# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Cichlids >  Fertilisation of Discus eggs

## libra04ts

Hi,

How do I know after the female had spwaned the eggs, whether the male had fertilise them?

What do i need to feed the babies?

Thanks.

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## diboroan

Normally you see the male following in the path of the female after she has laid to fertilize the eggs. If fertilized, eggs should hatch in 3 days then around 2 days to free swim.

fry will feed on the mucus produced on the parents body and you can feed them some baby powder food if you wish and eventually you can hatch bs for them to feed on and then move on to beef heart etc.  :Smile:

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## trident

if the eggs are not fertilized, within 2 days they will turn white.

for fries around 7 days old can feed newly hatched brine shrimp  :Smile:

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## libra04ts

Hi All,

Thanks for the info. I did not get to see the laying process though, I went home and the eggs are already laid.

The eggs will turn white if not fertilized, but when I first saw them, they are already white in color. Does that mean anything? If fertilized, it will turn to other colour? 
If fertilised, the fries will come out of the eggs or the eggs will just turn into fries?

Thanks.  :Smile:

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## trident

If the eggs are fertilized the color is creamy in color,
after 2 days those not fertilized will turn white, while 
those fertilized will turn dark.
Day 3 they will hatch, wiggler stage.
They will just stick on the tile and sometimes their parents will move them about.
Will free swim 6-7 days after been laid.

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## diboroan

> Hi All,
> 
> Thanks for the info. I did not get to see the laying process though, I went home and the eggs are already laid.
> 
> The eggs will turn white if not fertilized, but when I first saw them, they are already white in color. Does that mean anything? If fertilized, it will turn to other colour? 
> If fertilised, the fries will come out of the eggs or the eggs will just turn into fries?
> 
> Thanks.


I think they probably come out from the egg but they will have their egg sac on to provide them with nutrients.

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## luenny

Congrats on your discus spawning. Anyway, just leave the eggs alone. Fertilize or not you will know in a few days. Most parents will remove the white unfertilized eggs. It's not good for you to remove them because you may scare the parents in the process and they may end up eating the whole batch of eggs. Just keep your fingers cross and hopefully you'll see wrigglers soon.

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## libra04ts

Well, think the eggs are not good or what, they are not fertilised. They have been eaten up by the discus. So now waiting for them to spawn again and hope they can work out.  :Smile:

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## trident

After 3 days if the eggs are white in color, just wash them away.
If you are afraid that the parents might eat the eggs, get a small stainless steel wire mesh to cover the tile.  :Smile:

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## b_goh88

Hi,

Currently I've 6 discuss in my planted tanks and 2 of them pair up. Last Thursday eggs are lay on the java fern, but the next day all eggs are eaten up (not sure by the parent fish or other).

I'm thinking of removing this pair to another tank by themselves. Need advise as this is the first time I try breeding.

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK?

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2times a week, is it ok?

3) Must I put the ss mesh over the tile after eggs are lay?

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## trident

Hi,

Currently I've 6 discuss in my planted tanks and 2 of them pair up. Last Thursday eggs are lay on the java fern, but the next day all eggs are eaten up (not sure by the parent fish or other).

I'm thinking of removing this pair to another tank by themselves. Need advise as this is the first time I try breeding.

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK? Yes, they would need a breeding tank to breed. A bare tank with airstone is fine. Tank size is ok, but depend on the breed. Albinos will need a smaller tank as their fries have weak eyesight and might not be able to find their parents.

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2times a week, is it ok? Use tap water with anti chlorine will do. Water change 2-3 times is ok, but have to watch the water condition when fries free swim. 

3) Must I put the ss mesh over the tile after eggs are lay?
Better to use a stainless steel mesh to protect the eggs. Also add a few drops of methylene blue to prevent fungus growth on the unfertilized eggs.

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## diboroan

Hi bro,

1) Planning to transfer them to a 2.5ft tank with only air stone. Is this tank size good enough and air stone oK? *Yup this is fine*

2) Current planted tank water change once week. Planning to use the planted tank water for water change in the breeding tank and water change for the breeding tank 2 times a week, is it ok? *Why do you want to use the plant tank water? Just use tap water put in anti-chlorine would do.*

3) Must I put the *stainless steel* mesh over the tile after eggs are lay?* It would depend on the pair, some pairs eat up eggs some don't. But to be safe just put unless you are willing to test it out.*

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## b_goh88

Thanks guys for all the advise.

For the planted tank water, I thought this is better cause it is aged water and since the discus I've live in this enviroment before I move them to the breeding tank. 

Well if tap water with anit-chlorine is ok, then it save me trouble from taking water from my planted tank to the breeding tank and then top up water to the planted tank.

I'm very new to discus, I don't know what discus I've. I got them from a LFS and it happen that two got pair up after a year plus. I will try to post their photo and maybe need help from you guys to identify them.

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## diboroan

I think the thing with the planted tank water is that it may contain bacteria(from other discus, fishes, plants), that the fry may not be used to or are not strong enough yet to fight off so to play safe use tap water with anti chlorine.

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## b_goh88

Ok. I'll used the planted tank water during the transfer of the breeding pair, after that I will slow change the breeding tank water with tap water + anti-chlorine.

By the way, do I need to add any other thing? Years ago a friend told me that discus need low ph water but our tap water is usually at ph 7. Do I need to lower the ph? and if I need what is optium level and which is the best way to do that?

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## trident

ph 7 is good enough for the discus to breed, these are tank bred discus and are used to tap water. If they don't breed than can consider adding ketapang leaves or peat.
but to my experience usually don't need, once they are ready, they will breed.  :Smile:

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## b_goh88

Last night my discus lay eggs again. The bad news I've not transfer them to the breeding tank yet. Look like this patch will be eaten up again.

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## diboroan

Don't worry I'm sure they will spawn again soon in the another tank. Good luck with your breeding  :Smile:

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## b_goh88

Just transfer my pair to a breeding tank. So far they have not lay any egg yet. Hopeful this coming weekend they will lay eggs.

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## trident

you can usually tell when they start to peck on the breeding tile  :Smile: 
Good luck bro  :Smile:

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## anaiyar

> you can usually tell when they start to peck on the breeding tile 
> Good luck bro


 Hey friends,

at this time I am totally confused with my discuss pairs. I got two of them and I am taking good care to maintain the water hardness and Ph and the temperature but I am not getting the results. I see sometimes one of them lying alone in one corner and sometimes showing aggression to each other but they are feeding nicely. I see them rubbing their lower body asif laying eggs but nothing is happening or I am not sure what eggs are and how they look like but what the description in the post says I am not finding that at all. Someone please help

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## aarondylan

take your time, it aint easy for the first few times, after that it will just be a smooth journey

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