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One of the things I have been extremely successful at doing is incubating Angelfish
eggs. With so many asking the same questions I thought it was time to share so
that others may benefit from my success.

When we wanted to add some Angels as part of a community tank for their unique
appearances and awesome fins we really did not know much about them.

So we scoped out a few local fish stores and bought a couple small Angelfish
specimens for our aquarium, 6 to be exact. For the next eight months we were very
diligent at keeping them fed twice a day, maintaining the water and cleaning out
all the feces and any uneaten food from the bottom. We noticed they seem to grow
everyday, are like piggies with fins and always happy to come to the front the tank
to see us. Then one day after work we came home to discover them in the
back of the tank spawning.

You can do as I did my first time. Stay up half the night with excitement and
curiosity, riveted to the glass until eye lids wouldn't work. Then fall asleep for a few
hours to wake up with a shock to find all the eggs are gone. I'm sure I'm not alone
in this department. In fact, I would probably be hard pressed to find anyone
involved with domestic Angelfish today that hasn't had this happen to them at least
once. So relax your not alone, nor are you the first one to go through this. If you are
serious about raising Angels and have the tank space to do it, then you have some
choices to make.

You can do nothing and in a week or two, they should lay again. Remember that all
the other inhabitants in your community tank will also be waiting eagerly for the
new caviar to arrive. The parents will also be easily spooked and will eat the eggs if
they are too stressed trying to defend the eggs from the others.

You can move the new pair to a tank of their own and wait to see if once they spawn
they will try to raise the fry on their own. You will want to be sure and place the
tank where the pair won't be disturbed by anything outside of it. If they get too
spooked there is a good chance that they may never raise the fry but continue to
eat the eggs. If they do work it out and raise the fry on their own, you will still need
to supply the babies with a food that they can eat once they are free swimming.

You can incubate the eggs yourself. As difficult as this may sound, it really is an
easy way to go.

Lets first look at what equipment will be needed.

1) Some sort of slate, tube or plant for the Angels to lay their eggs on. We use pieces
of slate cut 2 inches wide by 12 inches long approximately 1/4 inch thick. We get
the natural slate from Home Depot (it comes in 12" by 12" floor tiles) and have
them cut it into 2" wide pieces for us, so we get 6 slates per tile. We also use 1/2"
diameter pieces of white PVC tubing (sched 40) cut in 14 -16" lengths if we run out
of slates. We lean these against the back corner of the tank at a 20 to 30 degree
angle from the tanks side.

2) For the incubator just about any container will work (plastic, glass, fiberglass,
etc.) as long is it does not release any toxins into the water. It needs to support a
deep enough water column to keep the eggs fully submerged and allow water to be
continuously moved over the eggs. I use a 1 gallon glass pickle jar that has been
bleached, steamed and rinsed well. I prefer the glass type container as it does not
stain from the Methylene Blue, which is used to prevent fungus from growing on
the eggs while waiting for them to hatch.

3) Need some way to keep the water flowing over the eggs once they are in the
incubator jar. I use a small air pump with a piece of flexible silicone tubing, a piece
of clear stiff tubing about 14 inches long and air diffuser attached to the end of the
stiff tubing. If you don't have an air diffuser relax, I have used open ended stiff
tubing by itself with out any problems. You will need a bleeder valve of some type
to regulate the air flow into the jar. The reason for using a bleeder type valve is so
the pump is not over loaded as it would be if you used a straight in-line valve. We
also need to be able to adjust the flow rates, fairly vigorous while hatching and still
attached to the slate. Slow flow rate in half once the fry start to drop off the slate to
the bottom of the jar. Then slow it down again to a trickle once all wigglers have
dropped off the slate. You want just enough to cause a flow around the jar bottom
with out forcing the fry to wiggle too hard to stay put.

