Cockatoo Cichlid fry in a commuity tank

[Griz]

My latest batch of fry has now made it 2 weeks since I first noticed them at the free swimming stage. I have a trio of Cockatoos that breed regularly but none have made it more than just a few days before becoming fish food. These guys are now 1/4 inch long and there are 10-12 remaining. The female is the stronger more dominant of the two and she has been doing an outstanding job of protecting her young against my firehead tetras, neons, pencilfish and cordoras. She has kept everone else out of nearly half of the 33 gal tank.

If anyone has successfully raised Cockatoo fry in a community tank I would love to hear from you.

 

[Griz]

4 days later...

I counted 8 today. Anyone have advice as to if they should be removed? The female seems to be paying a lot of attention to the male today. Doing a lot of flirting. I'm concerned that she may lay eggs again and lose interest in her fry. I do have a 15 gallon that I could set up for them but if I'm going to do it, I need to get cracking. Any thoughts?

 

[pnyklr3]

My thoughts: Clone your tank and get the 15 up and running as a grow out tank. Depending on how many fry you save from other batches, this will be no where near enough room. My breeder was growing hundreds of fry out in 2 large tanks (one 55 and one 75 gallon). You can always give the free swimming fry a few days in the community tank until the numbers have weeded out a bit, then move the survivors; they will be the smarter and stronger ones of the bunch.

 

[Griz]

We counted 13 today! We are cloning the 15gal and getting it ready for them but we will be leaving them in the community tank for a while longer since they seem to be getting along just fine in there. pnyklr3, your suggestion of allowing their numbers to get down is a good one, I don't know what I would do with a dozen of them.

I'm really quite surprised that they have made it this far. Mom is one very tough fish!

 

[Griz]

Six weeks later...

I couldn't resist adding this update

I tried to remove the surviving fry using a syphon tube but it proved impossible. They slowly got picked off over the next few weeks and I figured that none had made it.

The female now has a new batch of fry that became free swimming four days ago. There are at least thirty. While watching them, I spotted a small cockatoo, about 3/4" long!!! He is hiding in an Amazon sword plant against the back of the tank. It took a moment for me to realize what I was seeing. So one of them made it. Very cool. B)

We'll see if any make it from the new batch. I rearranged the tank a bit since her last spawn to help her defend them. [fingers crossed]

 

[modernhamlet]

Six weeks later...

I couldn't resist adding this update

I tried to remove the surviving fry using a syphon tube but it proved impossible. They slowly got picked off over the next few weeks and I figured that none had made it.

The female now has a new batch of fry that became free swimming four days ago. There are at least thirty. While watching them, I spotted a small cockatoo, about 3/4" long!!! He is hiding in an Amazon sword plant against the back of the tank. It took a moment for me to realize what I was seeing. So one of them made it. Very cool. B)

We'll see if any make it from the new batch. I rearranged the tank a bit since her last spawn to help her defend them. [fingers crossed]

Congrats on the survivor and on your new spawn, griz! I'm really looking forward to getting apistos.

 

[pnyklr3]

That is def good news! Glad to hear that they are culled (so that you aren't over-run) but that at least one made it! He's going to be a tough bugger!

 

[Griz]

He certainly is a survivor!

Since I've been watching him these past few days I've discovered some of his hiding spots. It will be interesting to see how he or she develops. Hopefully a few from the new batch will make it too, I have a tank ready for them.

Cheers

 

[Seb R]

good luck with getting a couple of nice babies out of it. When I first saw my female's batch of 70 I was a bit taken aback to say the least , I think it is probably best to always leave them to fend for themselves, now I have 7 happy and colourful apisto babies, with a LFS happy to take them : )

 

[jollysue]

So cool! I hope one of my ladies is a tough one, too