Who Gives A Fish Forums

One more thing, check for fungus on the eggs. If they turn white, it's game over. Some folks use methylene blue as a preventative. Just a drop or two in the breeding tank.

Parents eating the eggs? Sometimes they do that if they're stressed or inexperienced. Try a divider or mesh to protect the eggs next time. Also, what's your pH? Stable 6.5 seems to work best for mine.

Another thing to watch is the water flow. If the dividers block too much, you might get dead spots. I added a small powerhead in my 90 gallon to keep circulation even. Temp's steady at 84°F, pH 6.4, and I use RO water with a bit of mineral buffer. The pairs have spawned three times since I switched ...

Mesh dividers can work, but it's sketchy if the fish can still see each other. I tried it in my 55 gallon, and the males kept flaring. Ended up removing it after a week. My water's similar, 83°F, pH 6.4, with a sponge filter and driftwood. Maybe try solid dividers if you're gonna keep 'em split ...

Does driftwood affect the filter at all? I've got a sponge filter in my 55-gallon and don't wanna mess with the flow. Also, how long does it take for the tannins to stop leaching?


Nah, driftwood won't mess with your filter. Tannins can take weeks to stop, but you can speed it up by soaking the ...

API's fine if you're cool with color matching, but Salifert's where it's at for precision. My nitrates were off by 10ppm with API, switched to Salifert and it's way tighter. Plus, their phosphate test is clutch if you're running plants.


Agreed on Salifert. I've got a 90-gallon with Discus and ...

I've had good luck with terracotta pots. You can find 'em at garden centers for a few bucks. Just plug the hole with silicone or a rubber stopper. My betta loves hiding in his little pot cave.

White eggs usually mean they're infertile or got fungus. Check if the parents are fanning them, if not, they might've given up. My pair did the same till I upped water changes to 50% daily during spawning. Also, try adding methylene blue next time, cuts fungus risk.

I'm new to this, but my fry seem to like crushed flakes. Tank is 20-gallon, temp at 86°F, with a sponge filter. Water changes 30% daily. Should I switch to live food?


Live food will definitely boost growth. Start with baby brine shrimp, they're easy to hatch. My fry are in a 40-gallon, temp at ...

What's your nitrate level? High nitrates can fuel algae. I keep mine below 10ppm with more frequent water changes and floating plants like frogbit. They shade the tank and suck up excess nutrients.


Agreed. I also use a UV sterilizer, it's been a game-changer for green water algae. Just make ...