Death of female

[glolite]

I've had a pair of either electric blue haps or dwarf peacocks for about 6 weeks now. They paired well and the female was mouthbrooding for 3 weeks then she was spitting food from her gills. Nothing happened so I reckoned the first fry had been eated. Yesterday morning she was fine, eating hungrily and swimming normally. In the evening I went to feed them and she was dead, floating upside down on the surface and half her side eaten There are 2 bristle noses, madagascan rainbow fish and corydoras in the tank plus a recently added red-finned shark. I suspect the shark but could it have been the male cichlid. If definately the shark I will take it to the lfs for rehoming.

 

[vantgE]

Not sure why she died but if the shark is compatible with the rest of the fish take out the male african as it isn't really. Is this the first time she bred. Breeding is very stressfull with only one female for one male consistent breeding could easily kill her itself. Did you notice anything else wrong, possibly bloat? the diests of all these fish don't exactly match up

 

[glolite]

Yes it was the first time she bred. She always ate hungrily apart from when she was mouthbrooding. I've been feeding them cichlid flake, higrow pellets for the bottom feeders and algae wafers for the BN's plus sometimes brineshrimp. Din't notice anything wrong with her. She always ate highgrow pellets most as do my other cichlids in other tanks, had the others since last November.

 

[freddyk]

It may have been the male - if he was interested in breeding and she obviously wouldn't be, he may take it out on her - one of the reasons Malawis are recommended in harems - they're not pairing fish. This is just a theory, of course.

 

[Soaup]

Also taking the female out while breeding into her own tank is supposed to be a major stress reducer, It will get her away from the agressive male. Just a lesson for next time? Sorry about your fish

 

[keane]

Also taking the female out while breeding into her own tank is supposed to be a major stress reducer, It will get her away from the agressive male. Just a lesson for next time? Sorry about your fish

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Learning quickly eh.

 

[Soaup]

I knew the basics, haha. Yeah im a novice when it comes to this fish thing but im enjoying the learning experience, i would consider a serious hobby out of this other then your usual display fish tank... Yeah.. what do you think.. Again my condolences for your fish i dont mean to steal your thread for my gain haha i appologize.

 

[glolite]

I knew the basics, haha. Yeah im a novice when it comes to this fish thing but im enjoying the learning experience, i would consider a serious hobby out of this other then your usual display fish tank... Yeah.. what do you think.. Again my condolences for your fish i dont mean to steal your thread for my gain haha i appologize.

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That's quite alright Soaup, we're all here to learn. I'm off to a fave lfs tomorrow which I know stocks electric blue haps (99.9% certain mines a hap ahli). Am thinking of getting around 3 more to see if I get some females so the male has a 'harem' as suggested. Are electric yellow labs a good tankmate or if not any suggestions for others please?

 

[freddyk]

Electric Yellows make good tankmates for them, as well as other smaller Haps and most Aulonocara.

 

[glolite]

Ok so on the advice from my lfs, the male is haplochromis fryeri, apparently hap ahlis are almost unheard of now as they are so rare. So I have 4 females. Added lots more rocks to my very well planted tank and am keep ing fingers crossed. Will keep you posted. PS freddyk, how come you were awake in our day time, |I thought you were from Canada, surely you sleep sometime, or were you on a nightshift?