# Brooding female



## Fraser (Dec 5, 2005)

Ive kept close observation on one particular fish over the last few days and I am now certain she is carrying several fry 

She has the typical bulge in her mouth area and when I look closely I can just define what appear to be tiny little eyes  

She looks similar to this fish









but the male is also orange so I dont think its that particular species? (metriaclima estherae)

This is my tank here

















Would the fry survive when released or will they be eaten?


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Best remove the female and place her in another tank. Once the female releases all the fry and has no further interest in them, she can go back with the others, though she will be very hungry as brooding females hardly eat anything when the have a mouth full of babes.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

nice set up


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

Fry will get eaten. Some may make it others will not. The only way for all of them to make it is do what Cichlid Man said. I never bother with it. I just let nature take its course. I do feel bad when it happen though, especially when you see it happen. The females in my 75 have had multiple broods, but none have ever made it once they have been released. They would have been hybrids anyway. If I was trying to breed fish then I would do all I could to keep them safe.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you have another tank, take her out. If she releases in the big tank you'll get 0-4 fry surviving, In a brood tank you'll get 4-25. If the male looks like the fish in the link, but a little lighter, they could still be red zebras. There are strains with blue males and strains with red males, both have red females.


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## Fraser (Dec 5, 2005)

Well surprise surprise it seems like shes released them overnight 

I noticed straight away she had an empty mouth and she came swimming to the top immediately for food! It only took a few seconds to spot one of the fry hiding inside a rock with a network of small holes, the perfect hiding place 

I have no idea how many there are, but I think its unlikely theyre hybrids since theres a strong male of the same species (bought at the same time) in the tank. Surely she wouldnt breed with smaller inferior males of other species over him right?? 

I'd like to know the limitations of hybridisation. Is it only similar species which can successfully produce live offspring or can it be any two fish?


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