Brevis guarding eggs?

Razzo

Razzo

AC Members
Mar 5, 2009
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Michigan - Indiana Border
Real Name
Russ
I have 5 brevis and out of the five I have to pairs. Each pair have a favorite shell that they stick pretty close to. Both pairs have been doing this for some time. I noticed a new behavior this weekend: one of the females in laying just inside her shell. She is in full bredding color and seems healthy. She is just laying there right inside the shell (guarding eggs is my guess).

What do you shellie keepers think?

Thanks,
Russ
 
What should I do? Wait to see little shellies near the mouth of the shell and then, at that point, remove the shell with the fry to a nursury tank?

How long from the spawning to the fry removal stage?

Will the adult brevis be able to guard the eggs/fry from my compressiceps?

Thanks,
Russ
 
They will guard that shell pretty closely and aggressively but i would remove the shell once you see the fry at the leaving shell deal here soon. Alto's will def make a meal if untouched..
 
Brevis won't guard the fry much past the free-swimming stage, they're usually ignored or eaten by the parents a couple days after they're mobile.
 
Thanks guys.

She started guarding the entrance this weekend; so, assuming that she spawned (Let's say Thursday or Friday), how long before the fry get close to the free swimming stage?

Thanks,
Russ
 
You'll see her move away from blocking the shell entrance, and likely at least a couple fry swimming around close by at first.
 
Anywhere from 8 to 15 is common usually somewhere in the middle of this figure..
 
Pittbull said:
Anywhere from 8 to 15 is common usually somewhere in the middle of this figure..
Click to expand...

Day three or four and she is still guarding - gotta be eggs in there.


What sort of prep work should I be doing for a nursery tank:
  1. Is a 10 gallon fine or should I put them in a floating nursery for a time.
  2. Substrate: is my CarbiSea Eco-complete cichlid sand OK.
  3. I guess I should put in a bunch of smaller shells?
  4. Could I combine them in a tank with yellow lab fry?
Anything else?

Thanks a bunch!
 
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