Auratus babies :)

[mazie51109]

This morning, I went to Wal-Mart with my mom.
I insisted on watching the fish while she shopped, as usual.
I approached the fish and the first thing I noticed was the emaciated African cichlids. I took a closer look, seeing a female auratus hiding in the back. She had an odd shape to her head. As soon as she faced me, I glimpsed little black eyes inside her mouth. I quickly found the nearest employee (luckily he was the guy that's usually there- he takes care of the fish and really cares about them.) and asked if I could purchase the fish. He caught and bagged her for me, and I rushed home and put her in a 10 gal by herself.
I left her alone for a while and came back an hour later to find five little auratus fry hiding amongst the gravel. I ran downstairs, told my mom, and danced around the house like an insane person (I am insane, when it comes to fish). The fry are healthy, and the mother is already eating high protein flakes and bloodworms.
Just wanted to share my little success story

 

[TheGrza]

Wouldn't recommend high protein anything for mbuna. Spirulina flakes or NLS pellets will do the trick. The flakes might be nice because you can crush them up easily to feed to the fry.

 

[mazie51109]

Thank you! And this morning my Kenyis spawned. Should I separate the female now or wait a few days?

 

[bettaowner]

I'm not sure about this but some minced garlic might help the mother auratus if she doesn't look healthy

 

[lisalugh]

Boy that was lucky!!!

 

[mazie51109]

I've never heard of feeding minced garlic. Do you have experience with this? Will it harm the fry?

 

[bettaowner]

I've heard some people say garlic helps I'll discus so it might help your auratus. I'm not sure about the fry

 

[mazie51109]

I did some reading on that. Are you talking about directly feeding garlic? The site I looked at said that you're supposed to dip the food in garlic and it will make it more appetizing.

 

[mikem691]

I would just get some NLS thera a It has garlic in it

 

[mazie51109]

Okay, thanks. She is eating well now. When should I try to put her in with my other cichlids? I've had her in a ten gallon with her five fry for a week now. The fry are about a centimeter long. She is the same size as my other cichlids, I'm just worried that they'll be aggressive toward her. I will change the scape right before I put her in, but will there still be a chance that they could hurt her?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Okay, thanks. She is eating well now. When should I try to put her in with my other cichlids? I've had her in a ten gallon with her five fry for a week now. The fry are about a centimeter long. She is the same size as my other cichlids, I'm just worried that they'll be aggressive toward her. I will change the scape right before I put her in, but will there still be a chance that they could hurt her?

If you redo the scape and their the same size they should be fine.

 

[mazie51109]

Okay, thanks. I made a food for the fry today. I crushed up cichlids pellets into a fine powder, added some of their old food, some minced garlic, fish oil, growth food, and high protein food.

 

[Sidman24]

Could I see pictures of them and the mom?

 

[mazie51109]

I will try to get a few they're growing so fast!

 

[Mattyfelts]

You may be the luckiest person alive, 6 for the price of one!!!

 

[mazie51109]

haha yup

 

[lisalugh]

how are the babies doing?

 

[mazie51109]

how are the babies doing?

The babies are doing great! Unfortunately, the mother and two of the babies died last week due to ich brought home on the female. It was very disappointing as I had worked so hard to save her. The babies ' deaths were quite unexpected as they had looked perfectly healthy hours before.

 

[AtoZ Cichlids]

At work... garlic is god... any growths or sickness may be cured by soaking their food in garlic... it works wonders

 

[mazie51109]

At work... garlic is god... any growths or sickness may be cured by soaking their food in garlic... it works wonders

Wow, thanks! I will definitely keep that in mind.