Bifasciatus "Rio Usumacinta"

[salt_creep]

Was hoping someone with some central American experience could give me some advice. I'm new to raising viejas and am wondering what's best as far as removing parents or letting them do their thing.

Tank is 8'x2x17"
Ph 7.4
Temp 79
Nitrate <5

 

[tlindsey]

Was hoping someone with some central American experience could give me some advice. I'm new to raising viejas and am wondering what's best as far as removing parents or letting them do their thing.

Tank is 8'x2x17"
Ph 7.4
Temp 79
Nitrate <5

View attachment 1301329 View attachment 1301330 View attachment 1301331

duanes
Stanzzzz7
dan518

 

[fisheatfish]

Viejas are wonderful parents...more fun to watch them raise their offsprings. Although, you’ll end up with hundreds of fry and I find it easier to keep tank clean with a bare bottom tank to grow out...constant water changes.

My bifas rio chacamax:

 

[dan518]

For the first few batches of fry leave them in, it helps the bonding between the parents. Personally i think bare bottom tanks with cichlids is a bad idea, it seems to make them more nervous and takes away from some of there natural behavior.

 

[duanes]

I agree with Dan518, I normally let fry stay with the parents until they are ready to spawn again, then either remove the parents to another tank, or the fry. Mine were always great parents, barring some stress event.
At the 1" point any deformities will often begin to be obvious in some fry, and its time to cull, those with bent spines, crimped mouths etc etc .
I'm also not a fan of bare bottom for adult cichlids, most centrals are substrate huggers, so its part of their natural habitat. Maybe for pelagic species. But I know, just my opinion, AKA the Lewbowski.
Mine were Chacamax

 

[salt_creep]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll be leaving the parents. As far as the substrate goes it's probably a little late to do anything about that at this point. I would probably create more stress by adding it.

 

[salt_creep]

15 days old today and fry are evenly spread out across the whole tank.