C. sterbai infertile/fungused eggs

[drivetimer]

I am keeping C. aneus, paleatus, panda and sterbai in similar setups (tank size, filtration, food, water chemistry), but typically I lose 80-90% of a sterbai clutch of eggs to fungus. Normally I harvest the eggs to be raised in dishes floated in the breeding aquarium. Is it better not to handle sterbai eggs, or should they be incubated in sterile water? Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[bekateen]

Hi drivetimer,

First, welcome to PlanetCatfish. For one idea to reduce egg fungus, read this: Live tips to save cory eggs.

Cheers, Eric

[drivetimer]

Thanks, Eric. I like the idea of using the Ramshorns, except now I'll have to set a few aside instead of crushing every one I find for the fish to eat.

Dan

[bekateen]

Hi Dan,

Just be careful and use the right kind of snails. The first time I tried snails, I accidentally had bladder snails mixed in with my Ramshorn snails. I believe the bladder snails ate my eggs (all of this was documented in that thread).

Good luck, Eric

[Corycory]

Cory eggs just need lots of flow blown at them. Containers with still water, even if it's extremely clean, isn't the best way to hatch them. The corys themselves lay eggs in high flow areas if there are some around the tank.
After being laid, eggs change colour within 24 hrs if they are fertile. If they never change colour or they turn snow white, they were never fertile. Otherwise they turn from white to brown, i.e. they get darker and they become hard. If they develop fungus even though they got darker after the first 24 hours, then look into 1. water condition(not good enough for fry; dosed up with meds they can't handle so they hatch but die. 2. flow and oxygen around the container/tank/net is at a hopefull level; 3 detritus/dirty water filled with particles you normally ignored; the water the container the eggs/fry are in is filled with particles that are visible to the human eye; you deny admitting bad water quality which = high death rates with cory fry.

And don't use snails, use cherry shrimp. Cherry shrimp keep the bottom of the tank/container immaculate for corys, preventing any diseases/deaths. Snails are so poopy. I've been there, tried that...It does not work well hatching eggs, not any better than without any snails, actually way better without snails...of any kind and I've got all pest snails possible, bladder, ramshorn, Malaysian trumpets, etc.