I've got a baby!!!!!!

[Dixie]

Well, two that I saw. It's my first time and I'm so excited. I didn't even notice any fish holding so I don't even know who the mother is let alone the father. I was on the phone at the time and looking at the tank when I thought I got the glimps of something really tiny go under a rock. Sure enough, it was a baby fish. I ran and got the breeder net/box and was trying to decide on how to get it in it. I came up with the idea to just turn the breed net upside down over the rock it was under and leave it like that for now. I had to put a rock on top of the breeder box to keep it down. While I was moving another rock to make room for the breeder box another tiny fish scurried into a pile of rocks. Of course it's not in the same rocks as the first:c11: so that one will just have to take it's chances of survival until I can get something figured out. I'm really not trying to breed the fish but I think it's sooooo neat.:19:

[xoolooxunny]

awesome! that must mean you take great care of your fish & tank. congrats, and good luck catching those little buggers. Maybe go get some of that fry hide-a-way stuff at the pet store?

[Dixie]

Thanks xoolooxunny. I do try to take good care of our tank and fish. I can't believe I didn't notice one holding. Really to be able to tell if one is holding I have to put on reading glasses to see it lol. I'm surprised I saw that baby with my nakid eye. Guess it was the movement. I've had 2 fish hold before but they both swallow or something within a weeks times. I've heard it usually takes them a couple times of trying before they get it done right. I'll check into that fry hide-away stuff. What is it like? A fake plant or something? I'm so anxious to see the baby or babies grow so I can find out what kind they are lol. They were right in the spot that the big red zebra has claimed as his territory. I think all 3 of my red zebras are male.

[Lady Hobbs]

Why not let the babies stay with momma?

[angelcakes]

congrats on babies.............:19:

[sailor]

Congrats on the fry Dixie. How long ago was the last time you had a mom holding. Depending on the species some don't hold as long as others, even the same species of fish can have different periods. Maybe the last one holding released the fry early and these are the sole survivors. This happened with a mom I had, her siblings held for close to a month and spit in the fry tank but she only held a couple of weeks and I thought she swallowed them too. But she must have released earlier in the main tank as the others in the fry tank were much bigger.

[jbeining75]

Congrats on the fry. man everyones fish are having babies lmao.....

[Dixie]

Thanks y'all.

Lady Hobbs, the mom or any other fish in the tank will eat the babies, given the chance.

Sailor, I've only seen 2 fish hold. The first time was a maingano (Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos). That was at least 2-3 months ago. It only held a couple days and was way to long ago for it to be fry from that hold. The next time it was an albino Melanochromis auratus. It held for almost a week then it's bulge disappeard. I noticed it wasn't holding any longer close a month ago I guess. Suppose it's a possiblility but really don't think so. I have 3 albino auratus, 1 male, 2 females(I think). The male was moving gravel a couple weeks ago trying to make a nest maybe. That's the first time I've seen any of our fish do that so it's possible one of those albino auratus is the mother. There is a regular auratus female that is hanging out near the rocks with the fry that's acting like she knows there's something in there. Maybe they are hers(or maybe she's just wanting a snack lol). I have 3 regular auratus and 2 of them just turned male color. I had to remove one because the other harassed him to much. Or any combination of our fish could have cross breed, I have to assume.

By the time hubby got home from work last night the little rascal I had "trapped" under the breeder box had got out and was back under the the original rock I found the 2 under. Unless it was a different baby under there again.

Hubby thinks I should hang the breeder box the right way and try to put them in it. I dunno. I'm going to get our grandaughter today to spend the weekend with us and don't want to spend the time fooling with baby fish. Come Monday, I might try to find them and do something with them. Like I said I wasn't really trying to breed them because there's a chance they could be hybreds but for our own enjoyment I wouldn't mind seeing a couple survive.

[RainMan]

Congrats Dixie!!!! That's awesome!

Try not to stress them out too much. If they have enough small hiding places that the other bigger guys can't get into... I would just leave them be. Everytime I had fry that made it this far in my main tank... they ended up pulling through. The other cichlids will eventually accept them into the community (once they are too big to fit in the others mouth). But, sometimes when they get a little bigger they can't keep up with the grown-ups with feeding and territorial issues. Then you should move them out.

Keep us posted!

[Dixie]

Yeah I'm thinking just let it or them be. Not long ago I was at the LFS to see if they had more acei in their mixed african tank. The fish in it were 5 for $30.00 so I got 3 young acei(all they had), another young female kenyi(the only one I liked the looks of), and a tiny socolofi that was only about a 1/2 inch long. I really didn't need the socolofi but had to get one more fish so I just picked him out because he was so tiny lol and the only one in there. I made the little socolofi a little cave that was to small for any of the other fish to get into out of 3 rocks. He acted like he knew he could be lunch for them and stayed in or close to the cave most of the time until he got a little size to him. They really didn't bother him though so I'm thinking if the baby or babies hold tight under a rock or in a little cave for a while they'll be fine. Trying to get it or them out would be more trouble than it's worth I think. There's a female auratus that is hanging out near the rock the baby is under and acts like she knows there's something there. Maybe it's hers..or maybe she's looking for a snack. I'm keeping them well fed hoping that might help too lol.

[RainMan]

YOu could get one of those turkey basters and mash up some flakes or pellets and mix with tank water... Get the longest one they have. Then suck up the mixture with the baster and feed the fry where they are. They sell long tools at lfs for this purpose... but are a lot more expensive then baster at walmart for a couple bucks.

That way the little guys can get some size without risking there lives for food. But, sounds like they know what is best for them. You probably had a few others that didn't already. That's why you only have a few survivors. But, those are the strog ones with good instinct. :)

Post some pics if you can. I'm such a begger for visuals.