Taeniatus Parental Problems

[Hawkeyes]

My WC Pelvicachromis Taeniatus "Makoure" spawned a couple weeks ago. Fry became free swimming about a week ago. The parents were very tentative; one was always with the fry. They would take turns guarding the fry. One would stay with them while the other ate food, then they would take turns. Yesterday I noticed the female chasing the fry and eating them. Is this normal behavior to turn on them suddenly? The male showed no aggression toward them. She got 3-4, and I managed to get the rest into a breeder net. Don't understand why she would be such a good mother for a week, then turn on them. I did a large water change the previous night. Wonder if she was wanting to spawn again and that's why she got aggressive? They're the only fish in a 29 gallon tank. Any input?

Aron

 

[apistobob]

I think this is unusual. IN my experience once a Pelvicachromis pair gets free swimming fry they are usually excellent parents. Also, I don't find that Pelvicachromis ripen eggs quickly enough for this to be preparation for another spawn. I assume that she was not just grabbing them and spitting them back in the school?

Bob

 

[tjudy]

If this was their first spawn then the issue might be inexperience. I have had young parents eat fry after about a week, but settle in and do much better the next time around. Sometimes an 'enemy' to protect the fry against will enhance the parental behavior. Try putting a female P. pulcher in the tank with them. She will get beat, but the pair will be stronger.

 

[Hawkeyes]

This was their first spawn. I thought she was just trying to keep the group together at first. But then I saw her eat one. She was chasing them around with a lot of aggression. Actually, when she saw me siphoning the remaining fry out, she darted in and grabbed 2 that I was going after. She saw me trying to get them and deliberately ate them before I could get them to safety.

Hope they get it next time. The fry should be ok in the breeder net, I've got 9 or 10 left. The pair seems to know where their fry are, and will go and visit them in the corner every once in a while. I'm pretty amazed at the intelligence of these little fish, except for the cannibalism part. Will definitely try a female P. Pulcher. Is it best to introduce her before or after a spawn?


Aron

 

[tjudy]

Before. Having an extra female give teh pair a common enemy to defend their territory against. It helps if the P. pulcher has a few good places to hide. If she cannot get out of the pair's sight she will be killed. I pile small pieces of driftwood in the back corners of the tank and put the spawning site under one pile. THe pair will defend that pile and the target fish can live in the other. They will know she is there, however, and cooperate to protect the spawn from her.

 

[Hawkeyes]

Great advice, thanks a bunch! I'll pick up a fem. pulcher today.

Aron

 

[Csababá]

Sorry to post it here.
How do you siphone fries out? I've never done it but I'm afraid of hurting them while they get out of the other end of the tube and smash to the bottom of the "bucket". I'm sure it's obvious for you but I just don't get it. I collected the fries into a very-very small tank (1-2L) but I made it like this. I put the tube into the main tank while putting my finger on the other end of it to stop water rising in it. I moved it above the fry, released the other end and the water sucked the fish into the tube but they often managed to swim back. Later I sucked the tube a bit to get more water and time to move the fry into the small tank. It was pretty hard work so I guess there is an easier way.
Thank you.

 

[apisto-nut]

How do you siphone fries out

I use a large syringe connected to a piece of air line with a piece of rigid air line so I have control of were the end is

 

[Hawkeyes]

I just take a piece of airline tubing, put it in the water with one end sticking out. Cover that end with your thumb. Have your bucket or whatever set up below the tank level. Make sure you run some water into the bucket to prevent injury from landing. Or, just make sure your tubing is long enough that you can put the end in the bucket. Once water is flowing, just suck them up. If you need to stop flow, put your thumb back over the end.

Aron

 

[tjudy]

I go the large volume route. I use a 3/8" inside diameter soft flexible tube with a piece of rigid pvc on the intake end (this is the 'wand' I can easily direct at the fry to suck them up). I use a soft plastic hose so I can easily pinch it to stop water flow. I siphon about two inches of water into a 5 gallon bucket, then lay the output end of the hose in the bottom around the inside botton edge. When water flows out of the hose it is directed into the water and creates a current around the inside of the bucket and does not jet at the side or bottom of the bucket. Then I pinch the hose and go hunt down the fry. The large water volume creates a powerful suction that the fry cannot escape. THe larger diameter of the tube ensures that they are not cramped or banged up as they go through the tube. I have seen many damages fry using airline tube, especially is the fry are not much shorter than the inside diameter of the tube. Once the fry are in the bucket I transfer all the water and the fry to a small growout thank. The water removed from the spawning tank serves as doing a water change.

 

[Hawkeyes]

The male has been pretty aggressive toward the female today. If he keeps it up I'll put him in the 55 with the unmated pair...

I wonder if, instead of removing the fry, I should have put the female in another tank and left the male with the fry?

Aron

 

[Csababá]

Thank you all. Unfortunately I have bad experiences with syringes since I have only small ones and a fries stucked in it.
I use 10mm silicone tube for changing water and that provides quite good flow but that's the point where I'm afraid of hurting them when they get into the bucket with the strong flow. My bigger buckets are black so I can't see them. BTW, right now I don't have to worry about it because my fish don't spawn.
Sorry Hawkeyes.

 

[tjudy]

Use the 10 mm hose. You will not hurt them.

 

[Hawkeyes]

Sorry Hawkeyes.

No problem. Good question.

Aron

 

[Hawkeyes]

Threw a female pulcher in there. Working really well. Have some rain coming in the next few days. Hope to get another spawn going...

Aron