My 2nd Synodontis Fry :)

[FishBuddy]

Another excitement from my main tank last night...

My yellow lab female had been holding for sometime now (3 weeks).  I usually don't pay too much attention to her as she holds every month or so.  I normally do not bother to take the fry out either.  However, last night, I noticed something really strange coming out of her left gill plate, see picture below.   Initially, I thought it was some kind of parasite.  Upon looking at it closely, I am amazed to say the least!!!

This is the end result after I stripped her!  If I would leave her alone for another week or so, the multi would've be too big and will take over the entire bucal cavity!  She might ended up starving and will die eventually...  It took me quite a bit of time to remove the multi as it barely fits her mouth.  My female lab is very dedicated parent and normally do not spit her fry until it is quite large.

Some of you might remember my first multi fry a few years back:  http://ovas.ca/forum/index.php?topic=55010.msg309970#msg309970

This is what fish keeping is all about!

[Jellyanne]

Wow congrats! This is quite impressive and funny at the same time, who would have taught that even fishes adopts. Hi hi

[FishBuddy]

Wow congrats! This is quite impressive and funny at the same time, who would have taught that even fishes adopts. Hi hi

Synodontis Multipunctatus are sometimes known as 'cuckoo catfish'.  As the name implies, they steal (by eating!) all the host's original eggs and replace them with their eggs.  If the female host happens to have some of their own eggs in her mouth at the same time, the catfish eggs will hatch first and will devour all the host's remaining eggs...  I am surprised by the fact that 6 yellow lab fry survived!  Normally, they don't stand a chance as catfish are very ferocious eaters and they'll eat just about anything!

[Jody]

That is fantastic! Great thing that you caught her.

Jody

[daworldisblack]

Learning tonnes of interesting facts on cichlids on here recently! This was an interesting post! Thanks for the share and congrats - good thing you got to her in time!

[exv152]

Wow that's amazing. Great post!

[limmer]

That's amazing to see.  It is a wonder some Yellow lab fry survived.
I saw a video awhile back of the multi's eating the eggs inside the mouth.
One of natures survival tactics.

[robt18]

Great to see. I had a Johanni a couple years back that had a mouthful that got rather large - later found that it was one huge syno in there. Unfortunately it killed the female as it got very big before I took a look, but I managed to get it out of her mouth quickly after and the syno is still kicking today.

[bitterman]

Very nice John!

[FishBuddy]

That's amazing to see.  It is a wonder some Yellow lab fry survived.
I saw a video awhile back of the multi's eating the eggs inside the mouth.
One of natures survival tactics.

I have no idea why the 6 labs survived either!  After stripping them and transferred them to an isolated breeder box, they tend to cuddle together.  To the multi, this is the only family he/she knows.  Same thing goes to the 6 labs.  Very interesting to watch them swim around together...

[sniggir]

that is awesome!