4) It will also need to be heated so that you can keep the water temperature
constant in the incubating jar. I use a 10 gallon tank, filled with water and a new
sponge filter to circulate the water in the tank. Then use an electric tank heater to
warm the water up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We place the incubating jar into the
tank water, it will keep the temperature constant with that of the 10 gallon tank.
Make sure that the tank water is shy a couple gallons from full so that the water in
the tank doesn't over flow the tank or flow into the jar and visa versa when you put
the incubating jar into the tank. The more constant you can keep the heat in the
incubator during the hatching, the better chances for a full hatch out of fry. I use 80
degrees Fahrenheit in my incubator as the focal point while the fry are hatching.

5) I use a 3% solution of Methylene Blue for egg fungal control, it also serves the
purpose of keeping the eggs from being exposed to ultra violet light waves. We use
no more than 3 drops MB per gallon of incubator fluid. One has to be careful with
MB as it does cause problems with the fry if it is still in the jar when they fall off
the slate.

Here is a rough time line of what to expect, when to act and how to do it.

Step 1: Planning Ahead, The nicest thing about Angelfish is that once they reach
maturity and start spawning you only have to wait 7-14 days for the next spawn to
take place. So if you mess up it won't be long before you can try again. After the
first spawn that was deposited to the intake tube of our filter had disappeared, it
was time to start planning for the next spawn. You can either change to an air
sponge filter for your tank or cover the intake tube with a larger tube or piece of
slate. We could not find a slate to start with so used a piece of 3/4" PVC to slip over
the intake tube. It took the Adults about 5 minutes to figure out what it was when
I first added it and then they started cleaning it and laid eggs on it inside of 2
hours. Eurriiiickaaa!!! This worked great as all we had to do was remove the PVC
pipe to transfer the eggs to the incubator jar.

Step 2: Setting up the Incubator. The day after the eggs all disappeared, I set up a 10
gallon tank and filled it 3/4 full with fresh tap water and treated with 1 teaspoon of
NovAqua (if you have chloramine in your city water instead of chlorine use
Cloram-X instead of ***NovAqua to make the water safe). I placed a sponge filter
(http://www.Angelsplus.com) in one back corner and close by positioned the tank
heater. The reason for this is that the air from the sponge filter will circulate the
water by the heater and keep the tank water at a constant 80 degrees Fahrenheit
through out. So we added a direct line temporarily from the air pump to the sponge
filter and plugged in the heater. The day after filling the tank, I filled the
incubating jar with fresh tap water and carefully set it down into the 10 gallon tank
close to the front corner. If you want to raise the jar above the level of the tank, use
something that is inert(some thing that will not dissolve or add anything to the
water). Next I disconnected the temporary line from the air pump, be careful not to
leave this line hanging loose on the floor as it will siphon water out and create a big
wet mess. Working from the air pump, installed a piece of silicone tubing about 3"
long onto the output of the pump. Then added a check valve(if the air does not flow
to the filter or jar then you have the valve in back words, just turn it around) so the
water would not siphon back out of the tank into the pump and all over the floor
should the power ever fail or the air pump accidentally become unplugged. Next we
added another 3" long piece of tubing and attached a green plastic Tee to end of the
tubing. To one side of the Tee I added the tubing from the sponge filter in the 10
gallon tank. To the other side of the plastic Tee I added a 3" piece of tubing . Next
we added a small green plastic valve. From the valve I added a piece of tubing long
enough to reach the top of the incubation jar. Then added the final piece of stiff
clear plastic tubing to the end of the silicone tubing. I placed an air diffuser to the
end of the stiff tubing and placed it into the jar holding it down with a clothes pin at
the top of the jar, remember the air diffuser is optional. We are now ready for the
eggs. It is not critical to follow these exact times and steps as long as everything is
up and running before the next spawn takes place.

