dimerus spawned in the wrong tank - advice needed

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
darth pike;3462637; said:
I recently noticed at the LFS they had a pair of ports, northern clade ones ... 60 gallon breeder, lots of various cichlids in there, and the large port would just leave the smaller one alone ... rather surprised me. Less so hearing your story though.
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I'd always heard ports were really passive, easy-going fish. They were fine one day and half were battered to death the next. It was very surprising. Eventually I got rid of all but one. He grew to about 6" and lived with angels and Laetacara dorsigera. Occasionally he would gently nudge angels out of his way to get to food, but they never seemed to mind him. He was like a puppy, wagging his tail and begging for food every time I walked in the room. So I guess the only fish he was harmful to were other male ports.
 
Awesome Peter!!!!!!!!

I would let them hatch and let the parents move them. They should still be able to protect them. As soon as they are moved I would vacuum them out and put the wigglers in a 10g with sponge filter. Raise them to 0.25-0.5" and move them to a bigger tank or take them to Ken.

Glad they already spawned for you. Now hurry up with the red ceibals so you can send me and Jamie some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Seems like the consensus is to leave them in the tank. I'll comply :) Good thing they'll hatch this weekend, so I can watch them in between the football games :D

ryansmith83;3462567; said:
You could try moving them but there's a chance they'd eat the eggs. I would just leave them in the tank for now and let them pair-bond some more. Sometimes if you move them, one of the fish will get unnecessarily aggressive with the other. I've removed eggs from cichlids or moved cichlids after spawning and they take out their frustration on their mate.

If you do move them, you can just lift the leaf out of the tank and move it to the new one. Exposing the eggs to air for a few seconds won't hurt them. I pull slates with angel and festivum eggs all the time.

Most of the "port" varieties like C. dimerus are really easy to spawn and raise. They will spawn every week or two if you pull the eggs/fry. They should hatch in 2 - 3 days (closer to 2 if the tank is warm, in the 80s) and the parents will move the fry around a couple times before they go free-swimming. Feed the little ones BBS and soon your house will be flooded with C. dimerus.

They're handsome little fish. I lost my old male port about four months ago. If you want to get rid of them I'll take them off your hands. :D
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JD has a lone wild male. Maybe you guys can work something out?

darth pike;3462603; said:
Holy Marvel Universe batman ... I can see why you don't think the fry will last long!! :WHOA:

I vote to leave them though for now. Those midsized ports (and acaras) can surprise you when the male turns nasty. I'd suggest waiting for the larger tank too.\

I do love those 3 southern port cichlids (bolivians, dimerus, true ports), such beautiful little fish.
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LOL it's a grow out + holding tank! :D Got most of the fish this past weekend and am still trying to figure out housing arrangements.

It started a few minutes after I put them in the tank, when the largest red ceibal dropped her tube and started displaying to the male dimerus :screwy::screwy:. The female dimerus would have none of that so they fought, and they fought. It turned so nasty that I had to net out the red ceibal and threw her in the 220. Here is a picture of them going at it - funny how the other guys all gathered around and watched :D
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jgentry;3463086; said:
Awesome Peter!!!!!!!!

I would let them hatch and let the parents move them. They should still be able to protect them. As soon as they are moved I would vacuum them out and put the wigglers in a 10g with sponge filter. Raise them to 0.25-0.5" and move them to a bigger tank or take them to Ken.

Glad they already spawned for you. Now hurry up with the red ceibals so you can send me and Jamie some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks JD! Ryan has a lone female so maybe you guys can work something out? :ROFL:

I feed my fry "instant bbs" - $12 a jar that lasts 3-4 days....the most expensive part of fish keeping :(. Will have to give them to Ken sooner...
 
Wow that's pricey. Order some golden Pearls from Kensfish. A couple different sizes of it will last you for months feeding a few batches of fry. It's only like $4 for 4oz. You need to keep it in the freezer though.
 
Congrats! Better get that 10 gallon set up with a sponge/heater. You'll be siphoning some fry there in about 4 days if all goes well.

You could siphon them now, too, but it's a little more labor-intensive. You have to keep the wigglers from fungusing over.
 
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