Just got GBR eggs!

[Higher Thinking]

So I went to the fish store just this Tuesday without anything in particular in mind. I had a couple extra tanks cycled and just sitting there waiting for their permanent stock. I knew I wanted to breed something with them so I went scouting for potentials.

Soon enough I stumbled upon their selection of German Blue Rams and they seemed to be looking real good. I kept an eye on them in hopes that maybe there would already be two that have paired up. When I became fairly confident that I just may have found a pair, I snatched 'em up. 9 bucks apiece.

As is obvious from the thread title, I know have GBR eggs. It took them only two days from when I got them til they laid. I have been watching them incessantly for the previous hour and a half because I knew they were about to lay. Both were clearing away sites to lay and were rubbing each other and various other displays. I really wanted to catch it on video, but it wasn't happening. I gave in to watch TV for an hour and when I check again, there they are!

Anyway, as I have read conflicting information about whether GBRs will rear their fry I am going to give them the chance to do their thing. I have heard that they will eat the fry the first few times, but I am only gonna give them one chance. Do it right this one time Mr. and Mrs. or I am taking over with (hopefully) next months'. Any personal advice from experienced breeders would be helpful. I've got the basics down but drop me what you got. Thanks!

Here is a pic of the male, female, then eggs.

[Higher Thinking]

Update: 48 Hours after laying, the eggs have begun to hatch. When I came home from work I saw that there was a noticeable bit of eggs missing. Of course I have to assume that the parents are beginning to eat all the eggs, but I now I'm not so sure. I have read that the parents are known to eat just the infertile ones and I believe this is the case.

Every time new eggs appears to be hatching either the male or the female will pick them up in their mouth, do what appears to be some weird sucking motion for about 6 or 7 seconds and then spit them back out. Cleaning them perhaps? Since I can clearly see that they are mouth brooding and releasing I can only assume they aren't going to actually eat viable fry. Who knows though, but I'll keep this updated.

[chumlee]

Do not be surprised if none of the eggs make it this first time. The GBR's will take some time to learn how to become good parents....after this spawn they should do it pretty regularly and expect more and more survivors every time!

[MikeP_123]

a few things contribute to the eating of the fry. When I had my first batch of eggs the parents (or maybe other tank mates) didn't allow the eggs to hatch at all. The second time free swimmers were everywhere and the parents were mouthing em... until one day they were just gone. I figured it was just outside stress. It took them about 4 tries to get it all right, each time they made further and further progress. Also the babies are very small and wont be able to take large food particles. What are you feeding them?

P.S. Mine would breed about every week so you might not have to wait that month you were talking about.

[PC1]

The first time its so exciting and then usually bumming when they chow down on them. Like they said though the more they do it the better they get

[Higher Thinking]

So they ended up eating all the free swimmers. I left on the 28th to go camping and just got back to new eggs. I wasn't too concerned with the first batch of eggs as I knew I was taking this trip and regular feedings was going to be difficult. I left 6 tanks unattended for the duration (including the GBRs) and used an electronic feeder for my Tiger Barb tank. even with no additional food for a week the parents still bred a batch. I guess I'll continue to let them do their own rearing. Will keep updated as usual with any progress....

Originally Posted by MikeP_123

a few things contribute to the eating of the fry. When I had my first batch of eggs the parents (or maybe other tank mates) didn't allow the eggs to hatch at all. The second time free swimmers were everywhere and the parents were mouthing em... until one day they were just gone. I figured it was just outside stress. It took them about 4 tries to get it all right, each time they made further and further progress. Also the babies are very small and wont be able to take large food particles. What are you feeding them?

P.S. Mine would breed about every week so you might not have to wait that month you were talking about.

I have a batch of infusoria that I have made up. Although it has been sitting under light for over a week now and I am unsure if it is still viable. It's my first attempt at it. Either way, my LFS has baby brine shrimp and first bites. Did you find particular success with a specific feeding regiment?

[Higher Thinking]

So the eggs have hatched and are just little wigglers. Guess we'll find out how long they last.

[Higher Thinking]

Well it looks like their parental skills are improving vastly. Stupid me, I did a water change and didn't think about pouring it slowly and before I knew it a swooshed all the little wigglers right off their home and sent them everywhere. The parents immediately began picking them up and returning them to their original location. After a while, they had the whole batch back together in one spot. A few days later and they have the free swimming fry out foraging for food. Here they are, gotta look closely to see them all but I bet there is about 75 or so.

[MikeP_123]

Congrats! This is why I love rams so much.

[newportjon]

Yea, that's awesome!

I had ram eggs recently. Less than 2 weeks from being introduced to my tank. Sadly, the male ate all the wrigglers. It looks as though they're getting ready to spawn again, though.

Keep us updated!

[binders]

What fun!
You were much smarter than I was. I just got some rams (3) hoping that I would get a pair but it ends up they were all males. They had all lost their color at the lfs put I thought 2 of them were females and so did the lfs. Oh well. Time to see if I can do a trade if they have any females. Hopefully they will have colored up by now so that I can tell.

[valerietheangel]

Congratulations on the wigglers! I kept and bred bolivian rams and they were great parents. I had a finer substrate than you do and they enjoyed digging pits for the fry all over the bottom. They moved the fry often and the parents in my tank would chew up bits of flake food and spit it into the pit for the fry. IME live food wasn't necessary but I'm sure they would appreciate it if you have it.

[Higher Thinking]

Originally Posted by binders

What fun!
You were much smarter than I was. I just got some rams (3) hoping that I would get a pair but it ends up they were all males. They had all lost their color at the lfs put I thought 2 of them were females and so did the lfs. Oh well. Time to see if I can do a trade if they have any females. Hopefully they will have colored up by now so that I can tell.

Keep an eye on the second ray of the dorsal fin. An elongated one is evidence of a male. Also I have read that the.....never mind just read this:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cich...manblueram.php

Although contrary to that article my male does have black stripes on his fins.

[Higher Thinking]

Originally Posted by valerietheangel

Congratulations on the wigglers! I kept and bred bolivian rams and they were great parents. I had a finer substrate than you do and they enjoyed digging pits for the fry all over the bottom. They moved the fry often and the parents in my tank would chew up bits of flake food and spit it into the pit for the fry. IME live food wasn't necessary but I'm sure they would appreciate it if you have it.

Yea I am keeping a supply of infusoria, micro worms, and daphnia cultured. It was pretty cool watching the parents put the fry to bed. They laid the whole school down in a tiny little indent in the log and then went searching around the tank for any stragglers who they mouthed and then dumped into the pile of the other fry. Making progress this time!

[Higher Thinking]

Well the fry were all gone when I checked out the tank this morning. Looks like they lasted a solid three days before something happened. Don't know if the parents just ate them or if something was wrong with the parameters....time to do it all over again.