# More fry



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

12 little Labidochromis caeruleus.  I think there are more but the mom had had ENOUGH when I was stripping her, plus I was afraid to try and pry open her mouth. I will try to raise these separately and any she has left I'll wait for her to spit them and see how they fare. The black is sand, so you can see how tiny they are.


----------



## DeborahP (Nov 8, 2011)

Really cute babies!


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

cool! how old are they? They look to be rather large.


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

Quite honestly I have no idea how old they are because my tank has so much hiding space so it's hard to tell when she started holding, and I also didn't really know what I was looking for until I suddenly found fry in the tank and started doing research. They're about as long as my pinky fingernail is wide.

This is so cool for me. Mouth brooders are awesome.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

the eggs hatched about 2 weeks ago...mouthbrooders have large fry...and since mom keeps them in her mouth until they are about 3 weeks old or so their survival rate is pretty high which is why the fewer eggs are laid.


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

So you think the ones she's still carrying should be out in a week?


----------



## Kimberly (Jan 22, 2012)

Ahh! I'm so jealous!! I can't wait till i can get my mbuna tank set up.

Keep up the good work! And keep us updated on how they do, PS i love pictures


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yes ; she should be releasing them in about a week..they are a beautiful little fish...and not that mean for an african...


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Mouth brooders are awesome! I so wish I could get mouth brooding bettas.


----------



## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Thats cool I have 3 tiny fry from my cichlids, When I get a larger tank, im so getting these. How hard are they?


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

These are supposedly easy and not as aggressive as other Malawis, but they are huge waste producers and so you have to have good filtration and be on top of water changes, and one of my males tore the crap out of two other fish, killing one. So yeah, not so peaceful. Super easy to breed though! I didn't even know they were doing it. :lol:


----------



## Kimberly (Jan 22, 2012)

phlyergirl said:


> These are supposedly easy and not as aggressive as other Malawis, but they are huge waste producers and so you have to have good filtration and be on top of water changes, and one of my males tore the crap out of two other fish, killing one. So yeah, not so peaceful. Super easy to breed though! I didn't even know they were doing it. :lol:


Which mbuna cichlids do you all keep in the 55g?

This is what I want to turn my 75g into


----------



## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Just curious, but are you only able to have 1 male? 
Good, like peaceful fish.


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

I have the labs and demasoni and one bristlenose pleco in the 55g. 

ZD, you should have 1 male to every 3-4 females but you can't really tell what sex they are for sure so it's a gamble until you get them in your tank and see who chases who.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

when i was breeding malawi cichlids i used 40 gallon long tanks...dolomite substrate with UG filters...the tank would be filled almost to the top with tufa rock...20-30 adult fish of 2-4 different species...3males and 5 or 6 females of each..
it was always an amazing thing to watch the males go through all the color changes....

betta man...i can hook you up with some betta macrostoma...all you need is $300....


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Does that include shipping? That would take a chunk out of my bank account lol. I couldn't afford that.


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

I got 10 more from her.  I have a 40g breeder I was going to sell but now it looks like it'll be a grow out tank.


----------



## jrmasterbreeder (Feb 12, 2008)

I had a Cichlid tank last year... then I enlisted and nobody at home wanted to care for the tanks.    I was really sad. I put so much money into those.
But to answer your question. You COULD have more males. But make sure they're only males. Even then, you'll still see the aggression. The Yellow Lab fry in the pic look to be about a little over a month old. It's one of the coolest thing looking in the tanks and seeing the fry. I actually stripped my female lab after she got really really REALLY skinny. The fry were more than old enough to come out, and she was "protecting them."
But she lived, and is hopefully alive and in a happy home now. Along with the fry. Cichlids are one of the most rewarding fish to have in this Hobby. I've had the Yellow Labs, Some Acei, and a Jewel Cichlid.


----------



## mpfsr (Jun 22, 2011)

Try to target feed the female if you can. they don't eat anything while holding and the male won't wait to long to start harassing her to have more young. I normally put my female in a 20g long after I strip her of fry for about a week to feed her up and get her strength back before allowing her to go back to the main tank. 
Great pictures its very rewarding seeing nature work its wonders in our homes.


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

The fry are growing and mom is doing well, all filled out again.


----------