Step 3: Actually Adding the Eggs to the Incubator: So the big moment has come, the
female has laid down a large spawn of eggs on your slate. You need to wait for the
male to finish fertilizing the eggs before removing them from the tank. If both or
one or the other are fanning the eggs with their pectoral fins, this is a good
indicator they are done. Now is the time to remove the eggs. We shut down the air
pump, remove the stiff tube from the incubating jar and remove the jar from the 10
gallon tank. We place the jar on a table or chair close to the tank with the eggs.
Careful not to keep the eggs out of the water for too long we remove the slate, turn
it upside down and put it directly into the jar. As the eggs are usually laid on the
top side of the slate we turn it upside down before putting it into the jar. This
assures us that the eggs will be well down below the jars water level. We do this as
well so that when we do water changes on the jar, the eggs remain below water
level at the low point of the change. Next we carefully add the jar back into the 10
gallon tank, put the stiff air tube back into the jar and turn the air on. Once all is
set and running we add the 3 drops of Methylene Blue. We pretty much let the air
run full open into the jar for now as long as it is not bubbling water out of the jar.

Day 1 from spawn, we remove 25 % of the water from the jar. We refill the jar with
water from the 10 gallon tank. It should be well aged and chlorine free by this time
(if you have chloramine in your city water instead of chlorine remember to use
Cloram-X instead of NovAqua to make the water safe). We let the air continue to
bubble almost fully open.

Day 2 from Spawn, you should see little hairs seeming to grow from the eggs.
These are the tails of your newly forming fry. Any eggs that did not get fertilized
will be white and not the transparent opaque color. Because there is still MB in the
water you can leave these for now. Do your 25% water change as you did the day
before and don't change the air volume.

Day 3 from Spawn, you may notice some of the fry starting to fall off the slate
don't worry this normal. Let them fall to the bottom of the jar and using the stiff
tubing as a siphon I remove any white eggs from the bottom of the jar careful not to
remove any of the fry. I quickly return any accidentally removed wigglers back to
the jar. We cut the air back to approximately half the volume it was at. Sometimes
the fry will take longer to fall off the slate do not worry but I would still cut the air
back on this day any ways.

Day 4 from Spawn, most of the fry should have fallen off the slate by now. If they
are slower developing and have not yet dropped, don't worry they are fine as long as
they are still wiggling. Do your 25 % water change, by now almost all the MB
should be out of the water. If the water is still blue you may need to do an
additional 25% water change this day. This day I would also top off the 10 gallon
tank with fresh water up to 1" below the top of the jar. This should not require any
additives unless your city water has chloramines, then you will need to add
treatment based on how much fresh tap water you add to the 10 gallon tank. Keep
the air volume the same as the day before.

Day 5 from spawn, even slow developing fry will have fallen from the slate by this
time. You can shake off any still attached to the slate and remove the slate from the
jar. Do a 50 % water change today, I use the stiff tubing and siphon off any junk
from the bottom of the jar in to a holding pan. If I accidentally siphon off wigglers I
use the stiff tubing and siphon and hold them in the tube and release them back
into the jar. Today I cut the air volume in half of what I previously had it on. This
should create a strong enough flow in the jar to pass over the wigglers with out
sucking them off the bottom.

Day 6 from spawn, today I give them a rest and do not disturb the wigglers at all
if I can help it. I just siphon off 50 % of the water into the holding pan and give
them new water. I quickly return any accidentally removed wigglers back to the
jar. Set the air volume to 2-3 bubbles per second.

Day 7 from spawn, today you should start to see the wigglers starting to launch
from the bottom to the top or move around the bottom of the jar. This is not quite
what we refer to as free swimming, although some may, don't worry about them.
Do your 50% water change it can be very tricky as every drop siphoned out seems to
have fry in it. Do the best you can to change as much water as you can. I quickly
return any accidentally removed wigglers back to the jar. Keep air set at 2-3
bubbles per second.
Today you should also set up and start your first Baby Brine Shrimp hatchery.

