P. Taeniatus ' Moliwe ' Spawning

[cdawson]

I recently got my pair to spawn and I thought they took an abnormal amount of time to hatch and become free swimming. That was when I actually noticed the fry, the mother had been molly-coddling them so much she wasn't allowing them to leave the nest. By the time she finally allowed them to leave they were HUGE. Has anyone elses Taeniatus parents done this before?
If this is normal I'm going to need to start pulling their batches and artificially hatching them, because at this point there are only 10 fry left.

 

[Randall]

Breeding Pelvicachromis taeniatus

Hello CD,

How much time transpired from the point when the female vanished into her cave and the point when she led the fry out? Also, what temperature is the water, please?

Thanks!

Randall Kohn

 

[cdawson]

She was guarding the cave for about a a week and a half, and the temperature is a about 78 right now. The fry were absolutely huge though, they're about 3x the size of an apisto fry or even an angelfish fry!

 

[Randall]

Spawning Pelvicachromis taeniatus

Hello CD,

At about 78 degrees F, 10 days is about right from the time the eggs are laid until the female leads the fry outside the cave. Also, as you note, Pelvicachromis spp. fry are generally much larger than Apistogramma spp. fry., so enjoy!

Good luck!

Randall Kohn