Surprise! Rusty Cichlid babies

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Jonergin

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 15, 2009
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Sierra Vista, AZ
A few weeks ago I thought my young female Rusty was holding but I wasn't absolutely sure since this would be the first time. I waited about a week to make sure. Just when I thought she, for sure, was NOT holding-- someone ripped her fins to shreds over night.

I took her out and set her up in the hospital/fry tank that has a ton of hornwort in it. After about three days she started eating again and seemed to be recovering quickly. This weekend I moved her back to the main tank.

Last night I decided it was as good of time as any to set up my 5 gal "mini-aquaforest". I searched high and low for my spare bag of Eco-Complete. No luck. So I started scooping the Eco-Complete in the hospital tank out, rinsing the excess mulm off and putting it in the 5 gal. I got most of it pulled out and made one HECK of a mess in the hospital tank.

When the fine substrate particles and mulm settled I took a look inside to check on the betta I usually keep in there to feed the bacteria. He was chasing something....

It was a baby Rusty!! I removed the betta and sat down to watch another 12 or so come out to explore. They're about a 1/4 inch long right now. I guess its good that I put momma in there when I did, I just wonder how many I destroyed while scooping out the substrate.
 
Congrats! It's always fun to find babies that you didn't know were there.
 
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