The Angelfish Journal

Through building and maintaining beautiful nature aquaria people re-learn the intricate connections between forms of life, plants, fish, microorganism and humans. Riches and beauty come from harmony, from balance. Aquaria are great teachers of this truth. Takashi Amano

11/07/2006

Angelfish layed eggs


Yesterday night, the two of my Angels were mouth wrestling (first two photos) for very long, must say, and they did it earlier today too. I felt that something is going to happen, but not that soon.
Tonight when I came back from my Swedish studies, I noticed one Angel having an oviposter (wide and short - female, last night it was there but smaller) and cleaning very energetically an Anubias nana leaf. I was fascinated by the way she pealed off of the leaf large pieces of algae with her mouth. I knew what's coming !!! I made my cameras ready.....

On the next three photos one can see in sequences how an Angel lays the eggs. Every 7-10 seconds she lays one down. The ones that fall of the leaf she, naturally, eats. Click on the photo to enlarge it, please.

On the next shot one can clearly see the female oviposter near the anus (or coming out of the anus), wide and short, little pinkish.

The male (or another female, I am not sure) has been chased away. The male didn't fertilise the eggs, so I believe that the mother Angel is going to eat them tonight...will see in the morning.

Video showing the Angel laying eggs and eating one of course; http://aquavideos.blogspot.com/2006/10/angel-laying-eggs-eats-one.html

Angel fanning the eggs;
http://aquavideos.blogspot.com/2006/11/angelfish-fanning-eggs.html

After she layed the eggs, the male tried to eat the eggs (and did a few) but she did mouth wrestle him again for some time (this time she was very aggressive) and now the guy is on the opposite side of the tank, chased away;
http://aquavideos.blogspot.com/2006/11/angelfish-mouth-wrestling.html

The last photo shows her guarding the eggs;

EDIT; Late today, all the eggs were devoured by the Angel couple. Better luck next time :-)

Photos by Dusko Bojic