stripping fry

[Huyey]

I was stripping the fry out of my female Electric blue today and noticed two small pieces of gravel fall out of its mouth. I was wandering if this is common with mouthbroaders as this is the first time I saw it. Also, doesn't the mother know that they are holding gravel in its mouth?

Cheers, :o

Huy

[anchar]

Hi Huy,

Yes it is relatively common - I've had gravel in a number of Pseudotropheus sp.

as well as electric yellows and C. moori

merjo

[tykita]

my electric blues are holding and they have the same thing. nothing to worry about. just stripped one with coral sand in there

regards

chris

[nannat]

i stripped a dolphin of fry and the first thing out was 2 bits of fine coral sand.i wondered if it was usihg the sand to help keep the fry in

[CThompson]

I think the mum having gravel or coral sand in there is a bad thing as it may damage the eggs. Try having an area were the fish can spawn but be away from the substrate. Such as a flower pot, where they can clean the inside of the pot of substrate, or spawn on top of it.

Just my thoughts, :

Craig

[Matthew]

G'day

Depending on the species, I have used a piece of slate that is simply layed on the substrate. (With some species I partially cover the slate with a half pot).

There is rarely any debris on the slate and the fish are happy to spawn on this medium. I can't recall ever getting any females with gravel or whatever in their mouths. :D

The Slate is also pH neutral. I suppose you could use marble if you needed to raise the pH but I haven't tried that (yet).