yellow labs holding
8 posts
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
yellow labs holding
I thought I would let everyone know that 2 of my yellow labs are holding. I knew about one because I had seen her puffed out jaw so I went out and set up a breeder tank to separate her into. I couldn't catch her though with all the rock work I have in the tank so I had to remove all the rock to get her. I got her in there and looked back in my tank and saw another female holding. She must have been hiding in the rock and I didn't see her. So now I need to go and get another tank to separate her into. Pretty exciting stuff. My daughter (6) is pumped.
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snowboss - Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:53 pm
<<< salt guy
what is "holding" im assuming from the context of your post it has something to do with breeding? sorry for the silly question
what is "holding" im assuming from the context of your post it has something to do with breeding? sorry for the silly question
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
Not silly at all. Yellow labs are mouth-brooders which means that after the eggs are fertilized, the scoop them up in their mouth and keep them there for 3-4 weeks to incubate them. The eggs then hatch in the female's mouth and she eventually lets them out. The "holding" period is the time when they are incubating in her mouth. This time is dangerous to a female because she doesn't eat for 3-4 weeks and can be constantly harassed by males. My second one did a good thing in hiding in the rock work (this is what they are supposed to do), but my other female is not experienced and she was just hanging out. She was getting beat up pretty bad because of this. That is why it is good to seclude them in a breeding tank during this period. It also ensures that the fry don't get eaten (unless mama decides to - again from inexperience) and it gives you a chance to get the female back in full health before adding her back to the tank (usually give her 1-2 weeks in the breeding tank after the fry have left her mouth so she can get back to full health, start eating again, etc.). Feel free to ask any further questions you have.
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gumbii - Posts: 1695
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:31 am
you could strip the eggs if you want... i always have a higher hatch rate when i strip the eggs from the holding mother's mouth...
i use a pen and a egg tumbler made from a 2-litter...
google "egg tumbler diy"... or something for a write up and pics...
i use a pen and a egg tumbler made from a 2-litter...
google "egg tumbler diy"... or something for a write up and pics...
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Peterkarig3210 - Posts: 1980
- Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am
My Tilapia is doing the same thing. The female, I guess, is holding eggs in her mouth. Can you really take the babies out, because I've seen the eyes through the cheeks of the mother in past episodes? The babies always get eaten after a couple weeks so taking them out might be better.
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
Yeah, go to youtube and type in cichlid stripping (I know - sounds funny). Stripping is what it is called when you remove the fry yourself. Several videos are on there showing how to do it.