HELP! Big Mistake with my Sajicas!

[sub.42]

Help!

Have done something really silly with my breeding Sajicas, and am now paranoid shes gonna eat em.

I accidentally turned her nesting site over when cleaning the gravel next to her nest site. I pulled over her bogwood with the egde of my small net, and now shes gone mental taking the little blighters into her mouth. Has she eaten them or is she just trying to move them?

I tried to put it back, and both her and her partner attacked ME!

Managed to turn the wood over with the net, but what is she likley to do?

Damn and blast...any ideas anybody?

Sad Sub.

 

[sub.42]

Twenty fraught mins later... She's moving them away from danger!

I have watched her, and shes moving them well out of reach around the back of my rocks. She dropped one, and I thought she would miss it, but after a few return trips she saw it and took it too the new hidey hole around the back.

Guess I answered my own question then eh?

Just how aggressive are these little monsters! She wanted the end of my finger!

Fun Fun Fun.....

Sub.

 

[rvm]

if you do that, then they will be aggressive!!
She'll defend her babies with her life, so best to just leave her alone!!

 

[sub.42]

Thanks rvm, It's all very new to me.

Still, as a few have said, they must be happy enough to be getting on with it. I think they are a very beautiful fish, if a little aggro orientated...

Seem to be getting on with my Jade-eyes and my rainbows however, save for the territorial warnings.... They just really don't like my plecs!

Just managed a snide water change, without them seeing. Will have to leave the detritus until they finish moving or doing whatever they are up to. Have you any idea how long until they are all free swimming, there were some unhatched eggs, and a few tiddlers about 4mm long. All this breeding stuff is ok when the villains don't beat the rest of the tank up when they are doing it.

Going to try to take my plecs out now, boy are they getting it! Daddy Saj is just soooooooooooooo cross!

I can see a specimen tank coming.....

Not what I really wanted, but then it's another excuse for that Rio 400

Sub.

 

[rvm]

when they become free swimming, thats when you'll see the real aggression!! usually about a week or so from laying, then the parents will move them about the tank and get feisty with any other fish in their way.
I have to say I've not had anyreal problems from my Sajicas especially to the plecs, they just chase the others off, then go back to the babies.

 

[sub.42]

Errrr, Naaah. Mine take it in turns to beat the plecs relentlously. Hence the reason for me fishing them out a few mins ago.

Now both in the quarantine tank until I decide what to do with them. Still, the lone severum baby thinks the new company is good fun.

Mum has now moved all of the fry around the back of a huge pice of bogwood, and is scoffing her dinner. Peace at last.

Well, until all the food gets chomped, then we will go back to hunt the plecs, except they are no longer there!

Who's next I wonder...

Sub.

 

[mwm]

Sub 42 i hear when they are breeding you can touch the babies! Give it a try!




DONT LISTEN TO ME!!!!! My old con tried to bit me when he was breeding fish turn nasty when they breed

 

[dothedew]

What you could do is cut holes in a ping pong ball and drop it in the tank. It sinks to the bottom and cichlids think that it's threatening their babies, so they push that around.

 

[mathman]

I am totally new to agressive fish. Had a blast reading the topic! Wife and i felt like we were reading a stand up comedy routine!

Can you post a pic of the little monsters?

 

[Dwarfs]

What you could do is cut holes in a ping pong ball and drop it in the tank. It sinks to the bottom and cichlids think that it's threatening their babies, so they push that around.

Talk about stress Do you plan on keeping the fry Sub.42? Good luck

 

[sub.42]

Hi Guys!

Well, had some real fun yesterday.

Decided that I was going to remove the fry from the tank. Sat and wondered how many fry there would be, and tried to figure out how to get Mum & Dad Saj away for long enough to net the little critters.

Just how wrong was I!!!!!!

Now that Bogwood Central is no longer their home (more on that later), and they reside in the corner, by the filter, behind the bigger bit of Bogwood, I thought I was safe to take a look....

One scrubbed pair of arms and a net later, in I went.

Two and a half seconds later, out I take them....

AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!

I'm now banned from my own tank by a three and four inch long pair of the fish mafia!

There was nothing else for it but to just go in there with all guns blazing.

And a portion of blood worm and brine shimp....

Mad and territorial they may be, but the lure of the juicy grub was all too much for her concentration...and she is the ring leader.

Me 1
Saj and Co 0

Now about thirty fry in breeder, and one happy me.

Only one little problem now...Two jade eyes shacked up in previous Saj residence, making spawning noises.

Seems Bogwood Central is going to be a problem.

I'll post pics once my new camera decides to like my PC.

Sub.

 

[rvm]

Ahhh the joys of owning and breeding cichlids!!!!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Thats a great story sub. These cichlids can be a handful at times. My red devil used to try to kill the gravel vac every time I vaccumed. And he wasnt even breeding. He also used to nibble on my finger if I stuck it in the tank.