discovery of a gbr nest: what's next?

[boomer]

With cories in the tank, the chances of fry surviving are slim, unless you're extremely fortunate. The eggs are generally devoured, but should they hatch, the fry are highly vulnerable to cories, both day and night. I recall a particular instance where I witnessed a female blue ram attempting to protect her four-day-old fry, only to be outmaneuvered by two cories that appeared out of nowhere, resulting in the swift disappearance of the fry.

The eggs are especially susceptible to predation at night, given that cories are nocturnal, while rams are not. This means the rams are unable to safeguard their eggs or fry during this time. I've personally lost four clutches of ram eggs to cories overnight.

I must stress that leaving the light on is detrimental to the well-being of all fish. I've known instances where this practice has led to outbreaks of ich, as it causes immense stress. Fish require a period of total darkness, a fact I've discussed in detail elsewhere.

On a more positive note, the suggestion to add dried leaves is an excellent one. Research has shown that fry develop at a faster rate in tanks with dried leaves. The infusoria produced by these leaves is one reason, but the bacterial protection provided by substances within the leaves is also likely to play a role. I collect dried oak leaves from my garden every autumn, where I can be certain they're free from chemicals and pesticides. I've successfully raised cory, characin, cyprinid, and Farlowella fry using only the food produced by dried leaves and the tank's biological system.

[landon]

Thanks boomer, I'm really stuck now. I don't want to lose the eggs, but I only have a shrimp tank to move the corys to. I'm immigrating soon and will have to sell both tanks, it'd be great to see some fry before I go.

[boomer]

Hey guys and girls,

I got home tonight and was stoked to see my 2 German Blue Rams had spawned eggs on a flat rock in my community planted tank.
I'm really excited, but to be honest, I've got no idea what to do next.

The Rams are super protective over the eggs, which is great, but it's a community tank with 5 Zebra Danios, 7 Neons, 4 corrys, a bunch of RCS (way over 50) and the 2 Rams.

I'd love some advice on how to move forward.

I wouldn't advise moving the cories, they're quite particular about their environment and don't take well to changes. Given your situation, setting up a breeding tank for the ram pair seems like the best course of action, but I understand that might not be feasible with your upcoming move.

If you're determined to save the eggs, moving them to a separate tank might be an option, but you'd need to ensure the object they're laid on can be safely relocated. However, without the parents to care for them, the eggs are at risk of developing fungus.

[finley_es]

Don't stress about it, they'll get the hang of it. It's only their second spawn, and they've still got plenty to learn. Let them gain experience in their current setup, you've got time to set up a separate tank if you're serious about breeding them.