I have a pair of blue-eyed cichlids that have fry that are about a month or so old. I left them in the tank thinking that they would not breed again with the fry still in the tank, but now mom has went into hiding in a cave the way she did when she had the last batch of fry....is this common?
Blue eyed cichlids breeding with fry still in the tank?
- Thread starter nx2ured
- Start date
Pretty common for cryptoheros sp. to do that, look at cons they'll breed as soon as 2 weeks after their last fry have hatched, while being in the same tank.
Once they start spawning most cichlids will produce 3-4 successive broods before taking a break. Don't be afraid to cull the fry; IME no one wants or needs several hundred cichlids.
The existing fry may end being in danger from the adults after awhile. My Geos do that, and the older fry are generally harrassed a bit by the parents. They don't eat them yet, but they're definitely bothered by their presence. I would remove the older fry to another tank, or feed them to your other fish. Be prepared if you decide to raise them, they can be difficult to get rid of until they reach at least an inch, and that can take awhile.
