WTH is going on with these yellow labs

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JayK1320

JayK1320

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 22, 2008
501
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Boston, MA
Okay I have got two yellow labs...I just glanced over at the tank right now...

They are chasing each other around and around in a tiny circle. Like two dogs chasing each others tails in a circle? What they hell are they doing haha they are freaking out the peacocks for sure, its been going on now for at least a minute and they are still going.

Could this possibly be breeding activity? or are they going crazy? Okay they just seemed to stop, or at least I dont see them anymore, they are hidding some place...

So what the hell are they doing? One of them just popped out from behind a rock, chasing eveyone away?
 
Dont know what I was thinking...this meant to go in the Africans - Lake sections, can someone move this for me???
 
So they are acting totally normal now...everyone is out swimming around. Is this just something they do because they are hyper?
 
How big do these have to be to reach sexual maturity? They are still pretty small, I dont think 3" even yet. If this is breeding activity do I have to worried about the other fish in the tank?
 
JayK1320;2029231; said:
How big do these have to be to reach sexual maturity? They are still pretty small, I dont think 3" even yet. If this is breeding activity do I have to worried about the other fish in the tank?
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They can breed at 3" for sure, mine did. I wouldn't be worried about the other fishes in your tank as much as the fry, if you want to keep them that is. Yellow labs are mouth brooders so they'll keep the fry in their mouths for quite a while. If you want to keep them, you can strip them before the mother is ready to spit them out. While not difficult, it's easy to injure the fish if you're not careful. If you don't strip them and allow her to spit them out when she's ready, they'll probably get eaten by tankmates.

Here's a good link for how to do it...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/stripping_fry.php

If you don't want to keep the fry, you can let nature take it's course. Though it's my opinion that it's better to strip them though even if you don't keep them, especially if she's holding them for more than three weeks or so. The mother won't eat while she's holding. If she holds long enough, she'll get emaciated and unhealthy.

Good luck and I hope you get some fry. If you see the female with a pooch in her throat, she's holding. Wait at least two weeks after the first signs of holding to strip her. Try shining a flashlight at her face and see if you see little black fishies staring back at you when she opens her mouth a little.
 
terd ferguson;2029356; said:
They can breed at 3" for sure, mine did. I wouldn't be worried about the other fishes in your tank as much as the fry, if you want to keep them that is. Yellow labs are mouth brooders so they'll keep the fry in their mouths for quite a while. If you want to keep them, you can strip them before the mother is ready to spit them out. While not difficult, it's easy to injure the fish if you're not careful. If you don't strip them and allow her to spit them out when she's ready, they'll probably get eaten by tankmates.

Here's a good link for how to do it...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/stripping_fry.php

If you don't want to keep the fry, you can let nature take it's course. Though it's my opinion that it's better to strip them though even if you don't keep them, especially if she's holding them for more than three weeks or so. The mother won't eat while she's holding. If she holds long enough, she'll get emaciated and unhealthy.

Good luck and I hope you get some fry. If you see the female with a pooch in her throat, she's holding. Wait at least two weeks after the first signs of holding to strip her. Try shining a flashlight at her face and see if you see little black fishies staring back at you when she opens her mouth a little.
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Could I just put her in my 10g fi it happens and let her spit then move her back to the big tank? That is what I just did with my peacock. Then I gave mom a few days rest before reintroducing her into the tank. I would think this would be a better option than stripping or am I wrong?
 
JayK1320;2029491; said:
Could I just put her in my 10g fi it happens and let her spit then move her back to the big tank? That is what I just did with my peacock. Then I gave mom a few days rest before reintroducing her into the tank. I would think this would be a better option than stripping or am I wrong?
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You can certainly do that, it's the natural way. The only problem that can come from that is if she holds them too long and becomes unhealthy and emaciated from not eating for so long. Stripping is not a more dangerous or worse option unless you manhandle the female and injure her. It's not as hard as it sounds.;)
 
terd ferguson;2029557; said:
You can certainly do that, it's the natural way. The only problem that can come from that is if she holds them too long and becomes unhealthy and emaciated from not eating for so long. Stripping is not a more dangerous or worse option unless you manhandle the female and injure her. It's not as hard as it sounds.;)
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Makes perfect sense, anything else I should be looking for in the way of breeding activity? I am not really interested in yellow lab fry, but hey whatever! Maybe make a few bucks on craigslist haha
 
good luck!!!
 
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