Fish_Frenzy Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 HI all you cichlids experts... I have 3 Yellow Labs holding fry...This is my first time with cichlids so I am wondering how to strip the babies from them? And when to do it? 2 of them have been holding for about a week and a half and the other one for about 5-6 days. I would like to raise the fry this time as the last batch got eaten I believe. One is getting rather thin and I am worried about her. Thanks for your time. Tammy :kiss: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MbunaFan Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 HI all you cichlids experts...I have 3 Yellow Labs holding fry...This is my first time with cichlids so I am wondering how to strip the babies from them? And when to do it? 2 of them have been holding for about a week and a half and the other one for about 5-6 days. I would like to raise the fry this time as the last batch got eaten I believe. One is getting rather thin and I am worried about her. Thanks for your time. Tammy :kiss: What, no replies yet???? Okay, I don't have any real experience with this, but this is what I've heard (maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong)........ Unless you have an egg tumbler, you may want to wait at least till they're holding for 2-3 weeks (probably closer to three weeks). You don't have to strip them, but you may want to move the holding females into a separate tank (best done when they're sleeping to keep the stress to a minimum). You can wait till they spit on their own. On the actual stripping part, you'll have to get someone else to help. Anyways, that's my two cents worth. Hope it helps a little. Try searching the breeding section of the forum. Maybe this question has been answered there before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 I"m by no means an expert on what do do but this is how i do it. I wait for 2 weeks and then move my females into a 10g(barebottom, AC filter with sponge on the intake). I like to let the females spit on their own, which they usually do after 21-28 days. Then when i see fry swimming around I give the female a couple feedings and put her back into the main tank. I prefer not to strip but I have done it. It wasn't as hard or scary as i thought it would be. I caught the female in a net. Wet my hands, then take the female (i grabbed her through the net as it helped grip her) and carefully open her mouth. I used the end of a pipette to kind of open it up. Then i kind of dunked her head in and out of the water and the fish fell/washed out. It only took a couple seconds. I've also just done the grab and dunk method(no prying open of the mouth) and she also released the babies. If i'm going to strip the fry i like to wait atleast 2 weeks but i've heard of people doing it earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 I found that moving them for a week or so caused havok in the tank when the were put back into the main. When I stripped mine, I waited 25 days. I used a bucket 1/4 full of tank water and put the female into it, and same as Val grabbed them through the net. I use a tooth pick (flat kind not pointed) and pulled down on her bottom lip and dunked her with her mouth open. Cafeful not to pull on her top lip. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 I found that moving them for a week or so caused havok in the tank when the were put back into the main. Yeah thats something you might need to look out for. I just have labs and acei so aggression was never really an issue when i re-introduced them. If you have more aggresive fish you might want to take some precautions like rearranging the decor and such before adding the female back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandj Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 I'll tell you what I did when my Yellow Lab was holding. First I had to catch her out of a 300gal tank. (Not fun, needed my beau to man the other half of the tank). I caught her and did NOT lift her out of the water in the net. I placed a bowl under her so that she was submersed the whole time (to limit stress). It may not be a big deal to do it this way, your call. I put her in a 20gal tank with some ABN plecos. She didn't like them. She was trying to chase them. I used a tank divider and all was fine. She spit and I fed her a few days before I put her back in the big tank. (She is holding again right now actually) Her fry are about 3/4 of an inch, all the same size, and always chubby. Eating and doing very well. Call me lazy, but I feel the best way is to give the femals a quiet, secluded tank of her own or use a tank divider. Leave them in peace and they really appreciate having a cave to hide in. This is important as they are too stressed out and freak out if you come around and they have no where to go. (Depends on the species) I just don't have the time or tumblers to mess with making them spit, etc. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MbunaFan Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 okay, here's a question (somewhat topic related).......if you get a breeding trap (or whatever it's called) and put the holding female in there so that she stays in the main tank but is separate from the other fish, maybe with something for her to hide in, would that still cause aggression when she's released back in with the others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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