Yellow Lab (Possibly holding?)

[ddoan]

I have one that is about 1.5 inches. It has not been eating for the last several days. It's throat is somewhat swollen and it hides all day.

In the event that it is a she and is holding, can I put her in a breeder net until she releases? How can I prep the breeder net? Is putting her in a bare tank, the best case scenario?

I've got other inhabitants that will probably outright eat the fry.

Thanks,
Don

[morleyz]

I personally don't think you'll have much success with a breeder net and mouth brooders...she'll probably stress too much and eat 'em.

How big is your tank? A tank divider works nicely as long as you can give the rest of the tank enough room.

[scholar]

You can leave mom in the tank for 28 days. As long as she is not being harrassed by her male. Then you can put her in a seperate tank to release the fry. That is if you wish to rais ethe fry.

The net would not work at all as mentioned above.

And congradulations, :)

[JSchmidt]

I've never had much luck netting labs who are holding fry. I find it much easier to set up the main tank such that there are plenty of little nooks and crannies for the fry to hide in. You'll be surprised how many fry can survive this way...

Jim

[scholar]

That is great advise from Jim. If you do decide to raise the fry. Then you need a nursery, and have to catch the yellow. they are hard to catch at any condition. they are smart. You do need to watch that the male may hit hard on her. Then you have to remove her or have one or two places that she can get into and he can not!

I have built a maternity ward and nursery into the tank. I also have set up a corner of the tank specifically for netting. I send them into that corner and then net them. I just sold three yellow for $14. It took me and the buyer 40 minutes to get the last yellow into the corner!! :):(

My regular fish that are with me untill they pass away, are used to me and feeding off my fingers. I can net them any time. Some of the dificulty was to make sure that I would not catch one of my two females. they are so friendly that it is hard to scare them into the corner!! :):) The moment I put the net, long medical tweezer or my hand into the water. they rush in thinking it is feeding or play time! :):):):)

Me I like the fries. I think they are the cutest.

[JSchmidt]

I'd agree that if you want to maximize survival of the fry that segregating them is best. It is not necessary, though. I have 7 or 8 tanks that have breeding species, ranging from Ps. demasoni to Labeotropheus trewavasae to Ps. lombardoi, and with none of these tanks do I segregate the fry. I may not have 100% survival of fry from each spawning, but quite frankly, I don't think I could find homes for them if I did. I'm perfectly happy with 10 fry surviving a spawning rather than 20, especially if I don't have to do any extra work...

With my fish, habitat is key - having lots of very small crevices, rockpiles, etc. in which the fry may hide. I also make sure the adult fish are well-fed. The adults tend to be somewhat lazy predators when they're eating well and regularly.

Either way, have fun. Cichlids are easy fish to breed and the parenting behavior can be fun to watch.

Jim

[jimbo]

Here's an easy way to catch your fish.

http://tanganyika.netliberte.org/Divers/Piege_EG.jpg
http://tanganyika.netliberte.org/Divers/Piege_2_EG.jpg