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Recently I posted about eggs on the leaves, and no one responded.

Today, I noticed that the female cichlid is fiercely guarding about half a dozen babies...they're about two millimeters in length. She (the female) looks a little battered from the job she's doing protecting them from the tetras.

This is the first time I've had a successful breeding. Can anyone tell me what I should do immediately to ensure the survival of the brood? Thank you.

I called my LFS and asked him what I should do. He said to use a turkey baster to remove the babies to a protected cup that sits in the main tank. I did this (harvested 9 babies, think I left one behind).

He then recommended feeding the brood baby brine shrimp two or three times a day. I finely chopped some brine shrimp and put it in the cup, which is attached to the side of the tank.

Any other suggestions? How long do they have to be in quarantine? Other food suggestions?

A photo of the newbies in isolation.

newandrew attached this image:

A growout tank would be better for them. Is the cup getting any air(ation) ? Try to get ahold of some Cyclopseeze, its great food for fry. Maybe get a fry net or box, if they are not to small to be sucked through.

A grow out tank would be the best I agree, but anything larger than a cup would do - maybe a bucket with a spare heater and a gentle stream of bubbles, or a sponge filter would help out. I'd also see what other foods your lfs has for fry, maybe some bbs or first bites if they aren't eating the chopped brine shrimp. I would recommend removing any uneaten food. It should be at least a few weeks before the fry should be released into the tank or they could be eaten.

Congrats!

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 23-Aug-2005 22:05

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

newandrew

There are small breeding nets that can be supported from the sides of the tank. That way you would not have the problem of looking after another tank which would be a lot easer in the long term.

The local LFS should have a good supply of special fry food talk to them and see what they have.

Keith

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I'd use a 5 way breeder, as small fry get trapped between the netting and the framework of the net breeders (real bummer that, as i like net breeders)

Andrew, have you contacted your local Cichlid club? They should be able to help with live foods and advice on specifics of raising



For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

You can also take a couple flakes and grind them between your fingers and feed your fry that

The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an bacon and egg breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

Thanks so much for the great advice. Sicne I posted, I went back to my LFS, who custom built a nursery (basically a rubbermaid container with netting on either end for water flow). He epoxied a couple of ballasts on the side so it floats at the top of the tank, while water aerates through the netting. He's been doing this for years. In fact, the cichlids who spawned my fry came from such a nursery.

He sold me Liquifry and frozen baby brine shrimp. Because the fry are so small, I've been feeding them the Liquifry, but I now wonder if I should instead graduate them to brine shrimp. Is there a huge nutritional difference between the two?

This morning (before heading out on a poorly timed business trip), I noticed that two of the fry were dead. A trusted friend is going to continue to feed the others infusoria until I return tomorrow. If I have survivors (hope I do!), I'll switch them to baby brine shrimp, as well as some of the recommendations you guys provided.

This is nerve wracking. It's my first breeding, so I'm eager to succeed, but I also know I'll probably fail...not a bad thing, as I'll learn and do better next time.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Thanks again for your responses.

BBS, as soon as they will take it.

Liquifry is nasty stuff, ruins the water quality quicksmart good in an emergency, bad long term. (i prefer crushed boiled egg yolk, but its still gross for the water)

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

i find for my cichlid fry that baby brine shrimp (frozen is fine) for a couple of days then fine crushed flake. (i like tetra colour bits) is best but im not certain with your fish as ive had no ezperience with them. i keep my fry in a large betta box with a stocking firmly over the top of it (if its loose they swim into it and die ) and keep em in the community tank till there big enough to do in with the bigger fry in the grow out tank.

good luck any way

cute little guys arent they!