halwake Posted October 27, 2011 Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 Have my tank set up with several juvenile peacocks and a couple 4" males. We have one Aulonocara Maylandi "sulfur head" that we purchased that appeared to be male that looks like it is now holding. ?? This fish has yellowish fringe on the dorsal and light yellow stripe on the top of the head, not down the tip of his nose though. I had read that they were late bloomers so I was hoping it would continue to develop. It is currently 3 inches or so. I'm guessing the fish is a female that was given hormone laced food to make them all appear to have male traits. This fish was purchased in Edmonton at one of the big name fish stores. I do not have any other male that looks close to a sulfur head so I am not really sure what happened. This tank is going to be a all male tank but we had to purchsse several unsexed juveniles and we will take out any females as the fish develop leaving us with only one nice male of each species. Now what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted October 27, 2011 Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 You could always cull the fry, give them away or just let the other fish eat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 27, 2011 Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 I've had what I assumed was a male end up holding. It was a female Lab perlmutt yet it showed amazing "male" coloration. It was pure pearly white, not even a hint of black bars like the females should have. I wasn't feeding any hormones. I think she just decided to take over the "top dog" spot in the tank and started developing dominant coloring. Getting fish from a big chain store might be different, they might be hormoned, who knows what their suppliers do. If you don't want females in the tank, either cull the fry or let her spit them in the tank and be eaten. Then remove her from the tank and sell her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwake Posted October 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 I have removed the fish and placed it in the 36 gallon community tank with some tetras for now. I prefer not to kill the fry, guess I will keep the fish in there and see what happens. Guess I am in the market for a male Sulfur head... Thats disappointing. If they go to term I will give them away and keep her out of the male tank until I can sell her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted October 27, 2011 Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 I have removed the fish and placed it in the 36 gallon community tank with some tetras for now. I prefer not to kill the fry, guess I will keep the fish in there and see what happens. Guess I am in the market for a male Sulfur head... Thats disappointing. If they go to term I will give them away and keep her out of the male tank until I can sell her. I would strip the eggs from her into the main tank, and let everyone have a treat.No need to cull fry. Doing anything other than culling hybrids is a poor practice. Especially if you plan give them away. If you don't want to deal with maintaining bloodlines to the best of your ability, keep tetras, not cichlids. But that's another topic..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwake Posted October 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Ya, I was hoping when I was trying to net it that she would spit or swallow the eggs. Didn't happen. I did not want to keep her in the tank and have this happen again. It would be easier to get rid of the eggs rather than wait until they are little fish. I have never stripped eggs. This is the first time this has happened. We have had these guys for just over 2 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted October 28, 2011 Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Stripping eggs is a piece of cake, get a bucket of water, gently open her mouth with something (I use the side of a toothpick) and dunk her in and out of the bucket till she spits em all out, and pour the eggs in the tank for a treat for everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwake Posted October 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Stripping eggs is a piece of cake, get a bucket of water, gently open her mouth with something (I use the side of a toothpick) and dunk her in and out of the bucket till she spits em all out, and pour the eggs in the tank for a treat for everyone else. Wow, what an ordeal. Had to take all the rock and plants out to catch her again, finally got her and took forever to get the toothpick into her mouth to open it. Was able to get a bunch of eggs out, but she is only 2.5-2.75 inches so I was having a tough time. Maybe should have let her spit into the main tank and then took her out. Is it easier with a bigger female? You just put the toothpick in the side of her mouth? Anyways, thanks Jayba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 28, 2011 Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Stripping eggs is a piece of cake, get a bucket of water, gently open her mouth with something (I use the side of a toothpick) and dunk her in and out of the bucket till she spits em all out, and pour the eggs in the tank for a treat for everyone else. Wow, what an ordeal. Had to take all the rock and plants out to catch her again, finally got her and took forever to get the toothpick into her mouth to open it. Was able to get a bunch of eggs out, but she is only 2.5-2.75 inches so I was having a tough time. Maybe should have let her spit into the main tank and then took her out. Is it easier with a bigger female? You just put the toothpick in the side of her mouth? Anyways, thanks Jayba Stripping can be kind of hard the first time, especially on a smaller fish. I also use a toothpick when doing it. I just hold the female in the net(less slippery then holding in your hand) and gently put the toothpick in the side of her mouth and turn(its the flat style toothpick so turning it pries open her mouth). Then dunk her head in and out of the water and the eggs flush out. Sometimes I dont' even have to use the toothpick. Just dunking her in and out of the water will make