[Mr Mbuna]

Stripped a female Ikola this evening of 10 fry (after 30 days holding) and added them to my fry tank which contains approx. 24 Ikolas of varying sizes from half an inch up to just under 2". Carried on reassembling the main tank and when I checked on the babies about half an hour later I was rather gutted to see seven little corpses being munched by some of the older young. I didn't realise that such small fish could be so hostile towards other young fish. They woud have stood a better chance of survival if I had left them in the main tank (which is what I will be doing until I have sold some of the older fry.) I have yet to find the other three. Hopefully they have hidden and will survive.

 

[bulldogg7]

*** had 1.5" mbuna fry eat younger ones. I didn't know Tropheus would do this too. I hope the rest make it.

 

[24Tropheus]

Yep its what I have found with mine. 2" ers will attack young even in the main tank and in rearing tanks it can be worse.
My adults do not touch the fry (that I have seen). They every now and again hit a young 1"-2"er that is too cocky though. Every now and again, so hard it causes damage and even death but thats very rare.

But as long as the main colony is doing well, well fry and youngsters to move on to other guys is just a bonus for me. Never have been a serious breeder.

I guess thats why the females can be so mean to the young guys from earlier broods. Just protecting their most recent young.

 

[geoff_tropheus]

Did the little stripped guys have egg sacks still, I have seen numerous times where spit fry that still has even some kind of egg sack, for some reason, those are everyone's milkduds.

Yummy.. :lol: