# Help with CPD's



## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

So I've obtained some CPD's about 4 months back and they are in a planted 10g tank. 

Tank mates include:
- 6 stiphoden gobies.
- 4 randomly hitchhiked Rili shrimps. 

I originally started with 20, but the numbers have slowly dwindled to 10 as of today. I anticipated that a few may die from shock and stress initially, but it seems strange that it always started with 1 in the group slowly withering away from starvation. All are plump and eat well except for a single one every time, and when that one dies, another one starts the cycle all over again. Almost ritual-like. Could it be bullying from each other?

Has anyone experienced this or know what I can do to stop it?

2nd. Along with discovering yet another dead CPD tonight (making it 11 to 10), I've found what I think are eggs around the corner of the tank. I tried googling but didn't find anything dead-on. They look very similar to snail egg clutches but less transparent and more of a solid white. The clutches are somewhat strewn about the corner as if the clutch was tossed around a bit. I'm sure they are not snail eggs as there are no snails in the tank. 

Can anyone confirm? and if they are, do I need to do something to ensure fry survival?

Thanks in advanced for reading my giant wall of text


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Hi,
I keep and breed CPDs as well. From experience, a 10G is too small for a group of 20, let alone 6 more gobies. CPDs are not true schooling fish. The males will be aggressive towards and chase after each other to determine dominance. With a small tank, the weakest one will have no where to hide and eventually die. 

As for the egg, CPDs are egg scatters and will spawn over grass like vegetation. The eggs will fall between the grass. The adults will eat any eggs they can find. It takes 2 -3 days for eggs to hatch. So If the eggs you find are immobile, opaque rather than translucent, in clutches, and doesn't hatch in 5 days, they are probably not CPD eggs. 

I would suggest monitor your tank for signs of disease, toxin (nitrogen) level, and other things to rule out other causes for death. If all is well, then I suggest you moving them into a bigger tank. Otherwise, they will die off one by one until the number is appropriate for the tank. 

Cheers.


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