Mouth full of eggs!

[The boring name]

Ok so this morning my female african cichlid was eating and swimming just fine but when I came back home my females mouth was full of eggs, do you think they are fertilized and what should I do?

 

[The boring name]

Mouth sorry

 

[Grand1011]

More than likely if she is protecting them in her mouth they would be fertilized, she wouldn't do this is they weren't.

 

[The boring name]

Yea it seems she is she is hiding and will not eat and stays away from the male. I just fed them and she looked at the flakes but didn't eat any.

 

[Grand1011]

They usually don't eat when they house their eggs, that's normal although she may eat sparingly. It takes about 3 weeks for the fry to hatch and this time can be very hard on the female because She won't eat for that amount of time, and the male will chase her around because he is still trying to mate with her. More importantly congratulations on soon to be baby cichlids

 

[Slade]

That's what a mouth brooder does. She will carry for about 21 days, and won't eat during that time. Assuming you want the fry, met her after around 18 days and put her in a 10 gal by herself until she spits. When she does, she will be looking for food. Move her back to the main tank a day after this or the fry will be food. Some people strip the mother, but this works for me.

 

[The boring name]

So about 21 days from today I should be lookin for the baby's and also would it be ok to put her in a breeding net about 18-19 days in to ensure that they are safe, and what is the safest way to transport her? Thanks!

 

[Grand1011]

Well the fry would be in the breeding net until they were big enough to be put into the original tank which isn't the best idea, but if you don't have a 10 gallon and you can't get a starter kit, then that may be the only option.

 

[The boring name]

Ok I have a ten gal. But is occupied by 4 platy 1m:3fm do u think she would bother them, would she be ok in the breeder mesh net?

 

[Grand1011]

I wouldn't put her with them. I'd say just keep her in the same tank but in 18 days place a breeding net in the the tank and put her into it. When she spits out all her fry, take her out of the net and feed her. The fry will have to stay in the net for a while before they can be put in with everyone else.

 

[The boring name]

What could I feed the fry, would would be the safest method of transferring her?

 

[Grand1011]

Ground up flakes, very small. And do you mean safest way to transfer her into to the breeding net? If you could, try to actually use the breeding net as a scooper to scoop her in, or just use a fish net.

 

[The boring name]

Yes thanks so much guys just 1 more question how many weeks would it take until I could put them back into the main tank?

 

[Grand1011]

That's a hard question cause you never know for sure. Definitely don't put them in until they gain their color and I would wait a week or two after that. Also I forgot to mention that if they are too small as fry and your net is to big, they can get eaten by the grown cichlids. If thats the case then yes, you would have to put them into the ten gallon with the breeding net, or put gravel on the bottom of the net. If the other cichlids begin eyeing them, then also move them into the 10 gallon.

 

[The boring name]

I doubt that they will escape the net I have raised three batches of platy fry in it and I will make sure to put some gravel in there also what should I put in the breeding net to make them feel at home.

 

[Grand1011]

The reason I say if its small is because sometimes the cichlids can get to the fry from outside the net even through very small holes, and cichlids especially. With platys and their fry, they won't do whatever it takes to get to the fry unlike what some cichlids will do. To feeling at home... Maybe some fake plants. Really the only thing requires is the net itself and some gravel but plants won't hurt.