Female holding eggs questions???

[t.bruf]

One of my female red zebras had fry about 2 weeks ago in a 10 gallon tank that I had set up. I moved her back to the community tank and now just the fry are living in the 10 gallon.

Now I have another female electric blue cichlid who is holding. My question is if I can put the holding female in with the red zebra fry? I know it sounds like a bad idea because the Blue could eat the fry. But when the females are holding they do not eat, so would she not bother the fry?


It's not urgent that I move her out of the community considering I just noticed today that she is holding.

I just wanted to get some thoughts.

-Tiffany

 

[Wy Renegade]

I would say that you should be good. However, just in case I would wait several weeks till she is almost ready to release. Reason being if this is her first time holding, she could swallow her own eggs and then go after the fry.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

very good point by Wy.

personally, i would wait until they eggs have hatched in her mouth (look into the tank, into her mouth and see wee little eyes) and then wait another 5 days, catch her and strip her so the babies are mixed. i waited 5 days after hatching to strip my RZ, they were just big enough to survive fine but not so big she spat them in the main tank.

congrats on all the babies xxx

 

[t.bruf]

Okay, the only reason I wanted to move her sooner was because the male is harassing her pretty badly now. There is plenty of hiding spots for her so hopefully she can find some peace! Thank you both.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

how about this, you could put a divider (plastic egg crate or something) in the 10 and have half for the fry, half for her?
tbh, my RZ fry were in a plastic breeder box for 5 weeks. then into the 10g. same with auratus. it gives them good access to food and means you can check none have died easier lol. how many fry do u have? xx

 

[t.bruf]

I do have a couple of breeder boxes but never ended up using them. The most I have counted is 20 fry. But the gravel in my 10gal is rather large and a lot of them hide in the creases of the gravel so its hard to know how many there are total. This is my first time having fry so I didnt now exactly how to do it but I did a lot of research online!

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

i went crazy with research 1st time. but i was fascinated by how they spawn most.

did u strip her? how did it go?x

 

[t.bruf]

Nope I didn't strip her. I read online that RZ's may actually care for their fry for a week or so...So I wasnt too concerned about her eating them. & I was nervous about the whole stripping process. But I kept track of when she would be releasing them. I started noticing their eyes in her mouth and everything. I came home one day and her mouth was empty, and I could see no fry so I freaked out thinking that she ate them!!! I immediately put her back into the community tank. & Then I started seeing the fry slowly rise out of the gravel! So cool. I was very relieved.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

omg that must have been epic! slowly rise my pretties mwahahaa.

i dont trust mine, i strip. that or im too eager

can u put a pic of the parents + the fry? would be lovely! xx

 

[t.bruf]

Pictures by tbruf - Photobucket


this is where i have a bunch of other pics of the female while still holding, then the fry afterwards.

 

[t.bruf]

I have a few 1080p hd youtube videos at www.youtube.com/user/tbrufladt

 

[kelbaker79]

Pictures by tbruf - Photobucket

this is where i have a bunch of other pics of the female while still holding, then the fry afterwards.

Love the pics!!!