Rainbiow Cichlid Help

[Rainbowneil]

I have a couple of questions regarding my rainbow cichlids.... Hopefully someone can help me out

My pair of rainbows laid eggs a few weeks back. They hatched a few days later and since then they have been doing fine. All was well and fry seemed to be gaining confidence and were happily free swimming under close watch of the mother. Over the last week i saw her let them do their own thing (ie not collecting them in her mouth and moving them.) and paying less attention to them. Sunday night she didnt seem interested in them at all. Last night i returned home from work and couldnt find any fry! Closer inspection i found the odd one or two swimming around on their own but they didnt look that great.

Last night saw the pair laying another batch of eggs. This time probably about 200 eggs They were at it for about an hour

Would the parents have eaten them in preperation for the new batch or will they be hiding somewhere i cant see them? Shoudl i have seperated the fry once the mother lets them be?

 

[shroob]

I would have thought the parents ate them. Sometimes with new parents this happens, or it may have been a case of the parents got ready to spawn again, ate their other young and laid new eggs.

 

[Rainbowneil]

Thats what i had feared Silly fish!

Oh well like i said though there must be at least 200+ eggs this time. Think i'll set up my little tank again for when these fry are free swimming. Is there a timescale for seperating them from the parents?

 

[jayjay]

Separate them whenever you want really, but don't leave it too late or they will be gone again. I prefer to remove the fry when they are free swimming however as the parents do a better job than most people could.