I have a female "Jeweled Cichlid" and she laid eggs once all ready, but I got to them in enough time so the male would not fertilize. Well, she got smart, and this time laid her eggs in the decorative log I have in my tank..then daddy came along. Saturday I looked in my tank as to what I thought was debris floating around..no not debris...BABIES !!!!..about 50-100. Holy cow! In all the years I have kept an aquarium, not once has the eggs ever hatched....well there is a first time for everything.
Here is mom with her small Frye, Cichlid parents are notoriously awesome, and display amazing parenting skills. And personally I think there are a lot of human parents out there that can learn a lesson about parenting from a fish.
At night she pushes them all back in the log, and brings them out in the mornings. I do have three other fish in the tank, 2 are a different breed.Both the mom and dad have been on the defensive, and like any good parent they guard the little ones. I have to stand back to even snap a picture because she tries to charge me from inside the tank.
Sunday, We scooped up as many babies as we could and moved them to a "nursery basket". Here, they can be safe from the other fish, and dine on shrimp brine.
Yesterday, mom finally discovered the basket and is now standing guard..while dad watches the other ones I could not catch.
I know, they are so cute when they are babies...but, I can't keep all these. NW and ND are guilting me. I have agreed to keep a few and try to raise..but not 100 ! And I have a friend who would like a couple for his tank. So now, starts my problem, I must become a fish killer and clean them out. : (
Then, to avoid this again, I must separate mom and dad. I am trying to convince ND to let me give him the mom and move her in to his tank on his dresser. He has three Danios ( aka Minnows) and doesn't want them gone. Africans can only live with other Africans, and she will nip the fins of the danios and torture them.
My only salvation is to take charge today while they are at school.
This will be an ongoing series, as I look forward to updating you all on the progress of the babies we do keep.
