A Lesson Learned

[Waterloo Kid]

I bought a breeding pair of Cutter's Cichlids (Cryptoheros spilurus sp. 'Cutteri') complete with approximately 50-60 wigglers approximately one month ago. All were placed in a hospital tank of 25 litres (the pfk cube that was given away a few months back). All was good for 4 weeks. I've kept the water parameters as stable as possible although recently I've started seeing slight traces of nitrate. No ammonia or nitrite due to a mature filter being used. The fry have been fed on baby brine shrimp and crushed flake and have grown well. The parents have behaved perfectly.

Last night the male was pestering the female a bit but no more than she has pestered him in the past. This morning I find the female severely beaten up and lying at the surface on top of some floating plants I put in for cover for the fry. At first I thought she was dead but she wasn't. The male had taken chunks out of her fins, side and lip. She's in a bad state. I guess he decided that it was time to increase the clan again when she had different ideas.

I had been pondering whether or not to place the parents in the main tank for about a week. It looks like I was a bit late. I was trying to keep the family together for as long as possible but I've overdone it. That, compounded by the very small tank size means I may well loose the female. All the fry are fine.

I've placed the male in the main tank and left the female to convalesce. She's capable of swimming and is currently hiding in a cave (a cup).

If she survives and I place her in the main tank in a couple of weeks will the male attack her again? It's a well planted 1.5m tank so she should be able to get away but I'm still concerned about the re-introduction.

Any thoughts?

WK

 

[ox5477]

You would honestly prob have to play it out by ear i guess. Your right that it was def the cramped quarters of the hospital tank that prob led to this attack. I assume that in a bigger space, the fish will be a little calmer and may even spawn again some day.... just gotta take it slow and see what happens

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Well, she has survived so far! She's been comprehensively beaten up. All of her fins are torn and her body is swollen slightly in places. She's swimming about OK and has started eating again.
The male is in the main tank now and has gone through somewhat of a dramatic transformation. Now he's away from the female he has completely changed colour! he was a very light blue with black stripes (I assume his breeding colours). Within a couple of hours he's turned yellowy brown with bright red fins with blue spangles on. His eyes are the brightest irridescent blue/green to. The female is still in her breeding colours, due to being with the fry I think.

All I need to do now is work out what to do with 60 fry!

WK

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yes the agression was most likely brought on by the crampt conditions you kept them in, its generally advised you have a 20-25gal long tank minimum instead of a 5gal tank. These fish are prolific breeders which breed very easily;

http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/b...chocentrus.html

A 5gal tank is not really large enough to raise 60 fry to a sellable size, if i were you i'd cull a large percentage of the fry to numbers which you can raise and handle a lot easier. Either that, or i'd advise getting a tank of around 15-20gallons to raise all the fry in.
Always research fish thoroughly before you buy them and make sure you keep them in ideal conditions which attend to all their basic needs, and be wary about the breeding abilities of certain fish etc.
The female should get better with lots of small regular water changes and some Melafix and StressCoat dechlorinator.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

I knew all about these fish before getting them. They were only in that tank for a quarantine period. I had planned on putting the parents in the main tank but left it too late unfortunately.

The fry will soon be split between a number of tanks to grow on. I suspect I will give them away to the lfs if I can't sell them.

For a prolific breeding species I haven't seen them in a lfs before.

WK