Holding!?

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chevypride

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
333
I've been trying soooo hard to make my ice blue's to spawn. They've been courting and showing the proper behaviour, I left for a few nights and when I came home my female was missing. I looked high and low, fed them, everything to convince her to come out and nothing. I got a little worried so started shining a flashlight around and she finally came out. Does she look like she's holding? I'm sorry for the bad photos. She just wanted to hide. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1395201758.495158.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1395201829.063315.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1395201933.830645.jpg
 
I'm honestly the happiest fish momma ever! But.... Now what? When can I catch her? Is it best to strip her or let her spit on her own? Obviously spitting in my main tank is a bad idea.... It's my first spawn, so I want to keep as many as I can!
 
About how long has your female not been coming out to eat? If you wait about 2 weeks (14-17 days iirc) from the approximate date of spawning, you should be able to strip free swimming fry. I haven't managed to breed any of my Mbuna yet, as they are still growing out, but I've stripped my Protomelas and Otopharynx females a couple of times, once for free swimming fry and 3 times for eggs because I wanted to hurry up and get the females eating again. If you strip eggs you will need an egg tumbler. They're really easy to make, but if you don't want to mess with it then it's best to either strip fry or put the female into a tank by herself after a couple of weeks so she can spit the fry on her own.
 
I just noticed it today. I've been gone for 5 days though, so basically it could of happened anytime between then and now. I keep trying to peak in her mouth to see if I can see anything hahaha!
 
Oh, I see. I couldn't tell from the other post that you just got home today. The little snots would have to do the deed when you weren't home to notice. LOL!

Do you have a spare tank that you could put her into in 10-14 days? Hopefully she will spit them in there. I'm sort of a control freak so I would probably prefer to strip eggs or fry, but that's just me and there are plenty of folks who would do it differently.

*edit* be aware that there's a possibility she will spit in the net due to stress when you go to catch her. It happens sometimes.
 
My friend has a cycled 10 gallon she's offered up... But now to just get it here. I I think I'm going to make an egg tumbler just incase she spits while being moved... Or will she pick them back up?
 
My Protomelas female didn't when she spit in the net, but since I was trying to get the eggs anyway it was no matter. You don't have to move her now.
 
Okay. I should have been prepared. But owning them for a year and a half and nothing I thought they hated each other hahaha. Clearly they just wanted privacy! Looks like I'll be setting up my 30 gallon ASAP as a grow out!
 
Keep in mind they often fail to carry their first brood to term, so she may end up eating the eggs.
 
But since she had these ones, will she keep breeding now as long as I don't switch anything around? (But I did just switch everything like a week ago, i guess she likes this set up better :) )
 
I was thinking of making an egg tumbler. Is it basically just a plastic tube with an air hose going into it? I don't really understand how they work. She's been out a lot more since I've been home and I've been able to actually see the eggs!
 
She must - I find it is pretty common for the fish to breed after a major tank change up, I think it has something to do with the slight changes in water chemistry, but that is just my opinion. Sorry I personally don't know anything about the egg tumblers, as I don't strip my eggs.
 
This is the video that I used to make my tumblers. If you don't have sponge filters laying around you will need to order parts. They are super easy to make. There's nothing wrong with letting her try to spit on her own in another tank, or stripping free swimming fry, if that is easier for you. Remember, if you make an egg tumbler you will need to monitor the eggs pretty closely to make sure you get any fungused eggs out of there. Otherwise, the fungus can spread to other eggs.

DIY Egg Tumbler for Breeding African Cichlids - YouTube
 
I made a tumbler out of an old siphon I have. I'm just waiting for the silicone to dry. I'm wanting to try it. The worst that happens is I lose the babies... When can I strip for eggs?
 
Awesome I know you've been trying hard! Congrats. Fingers crossed, my hongi spit in tank while I was away and I still have babies hiding in there! Here's a vid where u can see the pebble pile I added for small hiding spots. They are using them to my amazement and big fish can't get em.
http://youtu.be/oy6UtSW9RBQ
 
I was hoping to have my 30 gallon up and running... But it would be tight to get it cycled. I'd be much more comfortable doing that. But the filter is still being silly and I can't find a stand for it yet.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I have the tumbler if I go that way, and I'm going to race to get my 30 gallon up and running and use my other filter medium and hopefully it's cycled. Momma is doing good. She actually zooms around at feeding time and takes food in her mouth, not eating, but like catching it in there. It's weird... Is this normal? I can still see the eggs so I know she's holding still.
 
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1395290924.010246.jpg

This is my tumbler. It's upside down in the picture hah. I'll be able to remove the elastics when it's dry and trim the extra... The top easily pops on and off... Hopefully it works. I kinda just winged it with what I had at home.
 
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