Tips and tricks

[sas]

Well here's the story.
I usually have lots of tank space, healthy fish and leave my Africans to hold and spit on their own.
But.......I find myself in a bit of a bind.
A fellow aquarists' tank sprung a leak and the fish were being kept in a smallish tank with a female "yellow cichlid" holding.
I ended up bringing some fish home and the female in question is in a weakend state and looks like she is about to spit. I've decided that in order to save her I need to strip her. Never done it, but feel pretty confident I can manage.
Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Sue

[nissannx]

hold her tight but dont squeeze her. keep your hand thats holding her away from her neck. with your other hand use a finger and gently rub it from the back of her throat to the tip of her mouth over and over again. she will then spit up the baby fish.

[Rob Labonte]

I catch my holding female. put her in a little breeding net. (easier to catch her in if she gets loose.)

I hold her with one hand and open her mouth with the other.

I carefully put my fingernail in the mouth(to the side) and carefully open the mouth and lower her head only into the water. the fry swim right out. some stay in but if you, at the same time as doing as this, rub the underneath where they are, they will come out.

[sas]

Thanks Nissannx and Rob for taking the time to post .
Managed to strip her late last night after getting my courage up.
I've got 13 fry and moms back eating like a horse and recuperating. I'm not sure if I'll lose her or not but at least she's back eating.
I certainly hope I don't have to do this anytime soon. Totally dislike messing with mother nature.

[ldeschamps]

I strip all my female and never lost one yet.

[Rob Labonte]

Ive also always stripped mine.

I once let one hold and was waiting for it to spit and when it was taking too long I stripped her and half the fry came out stillborn.