two days later, she commences spawning, laying each egg individually. She will lay them on the leaves of plants, if available, but if not, she will place them about the tank, attaching them to rocks, pipes and any other object available. There may be between 100 and over a thousand eggs laid in one spawning, depending on the size of the female and if she is in optimal condition at spawning. After the female has finished laying, it's best to remove her and the male. Hatching Eggs Pictured to the right are four 12-hour old eggs. Note the lack of pigment - this indicates that the mother was albino. Normal eggs are dark brown (there is a picture of two at the top of this page). An albino mother will lay white, pigmentless eggs. If the offspring are not albino, pigment will appear during embryo development. The eggs take about 2 to 3 weeks to hatch. Development seems to be optimal when the eggs are attached to plants. This is due to the circulation of water around the egg, aiding gaseous exchange. Assuming the eggs are fertile, the majority of the eggs should hatch if kept in well-aerated water. An air pump and air stone at one end of the tank will be helpful, just be sure it doesn't cause vigorous water flow. At 20 C (68 F) the eggs should hatch after about 17 days. Have a look at the Embryo Series Photo Log for a daily photographic account