Day 8 from spawn, today you should see even more free swimming. This is
usually the make or break day. If the fry are genetically okay they will swim
horizontally in the jar and swarm. If not they will seem to lay on the bottom on
their sides and continue to wiggle. Don't be too impatient if they are not all
swimming though as some will take an extra day to develop to free swimmers.
Also today collect your first set of Baby Brine Shrimp, they should have hatched by
now. You can feed them to any fish in your community tank. I swirl them in the
water and watch all the fish attack them. Do Not Feed the Wigglers yet! The reason
I start a day early is so that if something stops the BBS from hatching, I have time
to start a new batch before the new babies will need them.

Day 9 from spawn, today is the day that we set them free in the 10 gallon tank so
be sure the jar bottom is free of any unhatched eggs dead wigglers (they will turn
white) or junk by siphoning off to the trusty holding pan. I try siphon out as much
water as I can, then tip the jar on its side into the 10 gallon tank. I let the fry free
swim out of the jar on their own for about 2 hours, then pour out any still in the jar
and remove the jar from the tank.
Once they are out of the jar I feed them their first meal freshly hatched BBS.
Because they are small I only give them a couple drops of BBS, this is all they need
for a first meal. You will have to judge this for yourself, but I feed the fry twice a
day BBS, gradually giving them more and more each meal as they grow.

Congratulations you should have successfully incubated your Angelfish
eggs.

If not you may need to make some slight adjustments, Not everything will work for
every case but it should give you a good enough guide to get you on your way. If
there are problems you are unable to sort out send me an email with all the details
listed of what you did and what happened. Happy breeding!

Don M.

Incubating Angelfish Eggs

Photo Caption for Above
Pea sized fry in a 55 gallon tank.

Photo Caption for Above
This pictorial drawing should give
you an idea on how I positioned
everything in the 10 gallon tank.

-- Spawning Medium
-- Incubating container
-- Air pump and miscellaneous silicone tubing
-- Tank Heater
-- Some Anti fungal medication.
-- An assortment of air valves and "T"s; you can get these little kits of
-- A check valve for air pump tubing line.

"Yea haw my Angels have laid eggs!!"
After a few moments it hit us! With a silent
word or two, we looked around with puzzlement,
"Now what do I do?"

***At the time this article was written NovAqua did not remove chloramine from
the tap water, however the latest chemical composition of NovAqua Plus does now
remove chloramines from city water.

Photo Caption for Above
Our first air pump we used, it
worked well for the 10 gallon tank
and the incubator.

Photo Caption for Above
Here you can just barely see the
female silver in the back ground
going up the piece of PVC
spawning pipe I added.

Photo Caption for Above
Top plastic airline Tee. Bottom
left plastic in line air valve, Right
50 Watt type heater for the 10
gallon tanks.

Photo Caption for Above
Attaching first piece of silicone
tubing to the air pump.

Photo Caption for Above
Adding the check valve to the air
line

Photo Caption for Above
Adding the Tee to the air line after
the check valve. One line goes to
the in line valve and other to the
sponge filter in the incubator.

Here is the air pump connected
direct to the sponge filter. Notice
we have the check valve in line to
protect the pump and our floor.

Photo Caption for Above
I prefer this type of container for an
Incubator, 1 gallon pickle jar. You
can use almost anything that
holds water.

In line air check valve. Be sure
you have it pointing in right
direction or your air will not flow

Photo Caption for Above
Here the fry have dime sized
bodies, we had to split this
spawn into two 55 gallon tanks
at this size.

Photo Caption for Above
Here we added the plastic in line
valve. This will regulate the air flow
to the Incubator Jar.

Photo Caption for Above
Piece of stiff tubing attached to the
rim of the incubator jar.

Photo Caption for Above
I have the entire air system for the
Incubator connected here so you
can see.

Photo Caption for Above
the Incubator jar with Methylene
the distortion in the tank are free
swimming fry. I had to move them
out of this tank to make room for
the new fry in the incubator when
they became free swimmers.

Incubator
Jar

Filter