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Re: Angel Fish Breeding
Tony,
What you describe is *absolutely* normal. Tank bred (i.e most) Angelfish
are usually pretty poor parents, at least when young. Sometimes they become
better after a few attempts; but many aquarists pull the eggs away and
raise the young themselves. But since parental behaviour is one of the true
delights of cichlid care, I would persevere.
A couple of factors are the other fishes in the tank, and the spawning
substrate. If there are other fishes, you might want to see if they pose a
threat to the pair. When disturbed, fish often 'recycle' the eggs or fry by
eating them, rather than allowing predators to benefit from a nutritious
meal. Secondly, sometimes a slate or stone makes a better place for the
fish to lay the eggs. If you need to pull the eggs, it is a lot easier than
snapping off a leaf, and won't rot.
In angels, the male has a slim, slanted extension to the vent which he
deposits the sperm. This may appear some days before spawning. The female,
on the other hand, has a short, rounded ovipositor which only emerges maybe
24 hrs before actual egg laying.
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From Neale Monks' Macintosh PowerBook, at...
Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD
Internet: N.Monks at nhm_ac.uk, Telephone: 0171-938-9007
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