Tropheus question : First Time Tropheus Mothers Results

[oldgeezer]

My first colony of tropheus is starting to have fry and I have a queation?
I just found 1 fry in my tank. I can't tell for sure if any is packing or not. Is it comon to just have a few the first time or is this one that got away from the female or do you think that the others ate them ?
Please give me your advice.
Remember this is my first experience with tropheus fry

Thank you

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Tropheus question

I've seen these three things happen...

1.  First time mom spits only 3 or 4 fry.
2.  Mom spits all the fry, then sucks them all back in her mouth, repeat, repeat -- sometimes a couple would feel independent and dart away from her -- eventually all the fry are out and wandering around.
3.  Mom spits 1 or 2 fry one day, next day there are a few more in the tank, a couple days later there's a mob of fry.

Do they have lots of little nooks where they can hide?

[oldgeezer]

Re: Tropheus question

yes, I have alot of holy rock

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Tropheus question

Then it'll be up to you whether you pull them out or not.  As long as they have someplace to hide, you're probably fine leaving them alone.  Just my 2 cents. :)

But back to your original question...yes, sometimes there are only a couple fry the first time.

[fshfrk]

Re: Tropheus question

agree with geekgirl on everything she said. i think they do become better moms with every batch. more and more fry every time. if you have a over flow you might check it.  i always get fry out of mine. what kind of trophs do you have?

[oldgeezer]

Re: Tropheus question

I have several colonies, buy this lonely one is from a morango green. I will check my overflow to see if there is any more.  Thank you

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Tropheus question

They get better in time, and they hold more as they get bigger themselves.

If your letting Moms spit in the tank, you need to have as many hiding places as possible, or else they get snacked upon from time to time.

Petros love to eat Tropheus fry..I guess they look like NLS pellets to them or something..

[CichlidFan]

Re: Tropheus question

The last time I had a female holding, she eventually spit 16 fry, she did just as Geoff mentioned above, she'll spit them all out, and moments later suck them all back into her mouth. She did this over and over, until the fry got scattered througout the tank. The fry in my RedChimba tank, did not prosper well when water changes where done, it seems they are twice as likely to succum to the chimicals as the adults. Out of a dozen fry, I averaged only 4 or 5 making it to juvi size, (inch or better).

CF

[oldgeezer]

Re: Tropheus question : First Time Tropheus Mothers Results

I double my rocks so they will have more places to hide

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Tropheus question : First Time Tropheus Mothers Results

Oh, and you might not even be seeing all the fry that's in there.  With all your holey rock, it's very likely that there are fry in those holes that you haven't even seen yet.

I just moved a few pieces of the holey rock around in one of our tanks and was seriously surprised at how many fry were in there...I had no idea.