Latest Breeding Project - Dark Angels

**catsma_97504** · 02-22-2014, 07:50 PM

I moved a pair of dark angels into a 30g tank to see if they could parent raise their offspring.

First spawn occurred in less than 24 hours after being moved; but the parents were still stressed from their new environment and the eggs were quickly eaten.

And the quickly spawned again about 5 days later. This time they are doing much better. The wrigglers hatched a couple of days ago and the parents are doing great! They moved the wrigglers back to the marble slab they spawned on, so I got this video. Had to be careful as the parents were not happy with me being so close to their tank....and I didn't want to stress them out and cause them to eat the little ones.

**AlyeskaGirl** · 02-23-2014, 10:06 AM

I am really glad they are doing well. Hope they continue to care for them.

**catsma_97504** · 02-23-2014, 01:10 PM

Me too Christine! Today is Day 3 of wriggling. So, just a couple more days until free swimming. That's when the next big test comes. Will the new parents care from them or eat them once they start to swim?

**AlyeskaGirl** · 02-23-2014, 03:12 PM

Got my fingers crossed!

**catsma_97504** · 03-08-2014, 10:14 PM

Parents are doing a great job of raising their offspring. Although I am a bit surprised by the die off going on. The fry have been free swimming for about 10 days now.

**AlyeskaGirl** · 03-11-2014, 06:52 PM

I am so glad they are doing a great job. What can cause a die off?

**catsma_97504** · 03-12-2014, 12:45 AM

I believe it is a combination of things.

DD Black has a high death rate
Water Chem changes thanks to my city water
Excessive pH after a large water change

And possibly this cross isn't a good option. But I will let them raise a few more spawns before deciding. This is their first successful spawn. That could be a factor as well.

Still have around 50 fry. And the larger ones are developing their elongated fins.

**catsma_97504** · 08-04-2014, 03:56 PM

Thought I should update this thread. This pair of black angels continue to spawn, but due to health issues of the parents and medicating the tank, the fry don't survive. The male, a Pinoy Smokey, is fighting off the disease that killed all my other Pinoys! And, as the female has been exposed I am leaving this pair isolated.

Their latest spawn was a complete surprise! I have been medicating the tank with nitrofurcan, which turns the water green. And, I never dreamed he was healthy enough to fertilize eggs. So, honestly I never considered this as a possibility. But, they proved me wrong! I found wigglers a week ago, on Monday. And I stopped medicating the tank and did a large of a water change as I could since the wigglers were only a couple of inches below the water level.

This pair was able to care for their progeny and they became free swimming on Wednesday, just 2 days after I discovered them. And I started a small batch of BBS. Unfortunately the BBS didn't hatch, I believe my ratios were off, and I tried feeding the fry Repashy Spawn & Grow as well as powdered flakes I am feeding the adults. These fry lasted 3 days. They disappeared the night after I fed them BBS. No idea what went wrong. Was it the medication? Was it the lack of BBS? I may never know. But I did capture this photo....