Fear strikes!

[ancientaquarist]

Dear Randall and All- My 6.5 week old Pelv. pulcher fry are getting enormous (some males 1.4")eating like big piggies. Meanwhile Mom and Pop are coloring up and she's filling with eggs. So far they treat their brood (23 in all) like the other dithers BUT I'm afraid after they spawn there's going to be trouble.

If I had the room I'd get another large tank and set it up as largely African
and move the parents-but there ain't no more room. Any suggestions? Am I being fearful for no reason? :lol: These are the first African cichlids I've ever bred and they've been sentional parents. A pair of taeniatus are en route from Neil and they'll go in the 150. When I have the room I'd like to set up a tank of bogwood and anubias spp.

I can't wait to get the new book as I find this group of fishes look like African art and masks and the colors are staggering. They also have
tremendous, sinuous grace. They aren't super peaceful but are no worse than my Bolivian Rams-just bigger.

A final question. I keep seeing photos identified as a xanthistic form of Etroplus maculatus but I don;t even see the normal form for sale. They were the last cichlids I bred (1961) and were outstanding parents though they did dig around in the substrate. Does anyone know where I could find 6 youngsters of this xanthistic morph? I could set up a 29 gallon just for them and some other labarynth fishes. I do miss my gouramies very much-especially leeri and hunny dwarfs.

TIA
The undaunted

 

[Randall]

Growing out Pelvicachromis pulcher

Hello Undaunted,

That's great news about your Pelvicachromis fry. The adult pair will probably treat the large fry like conspecifics when they set up shop again and chase them. If the tank is large enough, this may not pose too much of a problem. If the tank is not large enough, however, I smell trouble. It might be a good idea to either remove the existing fry to separate quarters or, conversely, remove the parents before they spawn again.

I'm not familiar with a xanthistic form of Etroplus maculatus; so, sorry, I can't help you there. Perhaps someone else in the forum can.

Good luck!

All the best,

Randall Kohn