I have a pair of kribs. The female has laid eggs on four different occasions. Both kribs are very attentive guarding their cave, but the eggs disappear after 2-3 days. I know kribs can have a hard time figuring out how to successfully spawn, but this male had a mate prior to this one and was unsuccessful both of the times she laid eggs. Am I doing something wrong here?
Problems with My Kribs
- Thread starter grottosandfins
- Start date
We're gonna need to know about tank size and tankmates, water-changing schedule and, ideally, your water parameters. How long has the tank been set up? How big are the kribs?
I'm assuming the kribs have at least one or two cave structures to choose from for spawning purposes, right?
Are you ever able to really get a good look at the eggs?
If so, what do they look like---i.e. do they turn white fairly quickly? Do you ever see the male fertilizing them? The female fanning them? Does the pair defend the spawning site?
I suppose it could just be that the male is inept when it comes to spawning---you did say that he had similar bad luck with a prior spawning partner, right?
Anyway, give us a little more info. to work with and we'll see if we can maybe narrow it down a bit better.
BV
I'm assuming the kribs have at least one or two cave structures to choose from for spawning purposes, right?
Are you ever able to really get a good look at the eggs?
If so, what do they look like---i.e. do they turn white fairly quickly? Do you ever see the male fertilizing them? The female fanning them? Does the pair defend the spawning site?
I suppose it could just be that the male is inept when it comes to spawning---you did say that he had similar bad luck with a prior spawning partner, right?
Anyway, give us a little more info. to work with and we'll see if we can maybe narrow it down a bit better.
BV
Tetras, some mollies and a pleco....just dither fish for them to chase. Tank is really just built around them. Yes there are a number of caves/structures and they've tried three. Tank is 36 gallon, hex. I change 25% water approx every two weeks. Male krib is approx. two inches and female about 1 1/2". The eggs I saw were white but it was a little hard to see. Yes they defend their spawning site and work together well. Tanks been around for years.
Like Fuzz suspected, they do seem young, so it will probably just take more time for them to fully get the hang of it. Also, this isn't the first time where I've heard about younger male kribs taking longer than females to figure out what they are supposed to be doing when it comes to spawning...so I wouldn't worry too much just yet. 
BV
BV
Its hard to give advice on exactly what is happening other than share my experience from two pairs of Kribs,
Both pairs spawned for me within 3 months of purchase when I would doubt the were little over 6 months old
I had just the one cave which they used continuosly, spawning roughly every 14-20 days, I had the cave positioned so I could see everything and watched most spawns from start to finish Male and female doing their bit!
Eggs hatched within about 3 days the only reason I knew this was because the eggs had gone but the parents were still being guarded and little ditches started to appear around the tank.
in all cases that I know of the parents raised the fry successfully
In fact the only way I stopped them spawning was by taking Bloodworm out of their diet
The only other info I can offer was my PH was and is always around 7.2 but I don't believe kribs are that fussy!
Good luck with future spawns!
Both pairs spawned for me within 3 months of purchase when I would doubt the were little over 6 months old
I had just the one cave which they used continuosly, spawning roughly every 14-20 days, I had the cave positioned so I could see everything and watched most spawns from start to finish Male and female doing their bit!
Eggs hatched within about 3 days the only reason I knew this was because the eggs had gone but the parents were still being guarded and little ditches started to appear around the tank.
in all cases that I know of the parents raised the fry successfully
In fact the only way I stopped them spawning was by taking Bloodworm out of their diet
The only other info I can offer was my PH was and is always around 7.2 but I don't believe kribs are that fussy!
Good luck with future spawns!