[triscuit]

I am experienced in stripping Tanganyikan cichlids (paracyprichromis, cyprichromis, eretmodus, eg) but I was stumped when I tried to strip my 3" P. saulosi. After fumbling around with no success, I have put her in a Q-tank in hopes that she spits. Thankfully she seems no worse for the wear.

The biggest problem for me seemed to be the mouth size. It's so small on the saulosi compared to my Tangs: how to do get her to open up? With cyps I can just hold them upsidedown under water and apply a bit of pressure to the buccal cavity and she'll pop open like a Pez dispenser. My male gobies have huge mouths and I can pry his bottom lip down and the fry come pouring out.

I tried to gently pry open the P. saulosi's bottom lip, but she was fighting me pretty hard. Her jaw strength was impressive, and I didn't want to hurt her. Any advice? Particularly from those who might know how I should change my technique?

 

[eoconnor]

I've stripped other dwarf mbuna, but i can't be that different, I use my thumb nail of my right hand (i'm right handed) while holding the female upright in left hand. I apply pressure on bottom lip until open (they can fight a bit), then I turn head first towards a bucket or bowl of tank water and repeatedly plunge her up and down, fry come out. You may need to grow your thumbnail out a little bit for this, but she should open up without forcing her too much.

 

[chapman76]

What I've done for saulosi is they have those very small pipettes that look like mini turkey basters. I just fill it with water, get it into her mouth and gently flush out the fry.

If you can't do that, I take a toothpick, dull it down to have a fairly round end so I can't poke her and use that to force the mouth open. Most the time I am fortunate enough to be able to do it with my thumbnail, but sometimes not.

They are fun to strip, not. They're the ones I learned on so my 5" fryeri are a breeze.

 

[gaqua]

You can use the Turkey Baster method.

1. Take the bulb off the tube. Wet both the tube and bulb in tank water.
2. With the tube in tank water, insert the fish face first into the tube so she's down near the tip.
3. With the tube and bulb full of water, re-attach the bulb.
4. Put the tip of the baster over the receptacle for the fry (fry tank or tupperware or bowl filled with tank water)
5. Gently squeeze the bulb. The water will rush through the gills of the mother and fry will be forced out her mouth, through the tip of the baster, and into the receptacle. Repeat as necessary.

This is how I stripped my Demasoni, it worked well, 3 squeezes and all the fry were gone.

 

[Peacock88]

I'd love to see pictures gaqua cuz it sounds like a great idea.

I use a finger nail manicuring thing my mom has that has a pointed edge that's dull.
Just put it in her mouth and in water and they swim out. Sometimes you have to dunk her a few times though to get all of them.

Next time I think I'll try the turkey baster method

 

[nwagner]

Take a funnel and place your female face down in the funnel and pour water into the funnel held above a catch container. It may take a few pours but you'll soon see the fry come out into the container below the funnel.

You can also just lower and raise the funnel in and out of the water.

Works like a charm and seems to be the easiest least harm to the fish other than letter he spit on her own.

 

[triscuit]

Thanks for the suggestions! Perhaps I didn't apply enough pressure to her mouth to get her to open up.

But, the water-boarding in a funnel or baster sounds promising... and less physically traumatic to the fish. :thumb:

 

[DJRansome]

My fish never want to let the babies out. I have the best luck with a tiny syringe made for medicating hamsters or something. Cut off the tip and use it to pry open her mouth. Once in you can gently flush the babies out with tank water you've loaded into the syringe.