Two Holding What Todo?

[joshrm115]

I have two holding but I only have one quarantine tank, I plan on keeping all the fry so what should I do I can't put them both in there I don't want them to tear each other up how will I know when there really close to release???

 

[elisew]

How long have they been holding?

 

[rifty]

put em both in the holding tank they should avoid each other with enough hiding places or dividethe tank with a bit of netting?

 

[joshrm115]

One I know has been for at least 2 weeks and I suspected the other one but I confirmed it yesterday how fare along she is Idk and its only a 30 g holding tank it is fully cycled on stand by, but one of the cichlids is like 3 or 4 times bigger then the other one so I don't want the smaller one to stress. How will I know when there really close to releasing?

 

[elisew]

They tend to hold for around 4 weeks but can be stripped sooner, around the 18-21 days I think it is. When the eggs have hatched and the fry start getting bigger you will sometimes see the underneath of the chin area on the holding female look like it's going black.

If they've been holding for a couple of weeks already then I would do as rifty suggests and separate them to another tank then put back in the main tank once fry are spat.
Do make sure you feed the females well after they've spat the fry as it's a long time for the female not to have eaten while she's been holding

 

[joshrm115]

I striped the smaller female last night but the fry where attached to the egg still so I have them in a home aid tumbler right now fist time using it so I hope I works... wish me luck