They've Gone And Spawned

[AmazonFTW]

They've been gearing up to it for over a week now and at last the eggs have been/are being layed. I have no idea how many there are as they are in a cave. Does anyone know how many they lay and what the likely number to survive will be? Also can I take the eggs out (they are on a piece of slate) and put them into my 18x12x12" tank, also would I have to catch the parents? Any information on this species is welcome, even if it isn't just about breeding because other than size there is very little information around.

Thank You,
AmazonFTW

 

[star4]

If you want to move the eggs and raise the fry you can without moving the parents. Set up your fry tank with a very slow filter, sponge filter is best but I have raised fry with an aquaball with a stocking over it. You will need an airline or direct the flow from the filter over the eggs so simulate the parents fanning the eggs. You will also need an eye dropper or the little pipette from medicene to remove any eggs that turn white else you could loose the whole batch. You are best setting up a bare bottom tank and do daily wc once the fry hatch.

 

[AmazonFTW]

If you want to move the eggs and raise the fry you can without moving the parents. Set up your fry tank with a very slow filter, sponge filter is best but I have raised fry with an aquaball with a stocking over it. You will need an airline or direct the flow from the filter over the eggs so simulate the parents fanning the eggs. You will also need an eye dropper or the little pipette from medicene to remove any eggs that turn white else you could loose the whole batch. You are best setting up a bare bottom tank and do daily wc once the fry hatch.

Sounds like hard work, I think I may leave the parents to do their part of fanning and just take the fry out when they hatch. Also, is setting up a brine shrimp hatchery necessary or do I have another option? And as I have never used a brine shrimp hachery before how long prior to the fry hatching do I have to set it up? Finally, how long do the eggs take to hatch?

Thanks star for your fast reply,
AmazonFTW

 

[star4]

It is hard work raising fry by hand, but rewarding too as the parents may eat the fry after a few days. On average you are looking 2-4 days for the eggs to hatch. I am going on figures from the cichlids I have bred BTW not bred cutteri myself. A brine shrimp hatchery is not really necessary as there are baby foods you can buy on line. Decapsulated brine shrimp is good, tetra to a first bites, I have used a pill crusher and crushed up tetra prima to a powder, thats pretty good. To start feeding you need to really wait till the egg sacks have gone, if you are leaving them with the parents dont really worry as I have seen mine chew up pellet and spit it out for the fry. If you are removing the fry once they are free swimming, then use decapsulated brine shrimp or crush finely tetra prima or even cichlid pellet. The will be ready to take food at between 5-7 days once the egg sack has been used up. Once you remove the fry you will still need daily wc to keep the tank clean as lots of food goes uneaten and they poop constantly!


Any other questions I should be back later, going to do wc now kids are asleep .