Kribensis Breeding Problems

[kribensis12]

I've got a breeding pair of Kribensis Cichlids. The problem is this: they breed, they take excellent care of their eggs, excellent care of their wrigglers - yet their wrigglers die every time.

I know what you're thinking - they are eating them. Unfortunately the solution does not appear to be that simple. Their babies are literally just dying on their own - for example, I'm looking into their cave right now and 90% of their wrigglers (3 days old) are dead and just sitting there. Barely any are alive - the parents are not eating them because they still think that they are alive.

Any thoughts of what might be causing this? I've thought genetics might be an issue but these fish are not siblings.

Tank Stats: 10 gallon, filtered, amazon sword plant, no tank mates.

I no longer own a test kit, but last time the water parameters were checked they read:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 30

I do frequent water changes and I do not over feed. Every batch of babies they have die around the 3rd day - they are very active wrigglers and eventually just stop moving and die.....

Any suggestions on what the problem might be?

 

[betta fish]

Hi, sorry to hear this, it would be best to invest in another test kit (liquid not strips) as you need to know the water quality, fry are much more sensitive than adults to changes also a 10 gallon is rather small to breed kribs I have done so a couple of times but in a 23 gallon.
It could be that you are changing out too much of the water whilst the fry are still young I would avoid large water changes or any changes at all until they are a week old at least and then very small ones that are temp matched and dechlorinated, but the problem here being a smaller tank means everything is much more sudden for them, also are they being fed yet? they will need small foods like baby brine shrimp or microworms once they are starting to eat.

 

[kribensis12]

I do not do the water changes while the babies are in the tank. I do water changes around every 2 weeks - I have taken a several year hiatus on fishkeeping, but I am just getting back into it which is why I have not purchased my own test kit again.

I realize that a 10g tank is not large enough to keep the babies in - I have a separate tank for the fry once they are large enough to transfer. Breeding tanks are typically small, so a 10g tank does not really have much of an affect on the parents or babies. I am aware of the babies dietary needs but as of yet they have not lived long enough to actually eat food.

So, assuming that why water quality has not changed since last being test - which is reasonable because I have a very consistent regimen with feeding, water changes etc. and I have a large Amazon sword which helps maintain the water chemistry.

With that being said, if the water quality is not the issue (and it seems to be unlikely), what else can I do to avoid these fry from dying because they can even swim?

 

[kribensis12]

I'm not sure if it helps anyone solve the problem, but it seems to me that these fry are not leaving the wriggler stage. It's been a while but from what I remember it takes roughly 2-3 days to become free-swimming. While most of the fry are dead (and yet still being guarded by the parents - freaky), those that are still alive are on day 4 and are still not free swimming.

Typically wriggling only happens because the yolk-sac weighs too much so its probably unrelated, but I do find this to be odd.

Any other suggestions on what could be the problem here?