royal whiptails, try again

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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whiptails laid eggs today! none of the last lot survived despite getting them hatched and about a week old then they gradually died. today she laid half her eggs on the side of the filter and half scattered on the top of a plec cave! so male did not know which to guard! so have put the cave into a plastic tub floating in another tank with a small filter in it and keep fingers crossed. maybe these will do better.
 

bigbird

Pleco Profiles Moderator - RIP FRIEND
Sep 9, 2010
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when they hatch, make sure you have spirulina powder to feed them. When they are small they do not easily forage for food so tend to starve.
It is better to overfeed daiy to give them food everywhere, than just in one spot. then do clean up daily as well. I also found a ltture leaf or zuchinni great. cheers and good luck jk
 

Irene0100

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May 14, 2009
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yes I know they are hard to feed. I gave them micro worms several times a day, plus spirulina with agar agar painted on stones, some flakes, and green veg to suck on, with fresh water blowing through a fry saver. they did start to eat for a few days and I would see them sat on the stone, but then one by one they faded away.
 

Bigjohnnofish

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Apr 15, 2010
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bred 1000's of these and have sometimes had a whole spawn die regardless of anything you do... other times the whole lot survive and other times anywhere from a few to 99% of them...

if you cant be bothered with frysavers and feeding try this... put them in with your zebs... and let them be... get around 25% survival rate and zebs only seem to eat the dead/dying ones...high protein foods fed to the zebs doesnt seem to be an issue.... maybe they are eating zeb poo!! recycled protein!.

or have them in a heavily planted tank with no predators... and usually get the same around a quarter survives....

other than that heavy feeding in a small frysaver... with lots of cleaning and re-feeding to prevent any ammonia buildup happening... if fry get ammonia damaged just once they will more than likely all die.....

good luck irene :)
 

tangles

New Member
May 7, 2012
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I find frozen baby brine seems to get them going well.I also feed with a frozen spiralina agar agar mix.They are in a fry saver and i have about 90% success rate.
Cheers Leigh
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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Thanks, eggs looking good, have gone dark and not far from hatching
they ones that she lay on top of round plec cave are in big plastic tub floating inside a big tank. it has a small filter running in it and I am doing small w/c every day.
here is view from top.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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thanks but its quite a gentle filter an inside its foam so wont get in it.
most of them hatched yesterday, but half are dead this morning. checked ph was a bit high 7.2 so am gradually lowering it to see if can save the rest.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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only two alive this morning. the other half of the eggs I left in main tank with dad have hatched but no idea if any survived. I keep peering in the weeds. time will tell.
 

tangles

New Member
May 7, 2012
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I let some batches hatch in the main tank.And have yet had any survive.You really need them in a fry saver or they will starve.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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well all lost I'm afraid. they did not even get to the eating stage, as still had egg sacks. will try harder on next lot of eggs. maybe my tds is not right.