Honduran Red Points Cichlids Breeding - Free Swimming Fry :)

[minxfishy]

If they were fertile, you should be able to see some movement around about today or tomorrow at the latest, it kinda looks like the gravel/sand moving on its own, have you tried moving the pot's angle slightly so you can see in it?

Edit for spelling

 

[star4]

Sounds promising if mum is still guarding, should be hatching anytime now, hopefully in a couple more days or so she may bring them out. Its why I used a glass jar for the cons instead of a flower pot, Im too impatient to see babies lol. Fingers crossed we have you passing out the cigars as proud "dad" soon

 

[kaivalagi]

I have a fat cuban cigar brought back by a friend (from Cuba) ready and waiting

I might have to try and find some glassware to use for next time, maybe a nice smoked glass thing to give then "sort of" privacy

 

[kaivalagi]

Deep pits all over the tank now, down to the glass....I am waiting to see if there's any fry being moved...

Still haven't seen any thing yet though, I hope they not being daft!

 

[star4]

Pits sound good, my cons had a pit where they let the fry out during the day, and every night they carried them all back into the jar, was fantasic to watch "bedtime"

 

[kaivalagi]

I forgot that the pot had a hole in the bottom...doh, I had a towel draped over that side of the tank to stop glare from my monitors at night so it didn't occur to me.

Well, I had a peek through the hole just now and guess what, there's a bunch of little wrigglers in there...no idea on numbers, probably no more than 50 at a guess. I can just make out the sac, eye and and tails waggling away

Not long before they'll be free swimming I hope, then they'll be out for a venture with Mum and Dad

 

[minxfishy]

Good news

 

[star4]

Brilliant news

 

[kaivalagi]

Thanks, it's great to see

MTS (from Nelly) just went into both my tanks too, although they don't want to move AT ALL...they are snails so are not in any rush but I do hope they're not dead

...how long should I expect it to take before the little blighters start burrowing? they've been in my 2 tank for over 2 hours now with no movement? I am worry I might be putting dead decaying things in my tanks

 

[star4]

MTS can stay still for hours if they have been posted, they are more nocturnal and you will most likely find them all gone in the morning, burried not to be seen for weeks. If any are still on top of the sand/gravel in the morning remove them they didnt make the journey (do a small wc to be safe). Word of warning with MTS when you go to clean out your filter squeeze sponges very carefully as they do like to live in filters, I squeezed a sponge a bit too hard and got stabbed in the hand with the shell, even worse cleaning out gravel and getting a little one stuck under your finger nail

 

[kaivalagi]

I'm not so sure it was that wise putting them in

I'm waiting for the infestation next! Then it's time for some assassins or polka dot loaches

I'll do a water change tomorrow whatever the situation anyway, it's water change day

On the subject of water changes do you think it wise to keep to a once a week regime in a tank with fry (although not really proper fry yet), or should I step it up a little? i.e. every other day? I guess temp fluctuations (few degrees) are okay as they happen in the wild too?

I'm worrying unnecessarily for my grandchildren now I'm sure

 

[star4]

The thing with fry although they are small they still poop, I would suggest do your normal wc tomorrow, very gently as the parants will be on guard and watch your fingers, my cons use to attack quite visiously. Once the fry are free swimming you can either do a small amount daily or every other day depending on the amount of fry.

 

[kaivalagi]

Cool, thanks for the advice...I think as of next week I'll do small daily changes, it's easy with the syphon now anyway and I can make sure the temp doesn't swing too much

Oh, and I did put my hand in the tank today for the MTS, the male didn't look happy but didn't attack...he was thinking about it though I am sure

 

[star4]

He should be ok till the babies are free swimming, but it all depends on the parents I guess, my sevs just are not phased by water changes when they have eggs and I have no problems taking the eggs from them. The convicts on the other hand were very aggressive over the fry

 

[kaivalagi]

I'll bear that in mind...thanks

Pics will be up as soon as I see them in the open!