Mama Yellow Lab Killing Babies? Advice Asap Please

[nitey4ever]

My mama yellow lab had been holding for a few weeks, and of course I forgot to keep track of when I noticed. Well, Saturday (2 days ago) I got a fish net breeder (boxy shape with a net thing that goes over the frame...) and put mama in there. Well, I got her in there just in time cuz she started spitting the fry out yesterday. But, she seems to be killing them all! I just came home for lunch and checked, and there's 6 dead fry at the bottom of the net. One was alive yesterday, then I looked a few minutes later just as she ate it (ewww). That's the only live one I've seen so far. The rest I just find when they're dead.

I don't think she's spitting out dead babies...pretty sure she's killing them. How do I stop this!?! I want my babies to live. I can't let her roam free because she doesn't hide in any of the caves, and there's 5 other full grown cichlids in the tank (one pretty agressive). Would it help if I add a bit of plant to float around the top to give the fry somewhere to hide?

Anyway, any help is much appreciated. Thanks

 

[guppy_man]

i think you should of left the female in the tank, without moving her, when the babies are free she would of escorted them to a hiding place, where she would look after them, and fend off any other cichlid, you probably stressed her by moving her to the breeder net, another way you could of saved the babies, is you could of moved the female when you first saw her holding, to another tank, until she spits the fry, that would of been the ideal option.

next time, if you do wats stated above, then you will probably have lots of fry , better luck next time.

 

[nitey4ever]

i think you should of left the female in the tank, without moving her, when the babies are free she would of escorted them to a hiding place, where she would look after them, and fend off any other cichlid, you probably stressed her by moving her to the breeder net, another way you could of saved the babies, is you could of moved the female when you first saw her holding, to another tank, until she spits the fry, that would of been the ideal option.

next time, if you do wats stated above, then you will probably have lots of fry , better luck next time.

First experience with cichlid fry...how can you tell? It actually surprised me to find out mama was holding. I hadn't seen anyone paying particular attention to her, and I hadn't exactly been keeping ideal conditions in my tank. And from my understanding, you really need to keep ideal conditions to breed cichlids...right?

I only have 6 cichlids...my mama yellow lab, 2 small yellow labs (bout inch and a half to 2 inches), 1 brown one (not sure what kind), and 2 um...cobalt blue with dark stripes? (looked them up before but found like 4 different names). I've seen the 2 blue ones doing their little flirting dance, but other than that, I have no idea what sexes I have, or who the daddy might be. Just curious, if it was the brown one, what color would the babies have been? Or the blue ones for that matter... Overall...what determines the babies' colors when the parents aren't the same kind?

It has crossed my mind to get another tank for segregation (whatever the reason may be). As for my current situation, I turned the breeder net upside down, and let mama and 1 live fry out a little while ago. I figured the fry has a better chance for survival with plants and rocks to hide in. Mama's pouch is definitely dwindling, but unless cichlids have dark colored tongues, I think she still has some fry in there. Hopefully this wasn't all for naught.

I'll see about getting another tank soon. But would it be unreasonable to only have a 5 gallon for segregation purposes? I'm in a very small apartment, and a 10 gallon really would be too big (I had two 10 gallons before my 55 so I know how big they are). If there's only going to be 1 fish in there at a time (hopefully) shouldn't 5 be enough? Opinions?

 

[BiffMalawi]

Labs can be insanely easy to breed. Once they hit the right size 1.5" - 2" off they go. I let mine spit in the tank as I already have my limit. With lots of decor some always survive.

I think the 5g might do if you are careful. Labs generally hold for 21 or more days. I would pop momma into the 5g as late as possible. Maybe at 21 days or when you see the first fry. You could always strip her at this time too. I have never done it, but some here have and it sounds doable.

 

[Druchii]

are you sure they are being killed by the mum or by the fish in the main tank going up against the net?

I lost 40 fry once becuase of this.... never again.