katanaone Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 i know there are many fry foods on the market but i hav noticed in my convict breeding tank that after they clear a nest there is always a kind of fur like substance on the glass and on the gravel near it. this is not seen anywhere else in the tank, first i thought it was algae of some sorts but now i'm not so sure as i have tried experiments like making a nest on the other side of the tank to see if this algae looking substance will appear over a few days, but it doesn't look like it does. also i do regular water (weekly) chages and my gravel is (most of the time) clean i.e. when i put the syphon tube into the gravel hardly any excess dirt comes up (just the poops from the surface, food scraps etc.). anyways a friend of mine told me that egg layer parents secrete a milky substance (food for their littlies)which bonds to the surrounding area of the nest. what do you guys think? has anyone heard of this as i imagine this is what takes place in nature. i hope you guys can help as much as you have on my other questions. cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierced Soul Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I dont think this is the case. I havent heard of this before, nor seen it in my americans. I do know that egg laying fy will 'skim' mucus off their parents to eat, this is seen in discus mainly, however as for excreting something that sticks to the surrounding area, I dont think tahts correct, hence the need to feed fry foods ourselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katanaone Posted June 21, 2004 Author Share Posted June 21, 2004 ok then what do they feed of in the wild? and what is that stuff then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 1. micro-organisms, like algae, small insects/larvae 2. Sounds like fungused eggs that haven't hatched to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierced Soul Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Yep I think Ducksta's prob right. When the eggs are unfertilised or not cared for they get fungus on them which is a white cottony type stuff. I siphon it out if i see it Oh and he's rigth about what the fry eat too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katanaone Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 cool but the eggs are always fine and they even hatch trust me i've checked no rotten eggs are left behind the female is pretty thorough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierced Soul Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Some fish are really good at removing fungused eggs, sounds liek your's are. some of my fish just leave them and the fungus spreads, otehrs will get rid of the bad ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katanaone Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 for all of 2 inches this female convict will go anything to protect her fry in true bushido fashion. i've had her in with jags...still did it, with dovii...still did it, with a tank full of africans...and guess what she still did it, she even attacked my hand. she is in the recovery ward alot though. but she's got spirit and even though i've gotten over keeping con's i'll never let her go. she is so diligent when it comes to her eggs and fry. it was funny watching them defend their nest, the male was hesitant but the female would go him if he wouldn't defend, now he does but he is always behind her(the usual female position,not being sexist, just an observation) its pretty weird how some fish that you dont intend keeping have characteristics that grow on you. cheers guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierced Soul Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 thats why people love cichlids so much -their chracteristics. I've never kept convicts but they are renowned for their fry rearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixem Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Convicts have more go per gram than any other cichlids I have owned. It's because they breed so readily and are so protective of their fry that some aquarists keep them for producing live food for their other more "exotic" chiclids. They are IMO very cute fish and if they were not so easy to breed would probably attract a much higher price tag. They can also be kept with cichlids Much larger than themselves without any problems. (except maybe for the larger ones ) I think they should be treated with a bit more respect thats all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katanaone Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 they've got my vote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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