Accidentally disturbed fry! Help!

[Mbratcher13]

I discovered I had convict cichlid fry when doing a routine cleaning. Although I didn't actually end up cleaning for fear of sucking up fry. I lifted my convict's cave and that's when I saw them. About the size of a pin head and free swimming, yolk sacs I THINK seemed to be gone. I immediately put the cave back to avoid anymore trauma. Momma was verrrrry upset and seemed like she was searching for babies for probably 30 minutes after that scattering around the bottom of the tank and back to her cave. I've heard that in certain scenarios, when threatened they will eat fry! My fry don't even leave the cave yet, so I can't even see if there are any left. Any suggestions?


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[Pamiam]

you already did the right thing, you put their home back and left them alone. just wait and see if the little ones come out when they are older.

 

[Mbratcher13]

I'm getting conflicted advice...half seem to say leave with parents because they're great parents and others say separate into their own take to insure more survive?


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[courtanee]

How old are the fry now do you know?

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[Mbratcher13]

Fry update!

After all the excitement of finding my free swimming convicts...they were eaten. I guess after the trauma of being discovered "mom" didn't want to share with me anymore.

BUT her colors are nice and bright now! Can even see the vibrant blue on her fins. Maybe they are starting over. after searching for the fry today in her cave, I had to shoo her off. I didn't see any eggs (that I could tell) either. So maybe they are back at square one and doing the "dance" soon!


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[courtanee]

I'm sure you'll have more eggs in a couple days. They breed all the time. Next time, once the fry start swimming away from the parents is when you'll want to separate the babies from the adults. At that point the parents are usually ready to breed again and will end up eating the fry if they're still around. Good luck