Peacock Cichlid not eating

[Colin_T]

People that say its more humane to strip them have no idea, or just want the eggs out so the female can breed again.

Fish can go for weeks and even months without food so a couple of weeks without food is not an issue. And what is more humane, catching a female and forcing her to spit her eggs or fry, or leaving her to look after her young naturally and not stressing her by chasing, catching and sticking things in her mouth and then separating her from her babies?

It's also much more interesting watching natural parental care

 

[SorryEh]

My latest count by a hidden camera is 30-32 babies, I have 2 that have died so 28-30 there should be. She is having trouble keeping them as they are swimming away, she has accidentally killed one by ramming it into the glass attempting to catch it. All the babies that have run away and hidden I have captured, there is a total of 12 babies that have been caught, most of them are eating food as well!. I have a feeling theres a couple more casualties from being eaten or escaping into the main part of the tank, but having 12 that look healthy and are eating is very good especially for a first time mom

 

[Colin_T]

feed them newly hatched brineshrimp.

go to a petshop and get some dry brineshrimp eggs. Add a small amount of the dry eggs to a container of salt water and aerate the solution. The eggs hatch after 24-48 hours (depending on temperature) and you can use an eye dropper to suck out the baby shrimp, leaving the eggs behind. The baby shrimp will be orange and the eggs are brown.

see if the petshop has a microworm culture too.

 

[SorryEh]

Long Awaited update!

The last official count I had was 27, and I have not had a single one die on me that I know of. They were all transferred to a 10 gallon tank just over a week ago. They just had a massive growth spurt and are 1/2 an inch long or so. The mother has another brood of babies, I am very surprised she already has more so quick. judging by how full she looks I would say there's at least 40. I am now considering purchasing a tank upwards of 120 gallons to house them until they are full grown and selling most of them then (and of course keeping as many as I can, free fish!).