollies, some Albino Catfish, two Glass Catfish, a trio of non-
> descript Catfish, and a giant Pleco (a fine looking fish, indeed!).
> These have all been together for at least six months, a few as long
> as six years (the pleco among the old timers). I recently noticed a
> couple hundred or so white eggs, each about the size of the head of a
> pin, attached to the glass, primarily, though not exclusively, in the
> upper corners of the tank. Any idea which of these critters might be
> responsible? Are they waiting to be fertilized or can I expect to
> soon be overrun with one of the above mentioned fish? Is there
> anything I should do to ensure their safety and/or viability? I
> think it'd be fun to see hundreds of tasty morsels swimming around,
> with perhaps a dozen or so growing to adulthood. Any thoughts and/or
> suggestions would be appreciated.
>

[AquariumFatasies[_2_]]

On Jan 1, 7:28*am, Steve Wolstenholme >
wrote:
> On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 07:01:16 -0600, Mike Hartigan
>
> > wrote:
> >Another, related question - I returned from a two week vacation on
> >Sunday to find these eggs. *While I was gone, the furmace quit
> >working for three days, and I was told that the temp in the house
> >dropped to 42 degrees during that time. *The tank's heater was
> >working, but I suspect it couldn't keep up with that. *Also, my son
> >(the house sitter) told me that he forgot to feed the fish for two
> >days in a row last week. *Perhaps this was partly to blame for the
> >pleco's demise. *But, aside from that, I've been led to believe that
> >fish can be coaxed into laying eggs by adjusting their water
> >temperature and feeding patterns. *Could this be one of the reasons
> >that the fish laid these eggs at this time?
>
> Plecos will live for years at temperatures that many people think is
> too low - like 65 degrees. Would your heater have managed that? Plecos
> will also live without being fed for a week or two unless the tank is
> super clean and nearly sterile. Normal tanks are full of food!
>
> Some fish spawn when the temperature drops.
>
> --
> Neural Planner Software Ltd *
>
> http://www.easynn.comhttp://www.tropheus.demon.co.uk

My fish often go for a week or two unfed, and its pretty darn routine
for them to get nothing for a few days ina row all the time to, and
they do just fine. My plecos that I have are kept outside now going on
over 6 years. They are in preforms and other water features and my
water on occassion how rare does get thin coverage of ice at night. My
temps of the water usually remain in high or mid 40's during the
colder days of winter. The plecos in my marger ponds have been there
for a long time as well and they all do just fine. They usually say
60 deg is bottom line for temps, but I found thats not true. I even
have blue paradise fish that are no longer brounght indoors when temps
fall and I always miss a bunch of guppies when I move the preforms
inhabitants and it never fails I always have a topn of "left behind:
guippies come spring..........

[Randy Webb]

Mike Hartigan said the following on 1/1/2008 8:01 AM:
> Thanks for all the replies. It was useful information but, alas,
> nature had other ideas. The eggs are gone and there's not a fry to
> be seen. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough - I'll keep an eye on it.
> Sadly, the pleco died, though I'm sure this is a coincidence.
>
> Another, related question - I returned from a two week vacation on
> Sunday to find these eggs. While I was gone, the furmace quit
> working for three days, and I was told that the temp in the house
> dropped to 42 degrees during that time. The tank's heater was
> working, but I suspect it couldn't keep up with that. Also, my son
> (the house sitter) told me that he forgot to feed the fish for two
> days in a row last week. Perhaps this was partly to blame for the
> pleco's demise.

Two days without food won't kill any freshwater fish. Fish actually do a
little better when under-fed than when over-fed.

--
Randy
Chance Favors The Prepared Mind
comp.lang.javascript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq/index.html
Javascript Best Practices - http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com/bestpractices/

[atomweaver]

Mike Hartigan > wrote in
.net:

> Thanks for all the replies. It was useful information but, alas,
> nature had other ideas. The eggs are gone and there's not a fry to
> be seen. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough - I'll keep an eye on it.
> Sadly, the pleco died, though I'm sure this is a coincidence.
>
> Another, related question - I returned from a two week vacation on
> Sunday to find these eggs. While I was gone, the furmace quit
> working for three days, and I was told that the temp in the house
> dropped to 42 degrees during that time. The tank's heater was
> working, but I suspect it couldn't keep up with that. Also, my son
> (the house sitter) told me that he forgot to feed the fish for two
> days in a row last week. Perhaps this was partly to blame for the
> pleco's demise. But, aside from that, I've been led to believe that
> fish can be coaxed into laying eggs by adjusting their water
> temperature and feeding patterns. Could this be one of the reasons
> that the fish laid these eggs at this time?
>

Many cories spawn in response to a temperature drop (I'm told this is a
biological response to spring mountain snow melting in South America).
I've gotten my paleatus to do this on a few occasions with a cool water
change (60 degF water change of 50% on a 74 degF tank).

DaveZ

[Tynk[_7_]]

This crap brought to you courtesy of TYNK aka Kelly the chick with a
dick out of the aquaria groups and a dear carpet munching buddy or
Queen Bee Gill Passman herself.............

[..[_2_]]

..