I think I screwed up I have an Electric Blue Hap I was sure it was a male its been getting more color the bigger it gets it gets dark strips when upset and is getting quite blue. heres my dilemma it wasn't eating looked like it had gravel stuck in its mouth ,I would put food in and it would look like it wanted to get it but wouldn't its mouth was bulged out like something was stuck in it . So big goof me got the bright idea to net it and see if I could get it out .Netted it and it spites out about 5 tan colored eggs I think, so I let it go and now it just hides. I feel like a big turd pore fish just minding its own biz and big dumb jerk stresses it out. Is it normal for a female hap to have eggs all by herself? She wont come out do you think she will be OK? It really did look like a juvenile male. I just feel bad it was always out and about would show off for me and everything now its just hiding. How long should I wait for it to eat? If the eggs are not fertile they will never hatch. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. niner
Help male blue hap had eggs?????????
- Thread starter niner9
- Start date
Maybe I should have title my post something else????? I was just going for a touch of humor in my situation. Is there no one here that knows whether it is normal for a female hap to have eggs all by herself. Or what I should do about the fact that she is starving herself brooding eggs that are not fertile, unless some kind of mircle happen. I would just like a little input from somebody who has some experience with haps. I can't be the only one here with them. So thanks again. I hope someone response soon. niner
I've never had any of my malawian mouthbrooders hold without a male of some species in the tank.
If she goes more than 28 days, which is to my experience of the longer holding, you can strip her of the eggs. This can be done two basically different ways.
If she is still small bodied enough you can buy a new (ie un-used) turkey baster, clean it well without soap. Then net her, and in a rather deep container like a one gallon bucket full of tank water, remove the bulb of the turkey baster and while you have the end where the bulb is supposed to go just above the water line insert the fish, head first, into the baster. *please make sure she is small enough that her getting stuck isn't an issue*
Once she is in the baster, fill the bulb with the same water and while holding it under the surface of the water put it back on the baster. Once this is done give the bulb a gentle squeeze so that the water in the bulb flows by the fish and out of the narrow end. The water coming from behind her will open her gills and force the eggs from her mouth and out into the bottom of the bucket or container.
To make certain you have them all out... slowly release the pressure on the bulb and let water flow back in.. then repeat the gentle squeeze so that it once again forces the gills open and the mouth open and eggs out and free into the bottom of the bucket or container.
If she is too big to fit in a baster it will have to be done by hand... post back and let us know if this is the case.
HTH
If she goes more than 28 days, which is to my experience of the longer holding, you can strip her of the eggs. This can be done two basically different ways.
If she is still small bodied enough you can buy a new (ie un-used) turkey baster, clean it well without soap. Then net her, and in a rather deep container like a one gallon bucket full of tank water, remove the bulb of the turkey baster and while you have the end where the bulb is supposed to go just above the water line insert the fish, head first, into the baster. *please make sure she is small enough that her getting stuck isn't an issue*
Once she is in the baster, fill the bulb with the same water and while holding it under the surface of the water put it back on the baster. Once this is done give the bulb a gentle squeeze so that the water in the bulb flows by the fish and out of the narrow end. The water coming from behind her will open her gills and force the eggs from her mouth and out into the bottom of the bucket or container.
To make certain you have them all out... slowly release the pressure on the bulb and let water flow back in.. then repeat the gentle squeeze so that it once again forces the gills open and the mouth open and eggs out and free into the bottom of the bucket or container.
If she is too big to fit in a baster it will have to be done by hand... post back and let us know if this is the case.
HTH
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What other fish are in the Tank? Lot's of africans can mate with a different species and produce hybrids. Let us nknow the other species in the tank.
Thanks Ill check tomorrow on the size thing, and the only other fish with her is a common pelco. I had a couple other fish in with her including another hap, they were only about an inch a half [haps] but she killed them rite away. Then I had a pare of kribbs with her for a day, then had to rescue them. she is a very mean fish she picks on the pelco but not as bad as she did the other fish, it's fins will have chunks out of them, then they will grow back. She only really bugs it when its on the bottom, I really did think she was a male she would dig holes by big rocks and everything and she doesn't look like the pics I've seen on the net of females, in that she's blue not as blue as a male but she is blue. Any way thanks again and Ill get back to you tomorrow on how big she is I think she is about 3.5" but ill check for sure. She's still mad at me though any one else goes in the room and she just goes about her business I go in she hides she will come out look at me then turn around and slowly swim back it a cave and wont come out until I leave. Thanks again niner
In looking at her as apposed to a turkey baster. I don't know if I dare put her in one or not. How does the stripping of eggs by hand method work
Since those eggs can't be fertile I would leave her alone and sooner or later she will get hungry and realize what's going on and either spit or swallow the eggs.
