Parachromis sp La Ceiba defend fry

[lostnight]

They layed eggs last week. Then the eggs were gone for a couple of days. I searched for the wigglers, thought I did a good job looking for them. Couldn't find them, so assumed the parents ate them. Then today, presto, a nice cloud of free swimming fry. Where in the hell did the parents hide them? Damn, I hate being outsmarted by my own fish! Those clever Freddys!

2 quick videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbU1xPNvckE
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i6J_cbh3oc

 

[lostnight]

Snapped some pics late last night. Can't see the fry, they are on the gravel obscured by algae on the glass.

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[lostnight]

Ok, just took some more quick pics becuse the fry are out swimming aroung. The algae blocked the better pics, I was so tempted to clean the glass, but I didn't want to upset the parents.

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[MissLauraPeach]

Very nice! The happy couple are showing some lovely breeding patterns! I bet that was a nice surprise for you after you thought they'd all been eaten!

 

[lostnight]

Oh yeah, it was a good feeling. One of my friends gave me a complete 29 gallon setup in exchange for my spare 20 foot ladder. I'm going to set that up with a sponge filter to grow out some fry.

 

[balton777]

I love these fish.

 

[lostnight]

Here is an update. I moved some fry to a 29 with a sponge filter, but so far I only see one left in there. There is still a small group of stragglers in the 55 with the parents. They have laid eggs again. I have read on the ACA message board that sometimes the parents let the older fry live and let them chow down on the next batch of fry. I guess I am about to find out soon if mine do that also. Here is the latest video, less than an hour old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgTBBRQmbPM

 

[lostnight]

Yep, the parents diid let the first batch of fry chow down on the eggs/wiggles starting to hatch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKwMIineTPA

 

[lostnight]

Damn, got home from work today, the female was battered and dead. They seemed to get along great, a very nice pair. I measured her, 4 1/2 inches SL, 5 inches TL. So now I have two males in two different aquariums, and a handful of fry in two different aquariums. Hopefully some female fry. I'm pissed at the male, I just want to slap him around.