This Is Getting Silly Now

[HappyGeorge]

Hi all been a busy month or so for me so not been on here much.

A few weeks ago I was chuffed to find one of my cynotilapia afra holding, which wasn't bad as it was only 3 weeks after getting the fish. I was warned on here that she may not hold successfully but she did and I now have 4 juvenilles swimming about that are too big for the others to eat and are well and truly out of hiding and competing for space and food. After about 10 days of feeding well the same female was holding again, and as of 5 days ago I now have another 8 babies in the tank.
She appeared to be holding again only 3 days later, but luckily she spat/swallowed the eggs.

So looks like despite my thoughts that any fry would get eaten, not only have I got an environment they are happy to breed in, but it seems the fry have an incredible ability to find hiding places that will keep them safe. They are surviving only on what they scavenge and seem to be thriving. Currently I feed Nutrafin Max Spiruluna flake, Tetra Prima complete, sinking tabs and algae wafers.

I am dreading having to remove all my rocks to get at them to remove some!! Any tips, never had to net a fish yet?

In others experience is this fruitful partnership likely to continue, or will they get bored?

 

[Faythee]

They will keep doing it

 

[dthoffsett]

Once they settle into a breeding routine it'll keep happening again and again. I'm afraid the only way you'll be able to catch them is to take out all the rocks. I recommend using two nets, they're fast and sneaky.

 

[stryper]

Hi mate. As said above once they start they don't wanna stop lol. But this is were you have to watch out for the female abit. As if she is the only one the male will want to breed 24/7 and will chase non stop. But she will need time to get in breeding mode again with new eggs and the like. But if you have a large tank with plenty of cover she should get away from him no problems.

 

[grottosandfins]

The first time I tried to catch a cichlid but didn't take anything out of the tank. An hour later, I had a ripped up tank and no fish. Tricky, very fast little fish. You'll save time and heartache by removing your rocks and plants.

 

[liamt2k6]

personally i dot even attempt to catch cichlids now, it usually takes me about 2 hours to catch 1 fish and even then the whole tank has been destroyed lol.