suprise breeding

[Ninjafish]

hello, just a quick question / comment. i have 3 Pseudotropheus socolofi's (Powder Blue Cichlid) in a 90 gallon tank with 2 tinfoils, an oscar, and a redtailed black shark, and i was inspecting the tank after a water change and noticed about 4 or 5 small powder blue's in the tank. i was unaware that this would take place and was wondering if theres any special care i should be giving, i dont have a extra tank to move them too but they are about a centimetre long and are all hiding under a hollowed out piece of slate that is too small for all others to access. they are eating scraps that the natural flow of water in the tank brings them.

will they get eaten by my oscar (totally non agressive) or will their parents interfere? first time breeding and was a suprise!

 

[ewok]

you probably got a female socolofi that was holding eggs when you bought her. i say take out the babies asap. the oscars and other fish will make short work of them if they are found.

 

[Mystix212]

Just for quick temporary housing, buy a large breeding net and place it inside your tank, transfer the fry to the net and buy a cheap 20 long growout. Any pics of the tank and or fry?

 

[Ninjafish]

i managed to net 4 of them and picked up a fry net. they are doing good. eating some fry food and crushed flakes.



some older picture, havent updated for a while and camera is at work. have changed aquarium alot since then. the powders have there own corner and rarely come out of their hideout. my redtailed shark has always been a bully even towards my oscar (who gives way to him) and is the only scuffle in the tank. when he come too near the entrance they chase him off.

as for the mouth breeding, i picked the powders up about half a year ago, whats the gestation period? (believe is correct term)

 

[Mystix212]

They hold eggs for 3 weeks. Its called Mouth-Brooding. Common among African cichlids. Though not every frican cichlid does it.

My Red-Tail Black shark is one of my most aggressive fish, and its pretty calm actually. It only ever chases fish during feeding. It has become so chunky over the last 2 months and is about 3-4". I dont think it would have the mouth capabilities to do any harm to a fish.