Frenzy Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Hi peeps I've got a pair of lamprologus brevis (Chaitika) which have, since I moved house and changed them into their own tank decided when it comes to making babies more is better. I've got about 50-60 fry in the tank. I actually think I completely missed a spawn and there are 2 batches. Should I get them out. Everything I've read and heard has described these little fish as great parents but I did read one article that said the mother might see the older fry as food if she has a second spawn. If I people think I should remove the fry then what's the best way. I have minimal experience with breeding. I have successfully raised several types of mbuna with bigger fry but these things are tiny and fragile looking. Is it better to syphon them out? If so is standard airline tubing too small? Someone online somwhere wrote to use a turkey baster (which I don't have anyway) but that would seem to have a bit of potential for trauma. Others have said put a jar in and just wait till they swim into it (seems like that would take a fair bit of time ) Perhaps I should just leave them be?? All advice welcome and considered. Matt Demographics Environment: Small tank. Just a 40 litre Aqua One. Small powerhead under the crushed coral substrate. 55w heater to 24-25 degrees, Ph 8.4. No Ammonia (yet). Zero Nitrites. Nitrates reading at 10. One small Texas holey rock for buffering. 2 shells. Inhabitants: 2 lamprologus brevis and their babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Hey Matt, Bit short of time so I'll type it up quick. All you need to do is observe the pair you have. Please don't always rely on internet articles as though some are very good others are not. Its best to just learn from your own fish as you'll find each are to their own. When the tank gets a bit too busy for the parents you will notice and that's when you start removing some fry. Best way I've found is with a large-ish fine net and cornering them down, though these fry were 1-2cm. HTH, Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenzy Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hey Matt, Bit short of time so I'll type it up quick. All you need to do is observe the pair you have. Please don't always rely on internet articles as though some are very good others are not. Its best to just learn from your own fish as you'll find each are to their own. When the tank gets a bit too busy for the parents you will notice and that's when you start removing some fry. Best way I've found is with a large-ish fine net and cornering them down, though these fry were 1-2cm. HTH, Richard. Thanks for taking the time Richard. The fry are still in the tank as I sort of decided that it would be best to leave them. As I said I think there are 2 spawns as a few I saw under a rock this morning are about the size of newly stripped or spat rusty fry. The smaller ones are only about 3-5mm. The only change I made was to throw in half a dozen apple snail shells. I'll just keep watching for now Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I have breed brevis in the past. I always stripped out the young and raised them separately as sooner or later some young will be predated upon wether by big enough babies or parents protecting the latest spawn. I would try to strip before young left shell. Try a fine white net or siphon them out. Feed with micro worms and/or pepper grinded and sunk (swirl in separate container to sink it) NLS Grow. At the end of the day, the parents will breed again and are more valuable than the babies, so you can choose to leave and enjoy the interaction or separate and get more young. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenzy Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 I have breed brevis in the past. I always stripped out the young and raised them separately as sooner or later some young will be predated upon wether by big enough babies or parents protecting the latest spawn. I would try to strip before young left shell. Try a fine white net or siphon them out. Feed with micro worms and/or pepper grinded and sunk (swirl in separate container to sink it) NLS Grow. At the end of the day, the parents will breed again and are more valuable than the babies, so you can choose to leave and enjoy the interaction or separate and get more young. Craig Thanks Craig I think I have an acceptable plan B. How about I just move the parents to their own tank. I have a 40cm cube ready to go that might suit ma & pa. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Moving the parents may break the bond between them. Craig's advice is worth considering. Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenzy Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Moving the parents may break the bond between them. Craig's advice is worth considering. Andrea That's interesting Andrea. I'll bear it in mind. They've had a few moves already (moving house, needing to re arrange tanks etc) and they have stuck solid. Maybe because I've been keeping them as the only 2 fish in the tank. Anyway, the fry are all going well, growing nicely on the ground NLS I feed them. There's one odd one. It's already maybe 15-16mm whereas the other 50+ are about 8-9mm. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.