firemouth fry

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Dead-N-Dreaming

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 6, 2005
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Pennsylvania
WOOOHOOO!!! We got babies!:goldfish:

What started out as what we thought to be 2 male firemouths somehow produced a bunch of fry. Both adults are guarding the fry. Should we put some more short plants in the area where they are and what is best to feed the fry that we could be sure they get enough to eat? Should we remove the other fish that are in the tank as well? It is a 75 gallon tank with 1 pleco, 2 firemouths, and 5 tiger barbs. Any information is greatly appreciated.
 
To feed them, get some Liquidfry or put some food flakes in a blender until it is powder.
 
Your firemouths will keep the other fish away, so you can leave the other fish in there. As far as feeding in a tank that size you can't feed the fry specialty food. Ive never had firemouths but all my convicts and the texas cichlids I had breed seem to birng the food to the fry. you could also drop some sinking shrimp pellets in the area the adults will break them up and the fry will have food.

For my convict fry that I take for the parents and put in a 10 gallon I just grind up the flake food between my fingers into a powder this works fine.
 
I did notice that the parents are breaking up the food for the fry. I fed them some cichlid sticks and some brine shrimp cubes. How long will the parents take care of them before I'll have to remove the fry? I spoke to the owner of my favorite LFS and firemouth cichlids aren't something they usually carry but he did agree to take mine. He also gave me a few pointers on how to get them to breed on a regular basis. I invested in a fairly decent test kit to keep track of my water so I know when the conditions are right for them to breed again.
 
with this being the first batch of fry i would leave with the parents for a month or so it is good for the parents to learn to be parents, don't freak out if you wake up in the next couple of days and all the fry are gone it happens. By the third batch of fry they'll be good parents. If you are planning to breed to sell, after 4-5 days you can siphon the fry into a ten gallon tank with a sponge fitler, but after a couple months they will need to move to a bigger tank. it takes about 6 months for my convicts to reach the 1 inch size, warmer temps and frequent water changes will speed up the growth rate.

Just so you have an idea of what it takes to breed and grow out the fish, I have 1 55g 1 29g 2 20g and 1 10g for breeding and raising the fish. I breed them for feeders for my arowana but ocassionally have a surplus to take to the LFS
 
congrats post pics...im waiting for my FM to grow so i can sex it and hopefully get another FM to breed with...good luck...
 
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