Breeding Green Terrors

[Olivers]

Hi
 
I have 3 green terrors
 
1 Male just over 4"
2 Female one 3" one slightly larger
 
They are in a small (too small) tank on their own and i was planning to move them on this week.
 
However, i just noticed the larger female is planning to lay eggs. I have no idea what to do from here. Will the 2nd female be ok? Not got anywhere i can move her to.
 
Can i do anything to encourage the eggs to survive etc?
 
If they do can i seperate the eggs straight away or do i have to wait for them to hatch first?
 
Any suggestions welcome as i am a first time parent and so are they.. potentially.
 
 

 

[wrightt3]

Generally, a pair of cichlid will become very aggressive when defending eggs/fry and if you say your tank is too small for them, then the other female will probably get beaten up pretty bad. How big is the tank?
I wouldn't remove the eggs/fry at all since cichlids make great parents usually

 

[Olivers]

Embarassingly small for these guys. Like i say i was going to move them on. Its only 50l. They were in a 200l until a week or so ago, it seems they are happier in the little tank on their own than they were in the big one.

 

[wrightt3]

I would personally move the other female to the 200 and then move the other two once the fry (if they hatch) are about a week or two old.
After that I really think that you will need to rethink your stocking because you are going to have problems with aggression/space when all of those cichlids are fully grown.
Assuming that the tank is 100x40x50cm, even a single pair of either parrots or green terrors is pushing it. I would look into getting a bigger tank for all those fish 5x2x2ft would be a good size in my opinion.

 

[Olivers]

Hi wrightt3
 
You will hopefully see below i have updated my tank details. The reason these guys are in the spare is because the 200 now has juvenile malawi in.
 
As of this morning i have fish eggs and a very protective mum, even the dad isnt allowed near now... assuming he fertilised them as i missed that bit.

 

[wrightt3]

Ah okay, so the parrots and the texas are gone? that's good but as you know the green terrors can't stay in that spare tank for ever.
I would look into upgrading as soon as possible

 

[Olivers]

Ok. I now have around 100 green terror fry swimming (in a small pile) around the bottom of the tank

I'm wanting to move both mum and dad and the fry to a different tank. Any suggestions on what to do for the best... And more importantly what not to do!

Any help appreciated. First time parent owner and first time parent fish

 

[Wills]

Hmmm yeah quite a predicament...
 
So just so I am understanding you have the 200 with Africans now and then 3 Green Terrors only in the 50 L?
 
You need at least an other 250 litre tank for the GTs - they will only get bigger in time. I would rehome the spare female as well.
 
As for moving the fry and parents it will be fine. But just make sure dad does not get too aggressive, GTs are very aggressive fish and can turn suddenly from being the most peaceful fish in the tank to outright killers overnight. So just make sure you are equipped to look after them properly long term now they are breeding as one or the other could come unstuck one day.
 
Wills