My 6 day old Mbuna Fry

[WendiDell]

Just a few pictures of the first Fry we've ever had in 7 years of fish keeping.
There are about 20 or so, but they are to hard to count. They won't hold still long enough and they all look the same so you can't tell which ones you counted and which ones you didn't.

 

[Jndglover2111]

WOW, very nice!! They look great, WELL DONE!!!

 

[rich311k]

Cute little guys! Congrats!

 

[WendiDell]

Thank you, I feel like I'm the new Mommy.
I'm just learning how to take Photos, so out of 200 pictures I got 14 that were usable. It's really hard to take a pics. of these little guys. They don't want to cooperate with the camera.

For size comparison, that black thing is an air stone. That how much smaller than just an air stone they are.

 

[Hubert90]

Wow they look great!! Congratulation!!!! U are a fish mommy!! Hahha

 

[WendiDell]

Wow they look great!! Congratulation!!!! U are a fish mommy!! Hahha

Yup, Better to be a fish Mommy, than a fish wife.

 

[giggalz]

awwwww they are adorable!!!!

 

[WendiDell]

awwwww they are adorable!!!!

Thank you, we think so too. I am in complete awe of these little guys. On day one they couldn't swim they had to hop from place to place or Mama scooped em up and now they swim like pros darting around the tank at feeding time to catch every speck as it floats down.
And their eyes are moving all the time so they don't miss a thing. I know that a fishes brain isn't much bigger than the pellets we feed them, but I swear these fry look like they are thinking all the time.
Oh, and they have really little fish lips just like the adult Mbunas do, its soooo cute.

 

[kay-bee19]

Congrats!

But they're kenyi X red-top zebra hybrids, right? What is your plan for them?

 

[WendiDell]

Congrats!

But they're kenyi X red-top zebra hybrids, right? What is your plan for them?

That's what we think, I didn't see them mate. But afterwards Charlie our RTZ was chasing all the other fish away from Rainbow and being insanely protective. Which he's never done before, so we are guessing by their behavior that Charlie is the Father. Plus our male Kenyi isn't mature enough to be the father. He's only half way changed from being blue.
As far as the fry, I'm going to sell them for a couple of buck on craigslist, along with all the info about hybrids and not mating them.
I suppose if they mated with just Kenyi that eventually it wouldn't matter that they were hybrids, but it's safer if they don't mate at all.
If I had the room I would keep them. But I don't and I won't euthanize them because they are hybrids.
So craigslist and information is my only option.

 

[Dylan5359]

They are adorable Wendi. congrats!

 

[Coleallensmom]

Wow, very cool! Congrats!

 

[WendiDell]

Thanks guys, I'm very proud. Even though I really had nothing to do with it.
But create an environment where they would want to mate.
They did all the hard stuff.

 

[Hubert90]

Thanks guys, I'm very proud. Even though I really had nothing to do with it.
But create an environment where they would want to mate.
They did all the hard stuff.

U are jking! U are too hard on urself! For them to breed they had to be happy! Meaning u as their keeper have being soon regular pwc, feeding them and etc! U are the reason for their fries!

 

[toddnbecka]

Nice pics, good-looking little fry too. Great color for being so young, do they closely resemble either parent?

 

[WendiDell]

U are jking! U are too hard on urself! For them to breed they had to be happy! Meaning u as their keeper have being soon regular pwc, feeding them and etc! U are the reason for their fries!

Thank you, you are very kind to say so. I am a bit OCD about the PWC and the food quality. And I made sure that all the bullies went back to the FS. All their personalities gel, zero battles, they even share territories.

 

[WendiDell]

Nice pics, good-looking little fry too. Great color for being so young, do they closely resemble either parent?

They actually resemble both right now, but it's to early to tell what they will look like.
They are hybrids, their Mama is a beautiful and very friendly Kenyi, with great deep blue color.
The Papa is a Red Top Zebra, his name is charlie. He is just barely a year old now and is 51/2" long 6" if you count his tail. He is a dark navy almost charcoal gray with dark Rust Red fins. He is the gentlest Mbuna I've ever seen. He has never been in, even a play fight.
When Rainbow was first holding he did carefully chase off everyone and hovered over Rainbow until I put her in the fry tank.
The fry have his fin color on their bodies and Rainbows blue body color on their fins. They are extremely alert and aware. They watch me while I watch them. They don't hide when I feed them, even though my arm is half way in the tank. But when my grandson comes bouncing up they all rush for cover. It drives Casey crazy.

 

[WendiDell]

Nice pics, good-looking little fry too. Great color for being so young, do they closely resemble either parent?

Here are a couple 12 day old Fry pics. you can see their coloring a bit better. They are moving much faster now, so even though they are easier to see because they are 2x their birth size, it's hard to get a clear photo because they they move away before you can get a pic.
Their coloring is very cool, but it may change with age.

 

[Hubert90]

Omg they look amazing! What are u planning to do with them??? U should be so proud of urself!!

 

[giggalz]

wow for fry they colored up so pretty! i'm bummed that you arent wanting to keep them..though i understand..with them so young and look like that i'm curious as to what they'd grow up to be and look like