Bristlenose pleco kicked eggs

[Devhen98]

So 4 days ago I came back from my local fish shop early in the morning and to
My surprise found my albino female and albino male bristlenose had laid eggs. They laid the eggs in 1 1/2in pvc pipe that last about 8 inches long. And so after being all excited I checked on them tonight only to find they had been kicked out of the cave. Most covered in fungus and most were white in color. Some were yellow but covered in fungus as well. So I'm just curious as to why this is? My guess is some were infertile and they spoiled the bunch? Tank temp is at about 79 degrees and I just checked water parameters and everything was normal. The only new thing I added since I saw eggs was a couple plants and ghost shrimp. Tank inhabitants are the male and female another albino longfin female who I don't think is of age yet for breeding ghost shrimp and a peacock eel and 2 nerite snails. And it's 30 gallon tank.

Sorry for such a long story here. But just want to try not to miss anything. Maybe though the male is still new to this though I don't know. I did find a dead ghost shrimp as well but I don't think that's related though but I don't know.

[bekateen]

Hi Devhen98,

Welcome to PlanetCatfish.

About your BNs, is this the first time they spawned (or even their second)? If so, don't worry about it. The fact that the eggs were fungused when kicked out means most if not all were probably not fertilized and dad wasn't properly fanning them. New parents are often bad parents and you have to imagine that the first few broods of eggs are essentially practice for later success.

In my experience, BNs can spawn about every 3 weeks if they're healthy and ready, and if their tank is well-suited. So just sit back and leave them alone, see what happens. Don't be surprised if they spawn again at least once in the next few months.

Good luck,
Eric

[Devhen98]

Hi Devhen98,

Welcome to PlanetCatfish.

About your BNs, is this the first time they spawned (or even their second)? If so, don't worry about it. The fact that the eggs were fungused when kicked out means most if not all were probably not fertilized and dad wasn't properly fanning them. New parents are often bad parents and you have to imagine that the first few broods of eggs are essentially practice for later success.

In my experience, BNs can spawn about every 3 weeks if they're healthy and ready, and if their tank is well-suited. So just sit back and leave them alone, see what happens. Don't be surprised if they spawn again at least once in the next few months.

Good luck,
Eric

Yes this was the first time they have ever spawned that i know of. I was kind of think maybe he just wasn't doing good but I wasn't sure. And I will definitely try again. Or let them try I again I should say. So hopefully after this experience he will understand because i really am looking forward to some fry to take care of.
On a side note.How big does a female need to be to lay eggs? I bought the long fin a couple weeks ago and she seems like she's maybe 3 inches or so I haven't caught her on the glass to measure for sure yet though.

And thanks for the quick response!

[bekateen]

A 3" long female... 3" NOT counting the tail... will be big enough to spawn. If 3" includes tail, esp. on a longfin, she's too small.

[Devhen98]

So tonight I went into my room to get my laptop and I have been battling pest snails in the tank and I thought I saw one on the back of the glass. And so I stopped to grab it since I take them to my chiclid tank as food and come to find out it was a BABY PLECO! If I knew how to put pictures up I would but I don't.

Any ways super weird because I put in a new cave for the male and he has been in that cave ever since and this was like 2 days after he kicked the eggs. Is it possible some of the eggs he kicked survived? I left the eggs in the tank figuring the ghost shrimp would munch on them. So next thing also is should I leave it or move it to its own tank? I'm still just shocked to see this baby figuring that all eggs were lost.