Help with severums

[lee]

I've got 2 breeding pairs of severums, they have layed about 6 times but the eggs go from a brown colour to white then the parents eat them. Can anyone tell me why they havn't hatched or why the male does not fertilize them, any help would be good. They protect them well but is a waste of time as they don't hatch.

thanks lee ??? ???

[wrk21]

OK have you got any other fish in there with them???
if you dont put some other fish in there with them.... so the next time they lay nature will kick in and the parents will want to defend their eggs.
i have to ask, are you sure you have a pair??
do you know if they have breed b4?
mine took about 4 or 5 go's before they got it right....

[lee]

Both pairs are in the same tank. When she lays the eggs they both defend them, they size up to each other by locking lips and they are about 2 years old. When the eggs are layed they keep the other pair away and they both take it in turns to fan the eggs and they have layed about 6 times. so they lay plenty but no fry>

thanks lee

[wrk21]

i know its hard to be on the spot when they are breeding but just try and see if the other pair are puting off the male when its his turn to do the biz...... hence no fertile eggs..

[Dead Fish Floating]

You may want to consider an eggcrate divider too.
The whole percieved danger thing WRK is talking about is a powerful parenting trigger.
I would also start experimenting with raising some of the eggs up yourself.
I mean nothing to lose and fry to gain.
Techniques used by rainbowfish breeders seem to work well.
And yea.....
try vent them so ya can be certain they aint lesbians.
I know 2 pairs would be very strange.....
but yea...
fish are strange sometimes.
Give it time
sevs will spawn just to spite you.
That sev/devil cross is a bit trickier tho.
Gotta set the mood....

[HELPLESS]

i would try 2 raise em yourself 2 see if they hatch that way u will know if they are true pair - mine started breeding very young & have not stopped - in tank with chocolates as well.,tried 2 show pic - may work , dont know

[Dead Fish Floating]

They work well with the chocolates?
Really like those guys but they seem to get beaten up a fair bit in my tanks.

[lee]

can you tell me what you mean by choclates?
Mine have the same markings as yours do in the photo (Helpless) but mine are green with markings and yellow with no markings on face.  Will i put some other fish in with them to start him off maybe, becasue one pair stay up one end of the tank and the other up the other end.

thanks lee

[HELPLESS]

hi , i find male severums  will have redish coloured markings on face [ sides of head ] & if you have green females they may have orange - red under belly & like a dark coloured bar running staight up & down at the far back of body [ near tail ] . if anyone know different please say as im no expert - just going by my own experienence.here is pic of my own chocolates [ in with my sevs ] just hope it is of some help .

[wrk21]

Lee

he means these...
http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/freshwater/cichlids/choccichlid.html

also if neither have the squiggly markings on the face/cheeks/head then i would say you have to fems....

[Dead Fish Floating]

yep chocs....
Talk about wusses
Had one that used to get beaten up by an orange chromide.
sigh....
Thing hide behind a filter for 2 weeks before it was game to come beg for food.
But yea really nice fish, prefer them to oscars myself.

[HELPLESS]

ya musta had gay chocs if they where wusses as mine are allways challenging me pair of severums on a daily basis  :D :-*