[ironspider]

I can't get a photo of her, she hides behind the rocks but the pic below represents exactly what she looks like and none of the other yellow labs have that "sagging chin." Is she holding? I have 5 other babies hiding in rocks that I think are Rusties and I really don't want more babies growing up in this tank (I can't get the babies out.) Before I set up another small tank and isolate her I'd like to know for certain if she's holding. What do you all think?

And on that note: I have a new Penguin 350 HOB, what size extra tank should I put that on to house her?

 

[ironspider]

I got a picture of her, this is my fish not a photo off the net.

 

[punman]

I have had yellow labs. She certainly is holding. You could take her out after three weeks of holding, put her in a bucket and strip the babies out and put mom back into her tank and the babies in a small tank and raise them. Or - do nothing. She will spit the babies in the tank and most of them will get eaten. Either way is fine. I like to raise fry and see them grow and make a few bucks selling them but it is time consuming and not for everyone. Leaving the babies in the tank is not wrong. Big fish eat little fish in the lake.

 

[ironspider]

I have had yellow labs. She certainly is holding. You could take her out after three weeks of holding, put her in a bucket and strip the babies out and put mom back into her tank and the babies in a small tank and raise them. Or - do nothing. She will spit the babies in the tank and most of them will get eaten. Either way is fine. I like to raise fry and see them grow and make a few bucks selling them but it is time consuming and not for everyone. Leaving the babies in the tank is not wrong. Big fish eat little fish in the lake.

Since i have no idea when she started holding, how do I know when it's ok to strip?

 

[punman]

Good question and I have had the same issue on occasion. I try to watch see them the first day or two they are holding and mark it on the calendar. Lab fry can survive after about 14 days but 21 is better. I'd wait 14 days from now and strip. And if it turns out that she has been holding 4 or 5 days already it should be fine.

On her own she'd likely spit after about 4 weeks.

By the way, over a period of 15 years I sold 700 juvenile Yellow Labs for $700 [ranging mostly from 75 cents to $1.25 ea]. Oh, I am Canadian so I guess that is about 55 cents to 95 cents in today's money although there were times in the last 15 years where our dollar was at par but I don't think we will see that again any time soon!