# Gold Severum - Parents keep eating eggs



## mazfaz

Hi all, I have had a breeding pair of Gold severums for 6 months and they have laid eggs approx. 4 times in that period. After about two days the parents eat the eggs or the fry that have hatched. FYI there are no other fish in the tank. 

My questions are: 

1) Is it necessary to separate the parents from the eggs once they have been fertilised?

2) How do you know when the eggs are fertilised?

Any help is greatly appreciated


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## emc7

Usually after about 12 hrs, the fertilized eggs are getting clearer and the unfertilized eggs are turning white. Most egglayers fertilize the eggs as soon as they're layed. Some pairs will eventually "learn" to care for fry while others will go on eating their eggs spawn after spawn. I would try removing one parent only and seeing if the other one will care for the fry. Otherwise try to let them get to "wigglers" stage and then siphon out the fry or take the substrate. Caring for eggs is more of pain, you need fungicide and aeration. Its much nicer if you can let the fish to do the work. Also try leaving the lights on for a few days after they lay. It works with angels.


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## ron v

If the eggs have hatched, they were fertilized. How big is your tank? Is the tank in an active area in your house? If the parent fish don't feel secure, sometimes they will eat the eggs.


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