[fish_addiction]

Should I strip the fry, or let her spit?​

Strip	5	31.25%
Leave her alone and let her spit the fry	11	68.75%

 

[fish_addiction]

I noticed that one of my female afra cobues was holding on December 17th (19 days ago). It could have been a few days before, but for sure on the 17th. I moved the female to a 20G isolation tank 3 days ago. This is my first experience with breeding (and the fishes first too). Should I strip the fry, or let her spit them naturally?

 

[Kanorin]

I'm glad that I learned how to strip. There is an instructional video of how to do it in the library of this site. Why not give it a shot?

 

[fish_addiction]

I've seen the video. The question is - what will I gain by stripping her? She's all alone in the tank. I've been following the other similar post as well. It seems like there are a lot of different opinions.

Also, I haven't gathered enough info to determine whether I should put the fry in a breeder net or just let them go free in the 20G. I was hoping they would find enough uneating NLS on the tank floor and make it without a net or box.

 

[GoofBoy]

Since you have her in a separate tank - I'd leave her, just look every morning and evening and once she spits - put her back in the main tank or she will end up eating the fry.

 

[fish_addiction]

Since you have her in a separate tank - I'd leave her, just look every morning and evening and once she spits - put her back in the main tank or she will end up eating the fry.

I have read on this site that she will spit them out and then take them back in when she senses danger or someone approaches the tank. I've been trying to catch her in the act, but haven't yet. How long will this go on once she spits?

 

[GoofBoy]

Since you have her in a separate tank - I'd leave her, just look every morning and evening and once she spits - put her back in the main tank or she will end up eating the fry.

I have read on this site that she will spit them out and then take them back in when she senses danger or someone approaches the tank. I've been trying to catch her in the act, but haven't yet. How long will this go on once she spits?

If you put in a small cave or small rock pile with a couple of dense fake plants - she will spit into the pile/plants and leave them. Usually 21-28 days or so. The more comfortable she feels the quicker it will happen.

 

[fish_addiction]

I have 3 small rock piles which create caves, but I got rid of all my fake plants :lol: I can't believe the poll is split 50/50. I was really expecting at least a 90/10 in either direction :-?

 

[fish_addiction]

I went home at lunch today and found that she had spit the fry, about 20 or so. They are so tiny that they're difficult to spot in a 20G tank with a black BG. Anyway, she was hungry, so I fed her and moved her back to the big tank, and she is doing fine. The fry don't have any yolk sacks, so I tried to get them to eat some crushed NLS pellets and then some baby brine shrimp which they didn't take much interest in. I can see that some of them are grabbing tiny particles of something out of the water though. There is alot of water movement in the tank with the penguin HOB, and I think this may be causing them to hunker down and hide in the rock piles and along the back of the tank. Should I move them to a breeder net or basket where it will be easier for them to find food?

Thanks for all of the help,

Jon

 

[Kanorin]

There is alot of water movement in the tank with the penguin HOB, and I think this may be causing them to hunker down and hide in the rock piles and along the back of the tank. Should I move them to a breeder net or basket where it will be easier for them to find food?

Sure you can move them to a breeder net - especially if you don't have anything covering the filter intake tube to your HOB filter. I've lost a few fry to filters this way.

 

[fish_addiction]

I have the filter intake covered with a big sponge, so no worries there. I was just wondering if they'll be able to find food ok.

 

[Flapjack]

I have no experience with females holding or fry either although I also have a female afra cobue holding, but i have heard it is a good idea to use a breeder net so they can find the food easier and to keep the water quality better because they find and eat more of the food that way. But you have to be careful because if there are any adult or juvenile fish in the tank they can squish the fry though the net and even suck them through!! Also many of my friends have told me that after she spits you do not want to put her back into the main tank immediately because she will hold again without eating very much and could become malnourished. Keep the female in the 20g tank and feed her every day for two weeks to put some wight back on her than put her in the main tank unnoticed by the other fish (while feeding or while very dark). Keep the fry in the breeder net but you will need something that protects the fry from the mother trying to eat the fry though the net which will kill them. I have decided to make a protective outer layer with eggcrate for my breeder net that will keep the adults far enough away to keep the fry safe.

 

[fish_addiction]

Too late. I moved her back to the main tank at lunch. I have to drain about 80% of the tank to catch a fish because it's 30" tall. I can always catch her and strip her if she holds again too soon I guess. Right now she is eating plenty.

 

[amakayov]

my female is usually pretty good about breeding, i think she spawned too early, and a week through she just spit them out, and waited a week or so before she tried again. She just spit a ton of fry last night, and I have them in a bare bottom 10 gal tank. They do like to hide along the back of the tank, so I think it is a security thing for them. If they are alone in the tank, then you shouldnt have to worry about putting them in a breeder net or box, but it also wont hurt anything hope i helped a little bit

 

[fish_addiction]

my female is usually pretty good about breeding, i think she spawned too early, and a week through she just spit them out, and waited a week or so before she tried again. She just spit a ton of fry last night, and I have them in a bare bottom 10 gal tank. They do like to hide along the back of the tank, so I think it is a security thing for them. If they are alone in the tank, then you shouldnt have to worry about putting them in a breeder net or box, but it also wont hurt anything hope i helped a little bit

Thanks,

I'll probably leave them alone and let them figure out how to find food. I need to get a breeder net anyway so I have more options with my 20G tank.

 

[Flapjack]

I got a breeder net from a local petsmart for 1.72 on sale yesterday.

 

[fish_addiction]

Cool,

I'll stop by after work then. I caught Yellow labs on sale there for $3.99 and bought 6 right before Christmas.

 

[DJRansome]

The breeder net is not necessary although I use one once in a while for the first 7 days.

They will find food in a bigger tank. I create a rush of water in their direction when I feed for a couple days. The whoosh attracts their attention and then they notice the food particles.

I use a syringe made for medicating small animals like hamsters from a pet shop. Mix food/tank water and squirt into the fry swarm.

 

[fish_addiction]

I moved them to a breeder net last friday. The total count was only nine. I thought I had more; maybe the mom ate some, or I was double count :fish: ing Anyway, they've been doing great and eating the crushed NLS and baby brine shrimp. I just noticed that one of my L. Caeruleus is holding now. There must be something in the water.