Females Becoming Moody

[juliehainsworth]

Argh got really fed up yesterday with my moody females I couldnt bear to watch her moping about with bars on her and snapping and any of the females that swam past! I scooped her out and put her in with Cobolt as soon as she was in she dropped her head, Cobolt got bars on his gills like he normally does and started prancing about going hey look at me (he is such a flirt) he'd also looked a bit mopey lately! Anyway I left them over night there wasnt even a bubble nest when I went to bed! Got up this morning to find Cobolt had been busy during the night and built a lovely thick nest! I went in the shower and got back to find them embracing ! I left for work this morning so when I get back they should have finished (I'm on half day) Anyway I'm in two minds as to whether or not to let Cobolt eat all the fry (mean I know but I do it with my platy fry so its technically no worse than that) or remove half and raise them and let him eat the rest or just save all fry and raise them!

I know technically I shouldnt have spawned them but in the wild she'd have gone off to spawn so I'd rather spawn her and use the fry as food (evil I know) than risk her getting egg bound and losing her!

 

[jollysue]

I don't have a problem with it. I have a community tank with pairs of many kinds--including cories. There are no doubt eggs laid. Whether any have ever hatched is unknown, but it would be a major accomplishment for the most protective parent to raise anything but snails to adulthood. And now I have four botia/loach eating snails there. My cory tanks lay eggs and the snails eat them unless I take them out. A couple times I have thought that some eggs may have gotten to maturity, but I never saw any fry grow up.

Frankly to watch some of my poor boys and girls mope around, it sounds like a perfectly resasonable alternative.

I'd be interested to know how it goes.

What have you done with the female now and how is she?

I know lots of hobbiests of cichlids that have the same attitude, and allow nature to take it's course.

 

[juliehainsworth]

Thanks Jolly Sue, I got home to find they had finished she was looking a little pale but she came into the net without any problems (I have great girls) I put her back in the main tank with the others and she perked up abit. Needless to say her colour is back to normal! I feel sorry for poor Cobolt he can't cope with all the eggs, there must have been about 300 in the nest and a further 200 on the floor. He gave in picking them up yesterday! I have afeeling he's eaten half of the fry by now as there doesnt look to be that many on the floor! They keep trying to swim to the top but he's only being a half hearted dad this time (I think he's tired)! I've decided that if any fry make it to friday then I'll save them!

I just cant get over how many eggs there were to say she only spawned 3weeks earlier!

I'll keep you updated on if any survive the week doubt they will but I might be wrong

 

[jollysue]

So she was pale but unharmed otherwise? That's good.

500 eggs? Whew! They out did themselves.

 

[juliehainsworth]

Yeah she was pale I think she might have been asleep though, not that I blame her after all she must have been exhausted! I've never seen her pale after spawning before it was only her second spawn though and after that many eggs I'd have been shattered too! At least she's back to normal now!

Yeah none of my females have had more than a nip whilst in with the males! I think my males must be gentlemen! I've seen my females flare at them before today! Cobolt was flirting with her and showing off as soon as she went in the tank with him but he never chased her around which was nice of him!

 

[juliehainsworth]

Well out of all those eggs and fry I had there was a whoping 1 fry left swimming this morning! I think Cobolt must have been hungry! Well I'm saying 1 fry that is all I've seen since they started to disappear! So good has come out of it all this time as the girl got what she wanted and Cobolt got to have a lovely healthy snack in the process! Will probably do it again next time I have an eggy female although I'd better use a different male (it's only fair really cant show favoritism now can I)