Hi all,
I thought I'd query the list for some advice. ...
I just finished off my second attempt at "artificially" hatching Apistogramma Rio Mamore eggs (the females kept eating the eggs). The first try resulted in all but two of the eggs being lost to a fungus (I had not used an anti-fungal agent), and those two wrigglers subsequently died as well. The second time around I used methylene blue. For a while the eggs were in much better shape than the first time around. Unfortunately, again, all but two eggs eventually got a fungus.
How I tried to hatch the eggs is as follows. I removed the clay pot the eggs were layed on from the spawning tank, and I placed it in a 5 gallon aquarium heated to 78 degrees F. I placed an airstone on a gentle setting in the aquarium. I have not tested the water parameters because I'm guessing that the methylene blue would render any results impossible to read (it's a color-change system), but the water came from the spawning tank which is not having any water parameter problems...although it is, of course, impossible for me to test for any lurking fungi. I used 4 drops of methylene blue in the tank, and I introduced the methylene blue by mixing it in some of the tank water before administration (it gave the water a medium-blue, Windex-like tint). I have one very lonely fry that I transfered to a small plastic container with an airstone that I've hung inside of the 5 gallon tank (I actually consider this an accomplishment!). I thought it would be easier to locate and to feed the fry this way.
As of now, one of my Mamore females has layed eggs again in the spawning tank, but I'm going to let her hang onto them just to let nature run it's course - even if she eats them again.
Any thoughts on the eggs dying off even with methylene blue use? I'm guessing that if two eggs hatch then at least more than the two that drop were fertilized. I'm planning on doing a near 100% water change in the 5 gallon tank before I try hatching any more eggs. Any other advice for the next time I try to hatch eggs?????
Thanks!
Adam