African cichlid keepers
- Thread starter Betty
- Start date
finray56
Well-Known Member
Those are juvenile Tropheus Duboisi, they loose the spots gradually and end up looking like this:
This is a really bad idea for several reasons. First and foremost, Tropheus and Mbuna occupy the same biological niches in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi, respectively (in fact, most Mbuna were originally lumped into the catch-all genus, Pseudotropheus). This is called convergent evolution. If you put Tropheus and Mbuna together in captivity, they will compete directly for everything- space, food, and a place in the social hierarchy. The problem is, since these fishes evolved independently, they don't share a common language. Thus, Tropheus and Mbuna can't use body language to communicate, and in particular, they can't communicate that most important message of all (during conflict)- 'I give up.' The best possible outcome here is some very unhappy fishes; a more likely outcome is carnage.
There are other reasons as well, not the least of which is water chemistry. So, bottom line, can it be done- yes, people have done it. But is a mixed colony the best way to keep either Mbuna or Tropheus? Definitely not.
Livebearer Lady
Well-Known Member
I am trying out Astatotilapia burtoni's and LOVE these guys, very friendly, colorful, and active. Since the power outage (3 day's for me) I now have 3 females holding egg/fry now!! I will need to rehome some juveline's soon as well...
That drop in water temperature must have gotten them in the mood. Congrats.
Livebearer Lady
Well-Known Member
I just pulled 2 of the girls and put them in a nursery bucket as they have been holding for a week now, and need to eat themselves, (these are mouth brooders), WOW,,,,BABIES, BABIES, everywhere!!! O.M.G. each batch is around 25+
I would post a pic here but do not have a host site for now...If you Betty could help me, I could send you a pic I just took?
I would post a pic here but do not have a host site for now...If you Betty could help me, I could send you a pic I just took?
Livebearer Lady, in my experience, mouthbrooders will hold for approximately 28 days, give or take a few days in either direction. They usually do fine without eating for that period of time. Have they already spit the babies in the bucket? Are they fully formed or do they still have their yolks?
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If you don't have a hosting site, there is also the option to Upload a File -- at the bottom of the reply box.
Livebearer Lady
Well-Known Member
The fry are fully developed & egg sacks absorbed and eating their first real meal! You can tell by the size of her pouch as well. I noticed the holding last Tuesday when checking on everyone during the outage so they probably already were holding eggs at that time.
These Mamma's are only 2.5" and getting pretty skinny too, & yes she spit them out in the net as I caught her!!!
I had to go back to the main tank and rescue the rest that didn't make it in the net! and already had the lights out too!!
I have been instructed on "how to milk" her of their fry by hand as well. Really easy to do but abit nerve-racking as well....
I have also worked with smaller fish before, pulling worms off, lint out og gills,etc & have tagged Salmon smolts.
What species did you raise???
These Mamma's are only 2.5" and getting pretty skinny too, & yes she spit them out in the net as I caught her!!!
I had to go back to the main tank and rescue the rest that didn't make it in the net! and already had the lights out too!!
I have been instructed on "how to milk" her of their fry by hand as well. Really easy to do but abit nerve-racking as well....
I have also worked with smaller fish before, pulling worms off, lint out og gills,etc & have tagged Salmon smolts.
What species did you raise???
Yes, I have "stripped" the fry from holding mom's mouth before. I don't like doing it -- always afraid I might hurt her, but there have been times that I felt I needed to for one reason or another.
The mouthbrooders I've raised in the past were all African cichlids, mostly Lake Malawi mbuna. M. greshakei, M. auratus, P. flavus, I. sprengerae, L. caeruleus, P. demasoni, S. fryeri... probably forgetting some. And also tropheus.
These are a couple of my favorite pics of holding moms I've had. The first was a greshakei that had so many eggs that she couldn't close her mouth. The other is cool because I could see the babies' eyes from the outside.
The mouthbrooders I've raised in the past were all African cichlids, mostly Lake Malawi mbuna. M. greshakei, M. auratus, P. flavus, I. sprengerae, L. caeruleus, P. demasoni, S. fryeri... probably forgetting some. And also tropheus.
These are a couple of my favorite pics of holding moms I've had. The first was a greshakei that had so many eggs that she couldn't close her mouth. The other is cool because I could see the babies' eyes from the outside.
Livebearer Lady
Well-Known Member
Wow, very cool indeed and those eggs are soo big too! Boy you have raised your share of mouthbooders!
I was informed by the breeder of these A. burtoni that they will hatch in around 48hrs. and be developed in a few days after. I did feel the need to move them & strip her which I didn't have to anyways & catch the other Mom as well. They would have been lunch in the main tank with all the others.. Now they are co-existing in the bucket together and the other Mom which held her fry as I netted her has now just spit all their fry out too! Yes they were darn hungry too..
These 2 were hanging out in the main tank together already. It's really cool to see them both in day care now!!!
I was informed by the breeder of these A. burtoni that they will hatch in around 48hrs. and be developed in a few days after. I did feel the need to move them & strip her which I didn't have to anyways & catch the other Mom as well. They would have been lunch in the main tank with all the others.. Now they are co-existing in the bucket together and the other Mom which held her fry as I netted her has now just spit all their fry out too! Yes they were darn hungry too..
These 2 were hanging out in the main tank together already. It's really cool to see them both in day care now!!!
Wow, that second pic is amazing!
charlesmcamac
Member
I breed Maylandia Gresheki here is my fishroom tour
Very nice. I used to keep greshakei as well. I also had an OB peacock. Yours has great color. 
Can't say for sure from the video, but it doesn't look like those are demasoni or maybe it's just the lighting...
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting the video. It's good to have another African cichlid keeper here.
Can't say for sure from the video, but it doesn't look like those are demasoni or maybe it's just the lighting...
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting the video. It's good to have another African cichlid keeper here.
VickiK
Member with a lot to say
My favorite part of that video is: "and here's the 10 gallon tank that all got it started....had a betta..."
priceless!