Surprise Kribensis Fry! Some Advise Please...

[lizfletcher]

Dear All
I have just discovered my pair of kribensis have produced some fry, they are pretty tiny maybe 3-4mm!! The little ones are in the kribensis cave with mum who is highly defensive, dad is under a rock thing and not hugely involved. Only problem is they are in a community tank with a large angel, some scissortails, some dennyson rasboras, 2 cordy's, a plec and a female apistogramma, I'm afraid they'll get eaten if they venture out of the cave!! Anyone have some good ideas of how to make them safer?? I was thinking about getting a floating fry tank but how do I get them in there without putting them at risk/harming them??? I don't unfortunately have a spare tank to transfer them to. Alternatively we could try to get some perspex to separate off part of the tank?
Your thoughts please
Thanks!
Liz

 

[Colin_T]

The parents will probably keep them safe until they are big enough to look after themself. And if a few get eaten by the other tank mates, it will mean there are less to get rid of afterwards. A perspec or glass partition can be used but it often stresses the parents if you make the section too small.
If you have a few plants in the tank then most of the fry should be fine and grow up in the tank with everyone else.

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

i have had 2 sets of fry in a month,they will start swimming all over the tank.what will be will be,dont move them from mam n dad,they like the bull terriers of the fish world,nothing will go near them,but a lot of them will get eaten,theres about a dozen off the first batch left and they grow really fast,all spoty mine.there must be a 100 in the other batch..good luck with them,,,kenny

 

[lizfletcher]

Hi Colin and Kenny
Unfortunately I went out for a few hours, to get some food for the fry and maybe a floating tank, only to return to NO fry whatsoever! I was very upset, I don't know who ate them, the male kribensis was out and about (he had been hiding earlier) and the female was still defending the cave. Nature certainly wasn't kind this time. Thanks for your posts and advice. I wonder what I can do in the future to prevent such a sad outcome?
Liz

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

oh no,i cant understand that,i bet they are hid away,they move them about mines all fine and i have big fish in there.fingers crossed they will be in there,,good luck,,kenny

 

[mattbond]

iv heard that parents sometimes eat thier 1st batch of eggs/fry whilst they are learning?
someone correct me if im wrong?

 

[Colin_T]

No need to correct you Mr. Bond , many cichlids eat their first few batches of fry. It is a learning experience and often takes 3 or 4 attempts before they stop eating the young and allow them to grow up. It is caused by the fry wriggling about and looking like food. And also when baby cichlids are reared up without their parents they don't get to learn about family life. Then when the babies have grown up and breed, they don't know what to do so they eat the eggs and fry.
Eventually most prs work it out but sometimes they don't. If a pr of cichlids have bred more than 6 times but persist in eating the eggs or young, then it is best to separate the pr and try new partners with them, or just get rid of them.

 

[kribensis12]

I wouldnt say it was the male kribs fault. If may have just been a angel or something. Ik that when i keep fry in breeding traps , i have to do it in a angel-less tnak, they become monsters and suck them out of the sides. So, all the angel needs was one swoop and no more fry. Ofcourse, the fry may be hiding and you cant see them. But cichlids , usually on thier first try, eat the eggs or the fry. Just hope for the best next time.

 

[mattbond]

thanks very much...i feel knowledgable now lol

does anyone else find that the male kribensis never look as good as they do in the books ? my female is really pretty but my male has quite a drab body

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

my mails really nice,i cant get photos,on again or i would post them with there fry,i do hope you have better luck next time,my other femails ready to go again shes stunning,i have fry all over the place,,kenny

 

[kribensis12]

Males can be " pretty" depends on genetics really.

 

[mattbond]

his front fins are a lovely blue though

im hoping to continue breeding them to find the best colour

 

[lizfletcher]

So I thought I'd have another look just in case and there they were swimming around under mum outside of the cave!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it! They seem tiny though, I reckon there is about 20 little fellas! Bad news is daddy kribensis does not seem well. I found him this morning up by the filter gulping like crazy, he seems to have pop eye. I have sectioned him off in a net tank. He is not interested in his family I've done a 10% water change and will do one daily for a while.

Thanks for posting to make me check again! Feel a bit stupid really but tis the joys of fish keeping I guess! BTW my male krib is a beauty, if he gets better I'll take a photo and post it.

Many thanks for your support.

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

there you go,mine get moved all over the place.never assume the worst,

 

[kribensis12]

So I thought I'd have another look just in case and there they were swimming around under mum outside of the cave!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it! They seem tiny though, I reckon there is about 20 little fellas! Bad news is daddy kribensis does not seem well. I found him this morning up by the filter gulping like crazy, he seems to have pop eye. I have sectioned him off in a net tank. He is not interested in his family I've done a 10% water change and will do one daily for a while.

Thanks for posting to make me check again! Feel a bit stupid really but tis the joys of fish keeping I guess! BTW my male krib is a beauty, if he gets better I'll take a photo and post it.

Many thanks for your support.

Told ya! PICS?