# Question about infertile angelfish eggs



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

The white ones are infertile, the yellow ones should be fertile. Fertile eggs will change colors as the embryos inside develop, and eventually you'll be able to see the black eyes inside. That's usually not long before they hatch.


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## x2h (Dec 23, 2008)

lauraleellbp said:


> The white ones are infertile, the yellow ones should be fertile. Fertile eggs will change colors as the embryos inside develop, and eventually you'll be able to see the black eyes inside. That's usually not long before they hatch.


Thanks for the quick reply. So at 24 hrs after spawning, yellows ones are sure to be fertile? I am asking because I am not sure if I have a true pair. If the eggs can be confirmed to be fertile, then I know the pair is true male and female.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I wouldn't say it's a 100% sure thing at 24 hours, but you should definitely be able to tell within the first 48 hrs.

(Temperature has a lot to do with how quickly eggs mature... and in many species also can determine the sex of the fry that hatch out.)


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## art_t (Jun 8, 2008)

Will angelfish eat the eggs if they are fertile? I ask because mine laid eggs for the first time this week. The eggs were laid in the afternoon, I went to bed at 11:30 pm and the eggs were still there. The next morning, all of the eggs were gone. I had a divider in the tank, so there were no other fish on that side of the tank. I wasn't sure if they ate them because they were infertile or because I didn't move the eggs.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Its been really hard to catch the site up to post this weekend:icon_cry:
24 hrs will show infertile eggs by color change (white)
The others are fertile for sure after 36 hrs. Young pairs eat the spawn for a number of reasons but will usually quit after a few false starts. At hatch (wiggler) stage again about 36 hrs.the fry have not developed eyes yet. They grow eyes about 12 hrs. before free swimmer stage.

Photo string covering angel spawns in my 55g.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/87012-55g-low-tech-angel-tank-56k.html


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## x2h (Dec 23, 2008)

thanks for all the help. i guess i will find out soon. my angelfish's last two spawns are 10 days apart, so it's likely they will spawn again soon.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes, some angels will eat all the eggs whether or not they're fertile.

One of the challenges of raising angels is that commercial breeders typically take the eggs in order to ensure maximum hatch rates, so so many generations of angels have been raised without parents that parenting skills have been lost all together... 

Some pairs will only eat their first few spawns, and then seem to "get" it and do better with each successive spawns, some never get it at all and the eggs are always eaten. Just differs from pair to pair.


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## Bugman (Jan 7, 2008)

Not only will they eat the eggs but they will also eat the young fry. I have one pair that will eat the eggs during the first day after laying them. I have a second pair that will allow them to become free swimming and then eat them. I am one of those that pulls them from the tank. I will either get the eggs the second day when the threat of bacteria is diminished or I will get them as soon as they hatch but before they are free swimming.


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