Moba Fronts

[peterp63]

Ok, so I acquired two WC Moba Frontosas that are a DEEP black color (darker than Ron R.'s black moba momma) that were injured during transport.  One is blind in one eye with the other eye is looking like it's getting much better and also he/she has a dislocated jaw I guess from fighting.  The other one has two eyes that are in bad shape, but I think one of them is getting a lot better and she may be able to see out of it by now - the other eye might be a lost cause.  These two are both about 8-9 inches long, but to treat them I kept them in a 10 gallon with a large HOB filter and dosed them with MelaFix until the bottle was gone.  This worked wonders and they are looking great in their 65 gallon.  

So, today I got home from the Aggie game and noticed white balls about 2-3 mm in diameter laying at the bottom of the tank and a couple of clear balls floating around the tank.  The other day I noticed that one of the moba's egg tube thing was enlarged and hanging down.  Is it possible that they bred?  Is this what the eggs look like?  What do viable eggs look like?  Should I pull them off the bottom of the tank and put them in a little breeder box for now and see what happens?  No clue, so anything will help.

Thanks, Peter

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Moba Fronts

Viable eggs are brown.

RonR's black moba momma if you have seen her in person you will know that it's the color of her scales and she's black black and not the black that would be effected by mood.

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

These are the one's from Dan's colony at HAW.  These are black black, too.  I don't think they're like that from mood.  They are eating well and swimming about and they have never changed color at all.  Do you remember seeing these?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Moba Fronts

Yes I saw the Zaire's  at Dan's.

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

Well, I guess the opaque, white eggs are not viable and I will leave them be.  Do fronts just lay eggs from time to time without really intending to breed?

[supadave]

Re: Moba Fronts

Where the Fronts black when they were in Dan's tank. I remember looking at the Fronts at Dan's and I remember seeing the ones that were damaged. I just don't remember them being black. Humn.... I could be wrong, though. Well at least you know one  thing for sure....... one of your Fronts is definately a female.

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

Yeah, there was one dark one in the tank and one dark one by itself.  I'll snap some pics and post them when I get a chance.

[Zulaab]

Re: Moba Fronts

Female Fish will from time to time lay eggs even if there isnt a male there to fertilize them.
What you potentially are seeing is exactly that.  Most likely this means both are females, as the male would have fertilized if he had been part of the ordeal.
EK is correct.. white eggs are non-fertilized and likely tomorrow gone as both of them will consume them.

[myjohnson]

Re: Moba Fronts

how many fronts do you have total?

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

Two.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Moba Fronts

Just curious but why just two?

[RonR.]

Re: Moba Fronts

Ok, so I acquired two WC Moba Frontosas that are a DEEP black color (darker than Ron R.'s black moba momma) that were injured during transport.  One is blind in one eye with the other eye is looking like it's getting much better and also he/she has a dislocated jaw I guess from fighting.  The other one has two eyes that are in bad shape, but I think one of them is getting a lot better and she may be able to see out of it by now - the other eye might be a lost cause.  These two are both about 8-9 inches long, but to treat them I kept them in a 10 gallon with a large HOB filter and dosed them with MelaFix until the bottle was gone.  This worked wonders and they are looking great in their 65 gallon.  

So, today I got home from the Aggie game and noticed white balls about 2-3 mm in diameter laying at the bottom of the tank and a couple of clear balls floating around the tank.  The other day I noticed that one of the moba's egg tube thing was enlarged and hanging down.  Is it possible that they bred?  Is this what the eggs look like?  What do viable eggs look like?  Should I pull them off the bottom of the tank and put them in a little breeder box for now and see what happens?  No clue, so anything will help.

Thanks, Peter

Peter, I am glad you are nursing these mobas back to health.  I recently stripped my black moba momma of 42 eggs and she had another 8 clear ones.  The clear ones disappeared very quickly.  

I have not dealt with eye problems with my wc breeding females.  I am not sure if a blind or near-blind female can pick up her fertilized eggs after the male has done his job..........maybe they can do this by smell, but I have no experience in that area.........I can only guess.  Fertilized eggs have a creamy, light brown coloring to them.  When you see any white on them, they will deteriorate quickly and implode (cave in), then dissolve.

Which moba had a tube down............the one with 2 bad eyes or the one with only 1 bad eye?  If it was the one with the 2 bad eyes, that may be why the eggs were not picked up.

The eggs need to tumble.  I use a few different type tumblers.........jrogo at cyphos.com sells a nice large one that you can add an extra screen to.  I suggest any tumbler you get needs to have a double screen on it.  Jehmco sells a smaller version.....I use this one as a third backup.  Call John and have him send you one.  The eggs need to gently tumble, not bounce so you need to adjust the airflow from your airpump to make this happen.

I know you said both fish have always been black.  Darker black fish can appear this way from stress that has already been mentioned.  When you are able to add more mobas of similar size, you will see if the black is caused by stressed or if it's natural.  A black fish that is that color due to stress will either get better/healthier with food/meds and will lighten up or will be further stressed, picked on and die.  A naturally black or darker colored moba will swim along the best of them and protect itself and its territory in the tank.

I noticed a weird thing with my black moba momma when I tried to net her last time to strip her of her eggs.  It took longer than usual and I think this stressed her out some.  She actually turned lighter........and looked like a regular wc moba with the dark black stripes and blue coloring.  After I netted her, stripped her and returned her to the tank, she turned solid black again......really weird.

Hope this helps you Peter.

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

Thanks Ron, that helps out a lot.  I knew you'd have some good info on these guys.

e.k., only two because for some reason dan wouldn't let me have anymore!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Moba Fronts

I would have passed on just two....

[peterp63]

Re: Moba Fronts

I just got them so Dan wouldn't put soy sauce on them and eat them for dinner.  They weren't doing so hot and needed more attention than he could give at the time.