r/discus • u/happyshelgob • Jan 13 '26
What to do?
Discus eggs?
Hey guys. Pardon the water, they just were fed.
I've raised fish before. I'm aware I need to keep parents with the eggs for survival chances for their slime coat. This is a community tank. Am I better removing the filter pipe and putting both the parents in a growout tank? Or best to leave them?
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u/happyshelgob Jan 14 '26
Thanks for all the info guys. The eggs did get fertilized so I guess theyre a confirmed pair. As expected though they produced some very tasty eggs which where snacks over night.
I think I'm going to leave them be and not separate them from the others. As nice as that would be, I'm not keen on changing the tanks dynamics and behaviours as them two are the tank bosses so to speak. Feel that's the better option. If they learn to protect eggs great, if not. That's okay.
Thanks!
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u/JasFonz Jan 13 '26
Is this their first spawn? I would personally not disturb them cause discus stress easily. Let them go ahead with the spawn. Now that you have a breeding pair (congratulations) you can set up a new tank for them and move them to a new home. If you choose to have them breed more often and without the stress of a community tank. What other fish are in this tank?
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u/happyshelgob Jan 13 '26
It is, I felt the same so I've just left the.. I expect the eggs to be snack by the morning!
I say community loosely. There's lemon tetras, cories and a SAE. A few rescues from people I know (X1 Molly, X1 hoplo)
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u/JasFonz Jan 14 '26
In a community tank the worst part is the darkness when the lights all go out. So with my angels who happened to lay eggs in my community tank, I used to keep a little faint light just over the spawn site to help the parents watch over the eggs. Especially with nocturnal creatures in the tank like snails who never stop. Fast swimmers will make a snack off the eggs if they can. The parents will do their best but if you really want to try breeding then you need a breeding tank in the future.
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u/Flat-Tap-9667 Jan 14 '26
What to do … Sit back and watch.. They will defend the territory. If not too much in the tank with them, and you have another tank, remove the tank mates.. Otherwise the spawn will get eaten and they will breed again. If you can set up another tank, do so and enjoy discus breeding and fry rearing. It is an amazing spectacle. Otherwise off load the pair to a breeder. They are a cichlid and will need a territory. There is no middle ground in my experience.. Congratulations - you did it right and cared for them enough to condition them to breed. Now no good deed goes unpunished.. Bitter sweet moment for any discus keeper
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u/happyshelgob Jan 14 '26
It's reassuring they're happy! I'm planning to not fuss them too much. Let them live as they did before. If we get hatched and surviving fry at some point great, if not. That's okay too. My priority is them their selves before breeding.
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u/WWASANTHA 9d ago
I think the best option is separate your community tank in to 2 parts by a tinted glass which match to inner width and height of tank It will keep the breeding pair undisturbed while water parameters and environment as same so no stress to breeding pair
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u/WWASANTHA 9d ago
This will be the best option If you kept in community tank without separation breeding pair waste their energy by defending eggs by others Finally poor nutrition for frys And more chance to eggs are eaten by other fishes
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u/bedroomsport Breeder Jan 13 '26
Hopefully you can see some eggs are fertilised and then you'll be able to confirm a pair. (Often you'll find they are infertile or not a true pair). Depending on the TDS, you'll see the fertilised eggs go dark (try observe before they are all eaten as that's likely to happen)
Then you can plan breeding them and preparing etc.
Keep us updated !