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I have two juvenile kribs (about 5 months old) who the parents protected fiercly for 4 months. Then they had a new batch of fry (11 have survived over a month already!) and they spend half their time trying to protect the new fry and the other half trying to hunt the two juvenile kribs from their last batch.

My question is this: I have heard that sometimes older kribs have been know to help in the protection of their parent's fry. Is this something that could still happen with mine once they are fully matured, or is it more likely that the parents will continue to push them away or kill them given the opportunity?

I would remove the 2 small fry to another tank & leave the Parent Kribensis with the new fry.


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The thing is, they are impossible to catch! The tank is planted and they are really quick and can hide in a hundred places. As they get bigger it may be easier. I will say, that they have done an amazing job at surviving this long. Its been over a month and they are still doing really well.

Jason, have you heard of "siblings" helping with other fry before?

I haven't known about that happening. Many colony-breeding species exhibit behavior where fish from an earlier batch of fry will protect their younger siblings, but I don't think that juvenile kribs perform this function. Your krib pair will probably not let the others help out with the new eggs anyways, and will keep trying to attack. I'd move the five-month old kribs if that is possible.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."