More Firemouths *sigh*

[Lady Hobbs]

I cleaned their tank really well today, took wood out and put other in, removed their caves and did a really good cleaning today. I just went in to feed them their super and here are free swimmers! I did not see them when I was doing all that cleaning! I see about 40 of them so several must have gotten sucked up in my vac today. Man, I still have a dozen from their last batch that is going bye bye soon.

These are gonna be someones supper! They have got to go before I fall in love again.

[nano cichlids]

very well done you know your doing something right if you didnt even know you had fry!!!

[country_boy454]

I wish I had this kinda luck with my fish! My cories lay eggs all the time but no fry yet! I think the snails are getting to them before they hatch!

[Abbeys_Mom]

Get a catfish (striped raphael sp?) They take care of cichlid eggs. I haven't tried one myself, but I am keeping it in mind as I have 5 FM's.

[Lady Hobbs]

I have featherfins I could put in the tank but the firemouths defend those eggs and the featherfin would get the short end of the stick, I think. Firemouths also don't want anyone else crawling in their caves.

[toddnbecka]

What you need is an eel like my avatar. Their fave food is cichlid eggs, and they will eat them right out from under the noses of the irate parents. Someone else reported his eel raiding a leleupi spawn, didn't even get a scratch from the parents, and they're much tougher fish than firemouths.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good idea if I wasn't scared of it myself. Might have to go that route, tho. I have clown loaches I could put in the tank, as well, but afraid the firemouths would tear into them, too.

I gave, what swimmers I could net, to the rainbows who made short order of them. Didn't get them all tho but they will not be getting BBS and the baby foods so probably won't make it. The more I think of it, perhaps keeping some rainbows in that tank might help with that little problem.

[Abbeys_Mom]

The catfish I recommended is armored and will sneak in the FM "nest" at night and eat the eggs. They are tough fish and the FM wouldn't be able to hurt it. The good thing is they don't get too big.

[Lady Hobbs]

COOL. Thank you.

[dustinpedley]

hobbs,

you could also get a turtle and make it the happiest turt in the world!

[Abbeys_Mom]

They have striped catfish at the petsmart near us and I have been considering getting one and putting it in it's own tank, just to have one. Between my Kribensis and the Firemouths, I know I will have fry soon. The only reason I am not overrun with Kribs is that my female is too picky!

[toddnbecka]

Clown loaches are quite able to take care of themselves among cichlids. The spines under their eyes open out like switchblades when they want to use them.
Incidentally, I wasn't entirely serious about the spiney eel. They aren't often available, and rather expensive when they are. A catfish, particularly one of the raphael types, is a better choice for fry control. Any eggs that do hatch will be picked off sooner or later by the nocturnal vacuum cleaner.

[Lady Hobbs]

OK. Thanks again.

For now, what do you think. The clowns or the featherfins? My featherfins are pretty big and might be a good choice but there are more clowns.

[toddnbecka]

I'm not sure if either would be more likely to eat fry, the main concern would be stocking space (which would fit better w/the firemouths?)

[Lady Hobbs]

Ok. Will wait and see if I can find a raphael.

Thanks Todd and Liz!