Cichlid babies

[Ryanlr88]

I have two jewels I bought 2 years ago from a lfs. They were from the same batch. Luckily enough they were male and female and paired up and started breeding once they got big enough. I currently have 30+ 0.5-1.5" little guys. Already sold a dozen back to my lfs. When they were really young I noticed a few of them didn't swim so good and other than feeding time they scooted around on the bottom. They seem to sink way faster than the other fish. I can't tell if they fins are smaller than the rest or what. But I figured they would grow out of it and simply develop slower. Well now it's been 6+ months and they are all approaching 1" and still swim poorly. Is this even going to change? Is it common during breeding for a few to turn out bum? Is it because if inbreeding? And more importantly is there anything I can do with them? I don't want to just send them off to the ocean but I don't really want bum fish in my tanks either. If anyone has any insight on the situation that would be much appreciated. Thus was my first batch ever breeding and I figure there will be more in the future. Thanks

 

[bmarine]

With cichlids, you will sometimes get some 'bum' fry. Especially with parents who are from the same batch of fry. And if the parents' parents were from the same batch, then its even worse. So if a few generations before your adults all bred with a 'brother' or 'sister,' i believe you are more likely to have some deformed fry with your batch. That's why many professional breeders make sure to have adult breeders that are for sure from different strands. The fry don't usually grow out of it, and i think most people just use them as feeders for adults. It happens, and the only thing you can try to do to have less deformed guys is maybe get a male or female from a different strand, but its just nature, it can easily happen again and even with another fish from a different strand of parents.

 

[Ryanlr88]

Ok thanks. Yeah I kind of figured if they didn't get their act together they would eventually not make it but for some reason no one else seems to mind them. They just bob around happy as can be. As their big brothers get to be around 2" I'm sure things will change.

 

[bmarine]

Yeah maybe. Its sad watching those guys those sitting at the bottom. Beat of luck breeding! Hope you can get some nicer fry next batch!

 

[toddnbecka]

Sounds like their air bladders didn't develop properly. As for breeding, once they start a pair will usually keep going for some time before taking a break IME. No point in keeping unfit fry, it's hard enough to move along healthy fish, and you're likely going to have hundreds more.