female holding, but already have 1mth old fry. need advice

[Oblivion]

ive got some ~6wk old astatotilapia latifasciata fry (8) in a 2ft / 70ltr tank, but i noticed my electric blue (scianochromis fryeri) female is now holding in the main tank..

can i transfer her into the 2ft with my 8x fry? will she eat the ast. lat. fry when she spits her own fry out?

id like to leave them together, but i think i might have to put the ast lat fry back into the breeder net until she spits, so i can put her elec blue fry into a 2nd breeders net, give mum a weeks rest then transfer her back to the main tank, at which time i can re-release the ast. lat. fry in the 2ft'er.

any advice on the best way to go about this would be appreciated. i like to let my fish spit their fry naturally, helping them become better, more confident parents.

 

[HUKIT]

Unless your going to strip her I wouldn't add her in with fry, unless a divider is used. Trying to keep African fry requires a few tanks if your going to start raising them. If I keep my fry I grow them out until 1.5" prior to releasing them into the display tank.

 

[Oblivion]

i kinda thought i couldnt keep her in there once she spits, i like to let them do the proper parenting thing and spit naturally

will fry of various ages get along (2mth old fry with newly released?)

im kinda thinking ill have to seperate them with breeder nets, the only other tank i have is a diddly little 10L / 2+ 1/2 gal

 

[HUKIT]

I would just buy a divider for the 10g and after she spits remove her then you should be able to mix the fry.

 

[Oblivion]

thanks, ill look into a divider for the 19g

 

[mdawg75]

So you suggest moving the mother after she spits?? or is this only In Oblivions's situation.

 

[Oblivion]

i guess a mum who has just spat her fry = a mum who hasnt eaten for a few weeks, and what better snack than someone else's fry ?

easy pickings/free feed

 

[HUKIT]

So you suggest moving the mother after she spits?? or is this only In Oblivions's situation.

Even after she spits for a couple of days she'll stick suck them back as a defensive move, after that she will no longer pay any attention to the fry, that's when I remove her and place her back into the main tank at night to ease her transition.

 

[mdawg75]

Thanks Hukit, have you ever had one that just kept them in her mouth too long. I know that sounds wierd and maybe ive lost track of the number of days, but it seems she is overdue.

 

[HUKIT]

No they're like clockwork, I've never seen one go past 25 days.

 

[Oblivion]

theyre so cute, mouthbrooders.

when i first seen my ast. lat spit her fry i was looking at "mum" who was at the front looking back at me, she swam into a lame little broken barrel we have (plastic) in the holding tank and head in/bum out, spat a fry into the barrel but it swam out the top so she chased it down and caught it.

another had tried to escape, she looked like she was chomping it but really was just trying to hold onto it while it was trying to repeatedly break out..

they swim around for a bit then dart back into her mouth now and then, she always catches it like a pro ball player who never misses a catch

about 6wk now, and i replaced the 2ft fry tanks airstone with a 60cm flexible bubble line, all the ast lat fry got curious and played in the bubble wall like kids under a sprinkler.

 

[mdawg75]

aww man I got home today and no luck, I went in and messed around at the house came back in and noticed her sucking them back in, I looked quickly and noticed several fry YAAAY

 

[mdawg75]

Im not positive but I think it was 22 days

 

[pcock]

I've got one that has been holding for 21 days since I first noticed so I hope to see some fry soon.

 

[mdawg75]

well mine evidently spit them but I really dont know when becuase there is one or atleast one in my viewing tank. So I must have missed it and I watched her close when I transfered her to the 10g tonight she has them all gathered back in her mouth. Hmmm How long will she be Maternal??

 

[pcock]

I hope mine doesn't spit in the main tank but at the same time I don't want to move her to the holding tank because I won't be around all weekend. And I don't want her to eat them. Either way it goes it looks like this batch may become fish food. Talk about bad timing.

 

[Oblivion]

she wont eat her own fry, even after she spits them.

 

[pcock]

Good. I had heard some would some wouldn't. I think I'll transfer her this evening and see how she does.

 

[allaboutfish]

ive got some ~6wk old astatotilapia latifasciata fry (8) in a 2ft / 70ltr tank, but i noticed my electric blue (scianochromis fryeri) female is now holding in the main tank..

can i transfer her into the 2ft with my 8x fry? will she eat the ast. lat. fry when she spits her own fry out?

id like to leave them together, but i think i might have to put the ast lat fry back into the breeder net until she spits, so i can put her elec blue fry into a 2nd breeders net, give mum a weeks rest then transfer her back to the main tank, at which time i can re-release the ast. lat. fry in the 2ft'er.

any advice on the best way to go about this would be appreciated. i like to let my fish spit their fry naturally, helping them become better, more confident parents.

I would think she would eat re other fry c of competition for food

 

[HUKIT]

she wont eat her own fry, even after she spits them.

She will, In the words of Yoda "weak in maternal instinct is she".