Flower Pots

I'm wondering if it might be my flowerpot that's causing a low survival rate of eggs? I shall experiment once this latest batch of poor eggs has gone, just incase I get a few but I'm doubtful, I wondered if any one else has found this? I have a plastic cone which I shall replace it with, as the pair that are using that aren't being obliging!! Infact none of my pairs are giving me babies at the moment, I have two young pairs who are currently munching at wriggler stage, one pair who refuse (well once every 6 months seems a refusal), and a prolific female but either a bad shot male or perhaps the flower pot!!

I wouldn't have thought that the flowerpot would be an issue. Sometimes I wonder if pathogens can build up in a tank, so if batch size/egg fertility seems to become an issue, I bleach (with Milton) the breeding tanks and reset them up. That often seems to help, but recently I've been having similar issues to you, and bleaching doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I do also wonder if time of year might have an influence. But the only factor I think it could be affecting is day length. Roll on spring.

Just a thought and  shot in the dark but are you using a standard flower pot. Read on.

When I started breeding years ago I used the standard breeding cone with no affect. They would just not use it. I then tried slate, again no luck. I read somewhere that someone used flower pots. Umm, I gave it a try. Nope. I then found out that the hole in the pot should be sealed. OK. So I sealed it with aquarium sealant, did it work nope. Then not to be beat I stood back and looked at it.

At that time I only had 24 x 12 x 12 tanks. Not that big,( but later found ideal for breeding). A breeding cone use to dwarf it. No what about the flower pot. Ok Similar to a breeding cone but what size to use. I search around  many garden centers looking at pot. I eventually found a funny looking pot. Well to me it was anyway. It was about 3" in diameter and stood abut 6" high. That was rather deep for a pot but when I thought about a breeding cone it was the same shape. So I bought one sealed the hole and soaked it in salt water. I did not bother drying it and put it in a tank with a proven pair. I had a small sponge filter and an air stone working as slow as possible. Daily siphoning and  30% warm water changes with a dash of prime. Weekly changes of sponge filter. Not new ones but well primed sponges.

BINGO. I never looked back and had 100% success rate every time.

Before anyone say's ought, a bit of salt goes a long long way when your breeding. Everything got wash in salt.

Remembered something else which is easily overlooked.
Your hands and arms. Ok your going to say there clean. I don't doubt it. But are you using any creams, be it medical or herbal.
I learnt the had way. Loosing nearly my whole stock once.

As I said just a though. Might work for you.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice, maybe I'll leave it in then, she does like putting the wrigglers on top of the flower pot (hole is covered), but I think its him who has a quick snack when she's not looking! Should they manage a better spawn next time, maybe I'll pinch some just in case!

Well I was all ready to pinch some wrigglers, but the next spawn was completely infertile! I hadn't put a new almond leaf in after a water change, so I was wondering if it was that? anyway this week, the leaf went in, following day they spawned and for the moment its looking better, I'm sure the leaf wouldn't have had a chance to change the water in that short time, so maybe he wan't looking at what he was doing?? (He is an albino after all ).

Anyhow I'm all ready to pinch a few wrigglers this time, fingers crossed!

good luck