her spit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denzkyasia Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 iam just wondering why people hate hybrids if i give you a quality german ruby red?iam sure you will accept them because is very often people have this...this is hybrid???????whats the difference ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 iam just wondering why people hate hybrids if i give you a quality german ruby red?iam sure you will accept them because is very often people have this...this is hybrid???????whats the difference ???? German reds and Ruby Reds are line bred fish. Interbred for better color etc. Known to be.No surprise. There are a multitude of other cichlids that are pure stock, pure gene lines, and should be. Many habitats are being destroyed and some day may no longer be able to support the native species of fish. It is up to the aquarist to keep these fish genetic lines pure. The problem with hybrids is that some people pass hybrids along without disclosing their true lineage, and inadvertently can destroy lines of pure fish. So rather than making the distinction between good and bad aquarists. So we cull all hybrids. For those that don't have the testicular fortitude to deal with offspring, they should not get in the position where they have fry. There are a multitude of ways to cull fish. I prefer clove oil, then chuck them in the deep freeze. Out of sight, out of mind. Then the fishcicles go in the toilet. Does that answer your question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprucegruve Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 iam just wondering why people hate hybrids if i give you a quality german ruby red?iam sure you will accept them because is very often people have this...this is hybrid???????whats the difference ???? German reds and Ruby Reds are line bred fish. Interbred for better color etc. Known to be.No surprise. There are a multitude of other cichlids that are pure stock, pure gene lines, and should be. Many habitats are being destroyed and some day may no longer be able to support the native species of fish. It is up to the aquarist to keep these fish genetic lines pure. The problem with hybrids is that some people pass hybrids along without disclosing their true lineage, and inadvertently can destroy lines of pure fish. So rather than making the distinction between good and bad aquarists. So we cull all hybrids. For those that don't have the testicular fortitude to deal with offspring, they should not get in the position where they have fry. There are a multitude of ways to cull fish. I prefer clove oil, then chuck them in the deep freeze. Out of sight, out of mind. Then the fishcicles go in the toilet. Does that answer your question? i lil upfront/blunt, but that the way it is. i agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 iam just wondering why people hate hybrids if i give you a quality german ruby red?iam sure you will accept them because is very often people have this...this is hybrid???????whats the difference ???? German reds and Ruby Reds are line bred fish. Interbred for better color etc. Known to be.No surprise. There are a multitude of other cichlids that are pure stock, pure gene lines, and should be. Many habitats are being destroyed and some day may no longer be able to support the native species of fish. It is up to the aquarist to keep these fish genetic lines pure. The problem with hybrids is that some people pass hybrids along without disclosing their true lineage, and inadvertently can destroy lines of pure fish. So rather than making the distinction between good and bad aquarists. So we cull all hybrids. For those that don't have the testicular fortitude to deal with offspring, they should not get in the position where they have fry. There are a multitude of ways to cull fish. I prefer clove oil, then chuck them in the deep freeze. Out of sight, out of mind. Then the fishcicles go in the toilet. Does that answer your question? i lil upfront/blunt, but that the way it is. i agree Sorry, but light and fluffy usually doesn't flow from me very gracefully. Sorry denzkyasia,if I came across sounding like an @$$. (That was me being fluffy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denzkyasia Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 iam just wondering why people hate hybrids if i give you a quality german ruby red?iam sure you will accept them because is very often people have this...this is hybrid???????whats the difference ???? German reds and Ruby Reds are line bred fish. Interbred for better color etc. Known to be.No surprise. There are a multitude of other cichlids that are pure stock, pure gene lines, and should be. Many habitats are being destroyed and some day may no longer be able to support the native species of fish. It is up to the aquarist to keep these fish genetic lines pure. The problem with hybrids is that some people pass hybrids along without disclosing their true lineage, and inadvertently can destroy lines of pure fish. So rather than making the distinction between good and bad aquarists. So we cull all hybrids. For those that don't have the testicular fortitude to deal with offspring, they should not get in the position where they have fry. There are a multitude of ways to cull fish. I prefer clove oil, then chuck them in the deep freeze. Out of sight, out of mind. Then the fishcicles go in the toilet. Does that answer your question? i lil upfront/blunt, but that the way it is. i agree Sorry, but light and fluffy usually doesn't flow from me very gracefully. Sorry denzkyasia,if I came across sounding like an @$$. (That was me being fluffy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreature Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 OK, here's a question for you. I understand the hybrid situation. But being new to cychlids, here is my question. I have a tank with a variety of fish, salousi, electric yellow and yellow tailed acei. Males and females. Will they inter-breed? Should each species be kept seperate if I'm not willing to cull? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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