Seeking Egg advice

[Andrewjw]

L-240, first spawn, dad abandoned them after 5 or 6 days, probably due to these white spots, or areas, or outpoutchings, that resemble fungus, but not really. There is nothing fuzzy about them. Looks to me like all the eggs were fertile, but they clearly are not going to make it (maybe a handful will).
So, have you seen this before? Is this due to water conditions? Poor care by father? He was not particularly attentive to the eggs as far as i could tell. PH ? Too hot, too cold?

Before i post the water conditions....i would like to hear the hypotheses.

Andy

[bekateen]

Hi Andy,
Wow that is weird. Sorry for your loss.

Definitely they were developing, since you can see the embryos. My only close experience was with Ancistrus embryos that mysteriously died before hatching. I discovered my water temperature was too hot for them. I was keeping them at 82F, and getting about 2% survival. I lowered temp to 76-78F and now I get over 90% survival.

I don't know anything about your species. What is their preferred temp?

Good luck,
Eric

P.S., I've been taught by others that egg/fry failure could be due to low-grade infections in tanks, not bad enough to harm adults but lethal to embryos. Maybe try a course of ProForm C on parents' tank if parents can handle it, then see if that helps next clutch of eggs?

[Andrewjw]

Eric and all,
Thanks for the condolences....I still have 3 left(out of what must have been 150).

The pH was 6.4
KH low at 2 degrees
GH high at 180ppm
NH3 zero
Temp 79

I wonder if the low KH and high GH, and may lowish temp (I think they like it in the 82-85 range), could lead to a precipitation of the lipid in the yolk, which is kind of what it looks like...? I will try some RO to lower the GH and a higher temp next week.

I have heard the possible infection theory, and have used Proform C in the past (but not with these guys). Fish seem to tolerate it well as long as there is good aeration. Not sure which infection exactly, or even type of infection, but it may also be worth a try.

Better luck next time, if there is a next time!
Andy