Stripping Fish

[FroggFrogg]

I stripped my first fish today! It was scary but had to be done, we are simply overrun with fry.

 

[dthoffsett]

Congrats. I know how you feel, the first time I stripped a fish I think I was more freaked out than she was.

 

[idlefingers]

sorry for what might be a dumb question, but what does "stripping fish" mean?

 

[FroggFrogg]

Well some fish are mouthbrooders which means taht they carry eggs in their mouth which are then fertilised. Then they turn into fish (still in the mouth). Stripping is the term used when you remove the eggs/fish by hand.
I wasn't that freaked actually out just a bit nervous. My boyfriend couldn't do it because he hates touching fish!

 

[idlefingers]

Wow! That does sound nerve-wrecking to do! Thanks for explaining it to me.

 

[FroggFrogg]

There are a couple of methods, the one i used is prising open the fishes mouth with something, in my case a pencil and tipping the babies out. The other method is forcing water through the gills so that the water flushes out the babies. I tried the second method but couldn't do it. But the pencil trick worked a treat! I wish i had taken pics or recorded it now!

 

[clareriley]

Congrats on your first strip, I stripped my P.Kingsizei the other day and it was my first time, i was shaking haha. I dont want to do it again though but this time it was a must.

 

[FroggFrogg]

We are getting overrun with hybrids so i may have to make this a regular thing to cull the young

 

[clareriley]

We are getting overrun with hybrids so i may have to make this a regular thing to cull the young

I havnt had to personally deal with hybrid fry yet but if I ever do which I probably will one day I will just put them back in the main tank. If I see them spawning to produce hybrids then I dont tranfer the holder to the holding tank.. its quite simple to me.

 

[FroggFrogg]

We don't remove the holding fish, she stays in our main (and only African) tank. i would say that about 50% of the fry survive once they are spat out so to speak!

 

[fry_lover]

So is "stripping" to prevent the female from starving to death? that i could understand

 

[FroggFrogg]

Well i guess that would be another reason to strip a fish but we've had fish hold for over a month and other than becoming thinner the female has suffered no long term effects.

 

[jgray152]

I had to strip my yellow lab a while ago. I have 4 fry in a 5 gallon. I hope they get big soon! They seem to be slow growers though

Glad you stripped successfully ....... The Fish.