Can I move the fry

[DARKPHREAK]

I have 1 Demason's Cichlid (Pseudotropheus demasoni) fry in a 6 gallon tank. I am doing WC on all the tanks today and am wondering if I can move it over to the tank that he came from. Hes about 3/4 inch long. There is another fry in the main tank and I'd like to put that one in the 6g so it can grow but wonder if the bigger fry will harm the new one if I leave them together.

[328iGuy]

I have 1 Demason's Cichlid (Pseudotropheus demasoni) fry in a 6 gallon tank. I am doing WC on all the tanks today and am wondering if I can move it over to the tank that he came from. Hes about 3/4 inch long. There is another fry in the main tank and I'd like to put that one in the 6g so it can grow but wonder if the bigger fry will harm the new one if I leave them together.

What size are the fish currently in the tank you want to move the single 3/4" fry to?  What kind of cichlids?

[DARKPHREAK]

The tank he will be moving back to is where the parents are. The are also male/female labs with the 5 demasoni, all around 2.5 inchs. I had moved him over to the 6g tank cause I wanted him to grow abit before the male of the tank chased him too much and will be doing the same to the fry a female let go this morning. Not to sure if this is the way to do it but most people move their fry to another tank.

[328iGuy]

The tank he will be moving back to is where the parents are. The are also male/female labs with the 5 demasoni, all around 2.5 inchs. I had moved him over to the 6g tank cause I wanted him to grow abit before the male of the tank chased him too much and will be doing the same to the fry a female let go this morning. Not to sure if this is the way to do it but most people move their fry to another tank.

I would definitely be careful moving fry that size to a tank, especially with the agression levels in there.  If you can, let him growout a bit more....

[DARKPHREAK]

Thanks for the info.
I moved the rice sized fry that was spit out last night to the 6g. Just hope that the 1.5 month old fry that in there wont be too nasty. These fish seem to have fry atleast once a month that I can see, wonder if its better to leave the fry in the main tank or move em over to the growout.

[ambushman2j]

ideally you should not mix batches unless they are fairly close, I would not be surprised if your 1.5 month old fish take out your new borns..while it's also quite possible your adults will take out the 1.5 old as well, which is why it's ideal to have multiple small grow out tanks, to save all the fry you need to take the mother out while she's holding the fry..if they are spit out into the tank you will definately lose a great deal

[DARKPHREAK]

Even with all the eggs that are laid I can only see each female holding 1 fry at a time and they dont do it at the same time so spliting the fry groups up when they are spit out would mean having too many small tanks. In nature what do the fry's do when released? My lab held a fry for about 3 weeks till she either swallowed it or someone else ate it. I thought these fish didnt eat meat cause they will not touch blood worms or brine shimp, only thing they touch is basic flake. The first fry was in the main tank for a few weeks before I even knew they were released, they managed to hide really well. In that case would you suggest that I just leave them(1 or 2 every month or so) in the main tank?

[328iGuy]

Even with all the eggs that are laid I can only see each female holding 1 fry at a time and they dont do it at the same time so spliting the fry groups up when they are spit out would mean having too many small tanks. In nature what do the fry's do when released? My lab held a fry for about 3 weeks till she either swallowed it or someone else ate it. I thought these fish didnt eat meat cause they will not touch blood worms or brine shimp, only thing they touch is basic flake. The first fry was in the main tank for a few weeks before I even knew they were released, they managed to hide really well. In that case would you suggest that I just leave them(1 or 2 every month or so) in the main tank?

Well they would have a BATCH of fry, not just a SINGLE fry .

[ambushman2j]

they would not likely just have 1 fry, what I suggest and what works exceedingly well for me is you take the female out WHILE she's holding the fry in her mouth BEFORE she ever releases them, then put her in a empty tank and let her spit on her own, then remove her and leave the fry there..she should have much more then just 1, this is the only way to save all the fry, where as if you let her spit in the tank, sure 1 or 2 may survive here and there, but most will be eaten, and yes, mbuna are not meat eaters, but FRY are an exception, they do see this as a high source of protein..if it fits in their mouth chances are they will eat it and if you were to leave the fry in the main tank for a couple months you might as well never take them out if they were not going to get eaten in the first 2 months they never will

[DARKPHREAK]

Would a 6g tank be enough for a single female thats holding, consider that this tank already has 2 fry in it?

[328iGuy]

Would a 6g tank be enough for a single female thats holding, consider that this tank already has 2 fry in it?

You're best and easiest/cheapest bet which is what I do is to let her spit in the 6 gallon, then buy a plastic floating fry case and once she spits just scoop up the little guy's and put them in the case.  They come with a lid and the whole shootin' match and is much easier to feed them, easier for them to find the food as well.

[artw]

I agree with Drew.  I couldn't say it better myself anyway.

just a side note. this is the first time I have ever heard of the pseudotropheus demasoni referred to as Demason's Cichlid.. (which it is, it's named after Lief Demason)  we'll get into the pronounciation later...
its just that with Africans all you hear is the long scientific name and very rarely hear the normal common names...  partly because of all the different colour morphs and catchpoints its very hard to identify specific common names......  
hmm I wonder how my Esther's cichlids are doing

[ambushman2j]

personally I advice against raising fry in breeding traps, I find the proximity to the light kills the fry .. but that's only my personal experience

[328iGuy]

personally I advice against raising fry in breeding traps, I find the proximity to the light kills the fry .. but that's only my personal experience

Alright thats possible I guess, considering my tanks that I use for this don't have a full canopy but strictly a light bar which the trap never goes under.  Didn't really think of that as a possible heat issue.

[DARKPHREAK]

Not to sure it would work with my Eclipse hood, and Im not allowed to get anymore tanks.

[ambushman2j]

to my knowledge breeding traps are mainly to separate fry from canibalistic parents like guppies, platies, mollies and swordtails.. livebearer type fish.. I am sure it can be used in other ways, I tried cichlids in the breeding trap before and they all died within a day..so like I said, in my opinion..

[gvv]

Breeding traps also can be successfully used as cichlids incubator...
But adult for will die for sure, as there is no place for it there.

[328iGuy]

Not to sure it would work with my Eclipse hood, and Im not allowed to get anymore tanks.

HA! I have heard that before 1,000,000x .  My wife said that over and over and then we were at Big Al's the other night and SHE was the one that told me to buy a new 100 gallon they had in there with the full fine stand/canopy, so I obeyed her of course and I am now enjoying it in my dining room!

[saltydog]

On occasion I have used an isolation chamber for fry & it has worked superbly. The kind I used was a netting stretched over a plastic frame which hooks over the top edge of the tank. It allows for good water circulation although in some situations the netting may require occasion cleaning to prevent it from becoming clogged. The netting tends to rot out after a year or so. There are at least 2 companies which make this type & they may be found at Petsmart, Big Al's, etc. (~$5).
I have kept as may as 100 fry in one of these to protect from cannibalistic parents. I would not have believed that so many could live in such a confined space. Also, put an adolescent cichlid in one of these who had a swim bladder problem so serious that he had absolutely no control of his movement. The confined space allowed him to feed by occasionally bumping into a floating pellet & he eventually recovered.
-a handy contraption to have around

[artw]

I've held mouthbrooding adults in breeding traps for 3 weeks, they were fine but I am sure they were not happy.   I recently stripped the fry out.
I would be hesitant to raise fry in these.  they can get trapped between the mesh and the plastic frame.   you might try siliconing the mesh to the frame to prevent them getting stuck.