# Trouble breeding yellow labs



## McT20 (Mar 4, 2006)

I have 2 female 1 male, and 1 uncertain in a 75 gallon with some other mbunas. 1 of my females has held eggs 3 or 4 times, but no longer than 2 weeks. Now they seem to be uninterested in breeding at all. Any suggestions on how to get some fry?

Thanks, Tony:fish:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Check the water, they need to be happy to breed. Also feed frozen blood worms a few times a week, protein helps. Get a 15 gallon tank with lots of cover, java moss, lock rocks, stuff like that. Put the female in it when she shows a protruding chin. I feed my holding labs a few flakes. They suck them in, unlike my pea****s that don't eat at all while holding. You might add a few more, larger groups spread out the agression and younger fish breed more often. Are the other fish in the tank chasing the labs when they try to spawn?


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## McT20 (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about buying a few more yellow labs. I did see other fish in the tank sort of "get in the way" when my labs were doing the dance. The water is fine only the ph is a little low.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Something else I have noticed IME was that the younger fish tend to swallow more than more mature females.

As your mature you will find that they hold till hatching more often. I never fed Bloodworms to mine (Not saying it's a bad idea) but I did isolate the brooding female to a 5G holding tank with tank water and lot's of rockwork.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Thing that got me, was "other mbuna" in the tank, cross breeding will more then likely occur.

Fish tend not to breed so often when other fish are in the tank, just an FYI. Also try a water change with just slightly cooler water as well for awhile...


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

I have never had a problem with my yellow labs breeding with other fish in the tank. I have two yellows and they breed all the time. Most of the fry do not make it due to the other fish eating them but I do have about 4, 1/2- 3/4" fry in my tank. I have always noticed they like the water changes. you could try aand put a couple more in there. I had four and found a pair though. 

Are Yellow labs of the Mbuna category, I have heard this somewhere but never checked it out for sure. If this is the case, feeding them bloodworms could lead to bloat and be disasterous. I would not do it esp. with the other Mbuna in the tank. Mbuna are herbivores, too much protein will lead to "bloat" and kill your fish. I had a friend feeding protiens and almost wiped out his entire tank, of course this was them protein on a regular basis.


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## McT20 (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to the pet store this afternoon to get some more females. I will let you know how it goes.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Good Luck! I've never had luck with multiple species in each tank spawning seems everytime i add like a mbuna species like yellow labs to a pea**** they quit breeding, so i have just all spieces only tanks.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

IloveCichlids said:


> feeding them bloodworms could lead to bloat


Good point. Yellow labs aren't vegatarians they eat crustaceans etc., but after I started giving them bloodworms (got them for my breeding angels, and its hard to ignore begging), I have lots of labs holding, but I lost a pea**** in the same tank. Back to green flake for them then.


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