Frogfish Eggs!!

[FrogfishFeeder]

I had to open my big mouth in my frogfish paradise thread, and mention a desire to produce some cb anglers...
With the help of some knowledgable members, we identified my angler as L. lithinostomus.

Well...(im sooo not prepared for this)
SHE laid some eggs today!
As of right now, the eggs look good, I see movement both inside the eggs, and the eggs themselves kinda twitch.

In my research of L. lithinostomus, ive read that the eggs hatch as fully formed teeny tiny froggies.
There are at least a hundred eggs, in a big main bunch shown near the female, and a smaller bunch that floated a few inches away.
If I can get even one of these things to adulthood, ill be a happy guy(if I get many ill share the wealth).

Check THIS out!!

 

[maxxII]

That's awesome!

Pics of mom?

How long have you had her? Do you keep her with the mate, or was she fertilized before you got her?

Nick

 

[FrogfishFeeder]

I just found an article that says Lopiocahron spp. eggs are externally fertilized.
Dont know what to believe right now, because I can definately see movement, kind of a pulsating/beating twitch, from the eggs.

This fish has been alone for at least the 6 or so months ive had it.

I guess well see what happens.
Hopefully the frogfish guys chime in with some thoughts...

At the very least, this got my blood pumpin and my imagination runnin full throttle for the last few hours

 

[FrogfishFeeder]

Pics of mom?

Nick

LOL, She is in that pic...

 

[FMarini]

congrats-
frogfish females producing eggs are a common event in the home aquarium.I assume you went to the MOFIB site and read the report i mentioned in your last thread. It will be interesting to see if your fry hatch out. Im keeping my fingers crossed for you

 

[LisaD]

very cool, keep us up to date! I had a pair of A pictus spawn several times in my tank, but never had a hatching. I think that species has larvae before little fish...

 

[FrogfishFeeder]

Thanks for the encouragement!
Its the next day now, and after being all excited last night, ive come to the realization that these eggs PROBABLY are not fertile.
Expect the worst, hope for the best....

At least I know I have a female now...

Im going to get a brineshrimp hatchery and my 8section divided tank set up today, just in case.

 

[namxas]

Very, VERY cool...here's hoping they hatch!

 

[Recty]

I'd love to hear how they would be viable even though she hasnt been in the presence of a male for at least 6 months.

Is this like immaculate conception in the aquatic world?

 

[rattler_mt]

I'd love to hear how they would be viable even though she hasnt been in the presence of a male for at least 6 months.

Is this like immaculate conception in the aquatic world?

its happened in a number of reptiles......few snakes, a boa constrictor and rattlesnake come to mind.....know its happened in a few monitor lizards aswell....

wouldnt say its impossible the eggs are fertile but it is extremely unlikely....

 

[Recty]

Many reptiles can store sperm for years though... that's what I'm asking, I didnt think there were fish that did that?

 

[StephLionfish]

That's awesome! Keep us updated.

 

[FrogfishFeeder]

I know it has happened with sharks, wlidcaughts laying fertilized eggs months even years after going into a tank and with no males present.

Also, alot of fish are hermaphrodictic at various stages of thier lives.
Also, many fish and amphibians and even crustaceans have the ability to produce young with NO fertilization ever, in order to perpetuate the species(admittadly this scenario would be close to miraculous).

Like I said, to me they look like they developing.
I could be/ probably am wrong.

We will see......

 

[rattler_mt]

Many reptiles can store sperm for years though... that's what I'm asking, I didnt think there were fish that did that?

the instances im talking about are virgin births where the young are clones of the mother.....all happened in captivity with captive bred females that had not been in with a male since they were with their brothers when born.....no sperm storage was involved and i believe someone said this species of frogfish uses external fertilization so there would be no mechanism for sperm storage....

 

[vamaro]

I never knew that silver sides were a problem with eels. I feed shrimp, scallop, calamari and occasionally silversides to mix it up once in a while. Trader Joes has seafood for faiir prices if you have one close by. I have a jeweled and green moray both love the Trader Joes food.

 

[FrogfishFeeder]

Yeah I dunno guys...
Im seeing developement in the eggs.
Theres yolk sac, veins, movement, and the mother hasnt moved more than 3" from the eggs.

Ive spent the last 5 yrs breeding Ceratophrys spp frogs(commonly collectively known as PacMan Frogs), and I know what im seeing as far as developement in an egg.

Not every single egg in the sac has developent, but id say about 3 out of 5 look good.

Call it unnatural, call it miraculous, call it whatever you want, but it is what it is...

 

[namxas]

WAY cool! Do keep us updated, and if you can get pics at various stages of development, that would be super awesome.

 

[Talfish]

Very cool! Please feel free to share your info on the Marine Breeding Intiative (MBI) site: http://www.mbisite.org/Default.aspx Can't wait to see more details.

 

[Bluemon]

i might be wrong but, dont anglers and frogfish have really small male fish that live attached to the female ones?

or am i completely wrong?

 

[FMarini]

some anglers that live in the super deep ocean use that strategy of attaching a tiny male
but not these