Electric blue acara laid eggs in a 75 gallon community

[RES_FAN]

Hello I have a 75 gallon tank with semi aggressive cichlids and my EBA s placed their eggs on a Rock which is in the middle of the tank with dangers all around. They are also fighting PB parrots for territory I want eggs to hatch what should I do (It is an emergency because leopard pleco is an egg killer. I can't let him Come close he is unstoppable

My options

A) putting the eggs in my 5 gallon tank (no space for parents) but I am afraid eggs will fail of the Rock when I lift it

B) putting an igloo like structure on the eggs so it is easier to defend but I am afraid parents will abandon the eggs


C) what should I do

 

[A201]

Maybe invest in an aquarium divider, which would separate the tankmates from the parents & eggs.

 

[Deadeye]

Cichlid eggs are sticky - they wouldn’t fall off the rock.
If you have another tank, you can always separate out the pleco for a bit.

 

[tlindsey]

Congrats
I suggest in the future to place in a sponge filter in your main aquarium then you will have a seeded sponge filter ready for a hatchery.

 

[Panosian32]

First, congrats! I was pumped when my EBA had eggs for the first time. I also think breeding behavior is a nice kudos to your fish keeping abilities.

One option is to not get another tank and pull out the eggs and parents. If you’re in a pinch for space, a 20 gallon breeder should work for the whole crew for a short period. Of course, will need to seed the tank with good bacteria through media in current system, substrate from that system, or ideally a pre-seeded sponge.

If that’s not an option, then you could likely gently move the rocks with the eggs on it to the side of the tank and then use a divider. That’s not ideal though once the fry come though imo as they will likely be able to slip through most barriers.

I’m sure others have separated the fry and had success, but that’s not to my preference. It’s really fun to see the fish be good parents and nature at work. My EBA female would defend her eggs and religiously waft her fins over them to help keep clean and avoid them getting fungus. Later, as fry, her and the male would try to corral the fry swarm as best as possible by routinely circling them, picking up those that wandered them off in his mouth, and spitting them back in the group.

Good luck!

 

[RES_FAN]

Maybe invest in an aquarium divider, which would separate the tankmates from the parents & eggs.

Cichlid eggs are sticky - they wouldn’t fall off the rock.
If you have another tank, you can always separate out the pleco for a bit.

Congrats
I suggest in the future to place in a sponge filter in your main aquarium then you will have a seeded sponge filter ready for a hatchery.

Thank you for all your replies I figured an altetnative solution. I made them a transparent cave bu a net and a box I would send a picture but I can't I will figure it out eventually. They are Now used to it That is the way to go for Now I was in a hurry it is past 0 am here. There are 2 air Stones in the tank should I get them closer to the cave. (I am sorry for my english if I Said something wrong)

 

[RES_FAN]

First, congrats! I was pumped when my EBA had eggs for the first time. I also think breeding behavior is a nice kudos to your fish keeping abilities.

One option is to not get another tank and pull out the eggs and parents. If you’re in a pinch for space, a 20 gallon breeder should work for the whole crew for a short period. Of course, will need to seed the tank with good bacteria through media in current system, substrate from that system, or ideally a pre-seeded sponge.

If that’s not an option, then you could likely gently move the rocks with the eggs on it to the side of the tank and then use a divider. That’s not ideal though once the fry come though imo as they will likely be able to slip through most barriers.

I’m sure others have separated the fry and had success, but that’s not to my preference. It’s really fun to see the fish be good parents and nature at work. My EBA female would defend her eggs and religiously waft her fins over them to help keep clean and avoid them getting fungus. Later, as fry, her and the male would try to corral the fry swarm as best as possible by routinely circling them, picking up those that wandered them off in his mouth, and spitting them back in the group.

Good luck!

First, congrats! I was pumped when my EBA had eggs for the first time. I also think breeding behavior is a nice kudos to your fish keeping abilities.

One option is to not get another tank and pull out the eggs and parents. If you’re in a pinch for space, a 20 gallon breeder should work for the whole crew for a short period. Of course, will need to seed the tank with good bacteria through media in current system, substrate from that system, or ideally a pre-seeded sponge.

If that’s not an option, then you could likely gently move the rocks with the eggs on it to the side of the tank and then use a divider. That’s not ideal though once the fry come though imo as they will likely be able to slip through most barriers.

I’m sure others have separated the fry and had success, but that’s not to my preference. It’s really fun to see the fish be good parents and nature at work. My EBA female would defend her eggs and religiously waft her fins over them to help keep clean and avoid them getting fungus. Later, as fry, her and the male would try to corral the fry swarm as best as possible by routinely circling them, picking up those that wandered them off in his mouth, and spitting them back in the group.

Good luck!

Thanks you all really helped me.
Yes watching them protect their frys are so interesting. I also have polar blue convicts in the tank they also grab their babies and spit them back to the safe zone. some frys manged to survive the onslaught Now they chase other fish around even if they are half the fishes size (I haven't seen a concerning fight yet)

 

[RES_FAN]

I found out a fungus is spreading to my eggs they are probably around for 24 hours by Now. Can egg fungus spread to parents? What should I do? Should I get a Quarantine tank for the eggs?

 

[Panosian32]

In my experience, the parents will just scrap the eggs in a day or two. No need to quarantine anything and the parents will be fine. It happens.
When it happens to me, I always hold out hope the parents will be able to just pick out the bad eggs and I’ll still get some fry, but that hasn’t happened for me. They always scrap everything. Once the eggs had even made it to the wiggled stage and that still happened.

 

[A201]

The eggs were likely not fertilized. The fungus feeds on the dead eggs.
It's harmless.