Cichlid breeding and fry

[eveliens]

I have three questions:

1) on the Fourth of July, I received a pretty fish I assumed was an OB peacock. She's mostly orange with blue/purple speckles and about 5". I noticed she was gravid the other day, but didn't think anything of it. Well, now she's holding... yet there's no male peacocks in the tank. There are two male Electric yellows, but they can't hybridize, right? Would she be holding unfertile eggs?

2) my female electric yellow is in a seperate tank, also holding. How long will she hold them if left to her devices? I'm not even sure she still has them now, as it's been a month, but I'd rather she rest a little before breeding again.

3) I have a pair of angels on their fifth brood. They've successfully hatched and tended the fry... until the fry hit two weeks of age. Then they suddenly all "disappear" within a few hours :devil: The parents seem very attentive, herding the fry and "guarding" them from me until the two weeks are up. Is this a case of practice makes perfect or we're in the mood and you kids are in the way? They are the only fish in the tank.

[Star_Rider]

if you want to grow out the angel fry..and they are two weeks free swimming...suck them up with a turkey baster and move them to a growout tank....
raise them yourself. pretty common practice with angels..domestics seem to need a big learning curve when it comes to this...;)

[cdfishie123]

the parents are probably eating the babies because theyre ready to spawn again

[eveliens]

Thanks, I was planning to save a portion of the fry to growout myself. I just wondered why the two week deadline, lol. I've come the realize that angels are perhaps not the smartest fish, but I surprised they tend the fry at all, given their reputation.

Any ideas on the peacock anyone?

[Weezer]

Our OB Peacock just ate her first batch, we'll see what happens down the road.......:)

[Cyp_Lover]

It is completely possible that the peacock mated with the electric yellows mouthbrooders will do that. It does not mean they are fertile though. I once had a female Frontosa try to breed with a tropheus but I stripped her eggs and that was my first attempt at tumbling eggs with no success.

[Rbishop]

Can you post a pic of the OB?