Angelfish Eggs Keep Dying before Hatching

[Beanie Seagus]

Hey Guys,

So here's my dilemma. I've got a mated pair of angelfish, in a tank kept about 80 degrees. The pair is great, and they produce a fairly large spawn (100-150+ eggs) about once a week on top of the small piece of slate i've put in the tank for them.

My problem is, I can't get the eggs to hatch, they always seem to turn white (succumbing to a fungus?) and dying. Here's what i've tried so far...

Spawn 1: moved the piece of slate with eggs into a quarantine net within the same tank as the angelfish (so all conditions are the same, except now the angelfish can't get to them to eat them) only three eggs made it to wigglers, and then those turned white too, so all died

Spawn 2: moved the piece of slate with eggs into a separate tub, filled with water from angelfish tank and put an airstone in the tub. tried to mannually remove eggs that turned white, but over night they all turned white and died

Spawn 3: moved the piece of slate into a separate jar with water from angelfish tank and put an airstone and a teaspoon of methylne blue, all eggs turned white and died

Spawn 4: moved the piece of slate into a separate jar with water from the angelfish tank, put in airstone in so as to insure that bubbles hit the eggs constantly, put in a heater to keep jar ~80 degrees, put in a teaspoon of methylene blue, all eggs turned white and died.

Kinda getting discouraged here.... one month of good spawns, and no fry to show for it... any idea what is going wrong?

At this point i suspect there is some kinda fungus innate in my angel tank, but the ph/amonia/nitrate/nitrite levels are fine. Plus shouldn't the methylene blue kybosh any fungus in the water already?

Very open to suggestions, so please advise if you can.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[jonclark96]

In my experience, white eggs indicate that they aren't fertilized. Maybe your male is shooting blanks?

 

[Rasta Fish]

Are you sure you really want to end up with tanks of angels babies?

Hope you figure something out I have a pair and they layed almost every month but the other tank mates keep eating them I am ok with that though

 

[Frank Cowherd]

I agree, if the eggs turn white, they are not fertile. If any were fertile, they would last at least a couple days longer before turning white if they die before hatching. If you get fungus, the eggs would appear to be covered with long white hairs.

If your female continues to lay eggs once a week, that is very stressful for her. It is better IMHO to lower the temperature so she only lays eggs about every other week or less. In fact you can lower the temp to maybe 74 to give her a rest and raise it again when you can handle another batch of eggs/fry.

 

[CSnyder00]

I agree with all here. White eggs are unfertilized. Fungus is long and hairy on eggs. They look fuzzy, and this usually takes a day or two. I just had my Jacks spawn again and the female didn't let the male come in the cave to fertilize much, so I got like 10 wigglers out of about 200+ eggs. I let the tiger barbs get in there and eat them. It could be that the male is infertile, or it could be that the female won't let him near the eggs to fertilize.

 

[chriscoli]

I agree, if the eggs turn white, they are not fertile. If any were fertile, they would last at least a couple days longer before turning white if they die before hatching. If you get fungus, the eggs would appear to be covered with long white hairs.

If your female continues to lay eggs once a week, that is very stressful for her. It is better IMHO to lower the temperature so she only lays eggs about every other week or less. In fact you can lower the temp to maybe 74 to give her a rest and raise it again when you can handle another batch of eggs/fry.

Great tip about the temperature!