# My jewels just spawned! I have NO idea what I'm doing.



## savvy_skrill (Jan 19, 2009)

My H. lifalili just spawned and layed eggs all over the back of a flowerpot. I've only had these guys for a week! The only other fish in there besides the pair is an albino zebra, and the three get along great. Even when the zebra goes near the eggs, there's absolutely no aggresion. So I'm hoping I won't have to seperate anybody. However, this is my first experience with breeding fish, any suggestions welcome!


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

my first suggestion is to remove the third fish....IME these guy can get really nasty when spawning....at least thats how my pair was. Second if you plan on saving fry make sure the put pantyhos or something similar over the filter intakes to prevent fry from being sucked up. Dont worry about feeding the fry the parents will do a better job than you can while theyre still tiny when they get bigger theyll be able to feed right along with the parrents, if using pellets i suggest alternating between flake and pellet form so the fry if not able to eat the pellets still have a way of getting food via the flake. How big is the tank you have them in?


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## savvy_skrill (Jan 19, 2009)

Okay, I've moved the zebra back in to Mbuna tank. Hopefully he doesn't get too beat up. & I've covered the filter intake with pantyhose as well. Now the pair are in my 29 gallon all to themselves. However, this morning I looked in there and all of the eggs are gone. From the research I've done, I haven't quite panicked yet since Jewels seem to move their eggs around a lot. However, I've completely searched every corner and I don't see a single egg anywhere! Is it possible the parents and/or the zebra ate them?


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## kfenk (Jun 13, 2009)

from what iv experienced of my jewels is, either one of the parents (mainly the female) will stay with the eggs/fry at all time. so wherever the parents are the eggs will be. my females currently guarding her batch of 3 day old fry now. oh der so cute :drooling:


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## savvy_skrill (Jan 19, 2009)

Oh okay, hopefully they'll turn up. Congrats though!


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

They do move their eggs alot i wouldnt worry too much unless the eggs were unfertilized and they ate them?.....what color were they when you last saw them?


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## savvy_skrill (Jan 19, 2009)

The last time I saw them, they were a pale yellow/brown.. hope that doesn't mean bad news.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

thats good :thumb: they prob juss moved em they can be good at hiding them :wink:


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## steve_58 (Jan 20, 2009)

Keep an eye on the female , she will most likely be doing the most guarding and will pretty much stay where the eggs/wigglers are and fan. If she leaves that spot the male will most likely charge to the spot and be the guard till she returns. Mine will move the eggs and the next day if i watch close i will see wigglers in the gravel where the parents hid them and the spot will be heavly guarded by at least one parent. My pair of Jewels spawn so often i don't even try to save the fry.I only remove about three quarters of every third batch and raise them.


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## savvy_skrill (Jan 19, 2009)

Oh wow, so they're pretty much like convicts then. :lol:

I haven't yet seen the eggs reappear, and haven't seen any sign of fry. They must have eaten them.. oh well, there's always next time. Thanks everybody for all your help.


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