URGENT! Holding Peacock Cichlid

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


alfio
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:18 am

URGENT! Holding Peacock Cichlid

by alfio

Hey guys

About 3 weeks ago I bought a holding peacock cichlid from a pet store so that i could get some experience in raising fry. I immediately seperated the mother in her own 12 Litre tank and today she spat out about 15 babies (Thats all I can see at the moment). I was wondering how I would know if she still has more? I'm too scared to strip her because i don't want to hurt her.

Answers please guys.


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Drop in a small pinch of food, if she eats it she is done :-) You can leave her with the fry for a couple days so she can eat. Then put her with the rest.


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

If she spit on her own, there is no need to strip her. If she still has fry, she will let the last of them go as they finish developing. There are always a couple the mom holds for an extra day or so because they are the smallest.


alfio
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:18 am

by alfio

Thanks heaps dizzcat...for some reason the mother sucked up the ones she had already spit out...maybe she feels like they are in danger? I hope everything works out I feel so confused lol


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

You are so lucky! I have been wanting to see one of my mom's suck the fry back in their mouth! I guess Mbuna do not do that as often. My mother Yellow will try, but she cannot catch them LOL

Its normal for them to do that, its how they protect the kids :-)

Here's a cool video of that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5l-L5x ... re=related


burgerking
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:16 pm

by burgerking

I found that peacocks are a little more protective of their fry than mbuna(at least in my experiences). None of my mbuna have sucked them back but my Lwanda did.

I try to seperate the mother from the fry right after she spits(I usually strip though), that way she cant eat the babies but can eat food and regain some strength before being moved back to the big tank.

Congrats, hopefully they do it some more.


alfio
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:18 am

by alfio

Hey guys!

This morning i returned to the breeding tank and I saw the fry swimming around. So I seperated the mother and she began eating normally :-). I think i will return her to the main tank tmmrw. The problem I am facing atm is that none of my LFS have any baby shrimp to feed the fry. I've tried with flakes...but the babes ignored them it though.

I'l post some photos as they get bigger. Thanks for all your help guys.

URGENT! Holding Peacock Cichlid

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