Mouthbrooder experiences

[Somonas]

On Sunday I did something I have never had to do before - remove 4 mouthbrooding females at one time from the big tank...   a labidochromis caereulus, a cynotilapia afra white top, an aulonocara lwanda and a pseudo acei.   All are happy in their individual 10 gallon breeder tanks now (flat bottom with rock cover)

I actually watched the acei breed,  it was very interesting, normally there are just 2 fish but this time there was 3, a large male 6" and a smaller male 3",  mating with a 4" female...  it was very interesting to observe this, one male would come down, do the dance, fertilize some eggs and swim away, the other male then came in, did the same thing and swam away.   this went on for quite a while (30 mins) needless to say the female is full of eggs

this is another reason why I am facinated with Lake Malawi Cichlids
;D

[nonamethefish]

I thought that the fishes turned in circles laying the eggs and fertilizing them and on the next turn the females picked up the eggs. WAIt no its the female laysd the eggs, turns around and swallows them, and then pecks the male anal fin to get sperm into her mouth.....*looks confused*.....AHH...error 504 brain is messed up.

[Somonas]

what you said at the end is correct

" WAIt no its the female laysd the eggs, turns around and swallows them, and then pecks the male anal fin to get sperm into her mouth"

Update:  I stripped the aulonocara female, got 17 fully developed fry, and threw her directly back into the main tank.

Normally I wouldn't do this, but this female is notorious for overholding broods, the last female that did this died on me..   and the was fine, being dumped back into the main tank, none of the other fish cared, and she is eating like a pig today.

[Somonas]

Update

2 more females stripped and returned to main tank (yellow lab and white-top afra)

I really got to stop stripping.  I need more 10 gallon tanks

[luvfishies]

Sounds like we need to find you another auction Somonas...to SELL those fry!

Yeah, you NEED more tanks LOL  miley*

[Somonas]

Actually I will be using David's (completed) rack when I go away to Africa for a month.

Growout Tank space is not a problem -  it is just a waste of a 25 gallon tank for 15 newborn fry

Congrats buddy *

That is the #1 thing that made me believe cichlids were so dang cool was their breeding acts.

I myself would have keep the "already stripped" females in a tank of there own to get strong again before introducing them into the community tank.

I had a female "WC" Zebra die on me this way as she was to weak when the horny males were picking on her to mate again, unfortunlaty I was out and away from the tank and couldn't rescue her.

Just my 2@

P.S. how's the little 33 planted tank comin along Art?