This isn't the first time I've noticed them, but this time there's 4 round orange what I assume is eggs in the bottom of my tank, measuring 4mm across.
I now have serious doubts about whether my 2 bristlenose plecs are both male as I thought. I've had both for several years (not sure exactly when) and they're both about 3"-4" long now with lots of dinky bristles and they fight over the food.
Unfortunately, I have a bunch of egg-laying species in the tank so I'm not 100% sure it's the plecs.
Also in the tank:
6 (?) black neon tetras (been in there probably 2 years)
6 black widow/white widow tetras (recently added 5 as I was down to 1)
2 peppered cories (recent addition, still small)
1 albino cory (ditto)
1 (or 2?) Siamese flying foxes (had a hair algae problem a while back and heard they were good with that - unfortunately s/he is now over 2" long and doesn't seem to like the cories very much which is hardly fair on them as they're about half his/her size)
Also have 6 female guppies but I know it's not them.
I did a filter clean-out as it was making suspicious noises, then made a large water change a couple of weeks later (and found why the filter was making suspicious noises). I got the new fish about a week after that. Don't know if that triggered it, as I've had the new fish a couple of weeks now.
I estimate I've seen these orange balls in the tank 2-3 times before. I measured the nearest to the glass and it's 4mm across at the widest point which I thought makes it too big to be laid by anything except the plecs. Unfortunately, neither of the plecs are engaging in any breeding behaviour that I've seen. The only thing that makes me suspicious is I'm pretty sure the plecs are the only species that has been constantly in my tank every time the "eggs" appeared. I've kept bristlenose plecs since before I joined the forum - I think I had them and guppies and neon tetras to start with.
I accidentally bred cories before (did a water change and fed them and they went nuts and started sticking eggs all over the tank) so I don't think it's the cories as I thought their eggs were smaller.
If it's relevant, I always find the "eggs" in the front right quarter of the tank. The sponge filter is in the front right quarter and the output for the filter is back right. I have 3 caves (2 slate block-type caves and 1 fake stone-looking) and 1 of the slate caves is in the front right corner. The "eggs" usually appear a few inches in front of it and to the right but sometimes are to the left or to the right side of it.
Not sure if I posted my current tank setup anywhere but I'm currently running a 2.5' (20 gallon) tank with a sand base, a Fluval external filter and a sponge filter. (I find having a sponge filter already live is handy if I get unexpected babies; I use dual-sponge filters so I can swap a sponge if necessary.)
(Sorry for the essay. I got distracted while typing.)
Any advice appreciated.
I now have serious doubts about whether my 2 bristlenose plecs are both male as I thought. I've had both for several years (not sure exactly when) and they're both about 3"-4" long now with lots of dinky bristles and they fight over the food.
Unfortunately, I have a bunch of egg-laying species in the tank so I'm not 100% sure it's the plecs.
Also in the tank:
6 (?) black neon tetras (been in there probably 2 years)
6 black widow/white widow tetras (recently added 5 as I was down to 1)
2 peppered cories (recent addition, still small)
1 albino cory (ditto)
1 (or 2?) Siamese flying foxes (had a hair algae problem a while back and heard they were good with that - unfortunately s/he is now over 2" long and doesn't seem to like the cories very much which is hardly fair on them as they're about half his/her size)
Also have 6 female guppies but I know it's not them.
I did a filter clean-out as it was making suspicious noises, then made a large water change a couple of weeks later (and found why the filter was making suspicious noises). I got the new fish about a week after that. Don't know if that triggered it, as I've had the new fish a couple of weeks now.
I estimate I've seen these orange balls in the tank 2-3 times before. I measured the nearest to the glass and it's 4mm across at the widest point which I thought makes it too big to be laid by anything except the plecs. Unfortunately, neither of the plecs are engaging in any breeding behaviour that I've seen. The only thing that makes me suspicious is I'm pretty sure the plecs are the only species that has been constantly in my tank every time the "eggs" appeared. I've kept bristlenose plecs since before I joined the forum - I think I had them and guppies and neon tetras to start with.
I accidentally bred cories before (did a water change and fed them and they went nuts and started sticking eggs all over the tank) so I don't think it's the cories as I thought their eggs were smaller.
If it's relevant, I always find the "eggs" in the front right quarter of the tank. The sponge filter is in the front right quarter and the output for the filter is back right. I have 3 caves (2 slate block-type caves and 1 fake stone-looking) and 1 of the slate caves is in the front right corner. The "eggs" usually appear a few inches in front of it and to the right but sometimes are to the left or to the right side of it.
Not sure if I posted my current tank setup anywhere but I'm currently running a 2.5' (20 gallon) tank with a sand base, a Fluval external filter and a sponge filter. (I find having a sponge filter already live is handy if I get unexpected babies; I use dual-sponge filters so I can swap a sponge if necessary.)
(Sorry for the essay. I got distracted while typing.)
Any advice appreciated.