We had a surprise sudden first spawning and were totally unprepared. We did think Nero, our calico fantail, was getting suddenly a big plump. Then the festivitities started. Realized what was going on and set up our smaller incubation tank and moved the female into it with one of the males to make sure she didn't get beaten up too badly (two males going after her). I now read gravel at the bottom is a bad idea but it was like I said a sudden first for us and we had just quickly set up our small, spare 15 gallon tank. A couple of hours later there were eggs all over, mom and dad were starting to snack, and we transferred mom and dad (gold fantail) back over to the regular tank and siphoned the water down to six inches in the egg tank. We have no filteration now because of it, the water too low. We put in some Methylene Blue on Tuesday. We got a couple of plants and put them in. The conditions (lighting, gravel) in the tank are such that I can't tell what's unfertilized and what's not. I removed several today (3rd day) and indeed there are two eyes looking back in each.

Like I said, we were totally unprepared. Just got these teensy fantails in August, didn't know their sex, and didn't begin to guess in a couple of months this would happen. We're not looking to start a fish farm but would hope to manage to raise a few that we could give to friends (one has a pond). I have read about sponge filteration but how does one make it? When can the tank be refilled? What about the methylene blue we put in the tank? I have since read that is dangerous to fry and so am wondering what do we do when the fry hatch? What about all the eggs that may not hatch that are sprinkled all over those small bits of gravel? There's no way I could possibly locate and pick all those out.

It's too late to create optimum conditions now but want to do what we can. We really didn't expect to get fry as I didn't see any milt clouding the tank. But there are definitely two dark spots staring out of these translucent little eggs.

Thanks.

Great topic already here

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21941