Please Help Identify! I'm a beginner :/

[cichlid1409]

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[geoff_tropheus]

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[Darbex]

So, a few questions are unanswered:

What do I do with all the babies...I don't have room for more in my tank!? (does anyone usually want them (since they're not "purebred", or can I take them to a LFS for store credit?)
I would say just leave them survival of the fittest if you dont care. Most will be someones dinner.

And how many (babies) do they usually have?

Up to 30 assuming that they all make it and dont get eaten

Should I separate the mother (I only have an extra 5 gallon tank at this time...is it too small if she is the only one in there?)? She is only about 3-3.5" If so, when?

Only separate them if you want to keep them, if not then dont worry about it.

Is it true that FEMALE german red's, or red shoulder's do have red on their chest (assuming that's what this fish is)? I think I was misinformed by the guy at the fish store...but I would like to know from a more reliable source...you guys!!

Females of either can be a simple brown/silver to having some red in their bodies just depends.

Thanks a million!

Hope this helps. And Boo Aggies

[klwebb]

Is there anything I can look for as far as determining which male this female bred with? I have an OB peacock, a taiwan reef and a yellow blaze. Will it only breed with other PEACOCK cichlids? Or can it breed with other males...such as my yellow or white lab, red zebra (don't know their sex)? Thanks again to everyone for your help!

[Darbex]

To my knowledge they will only breed with other peacocks. The Taiwan reef and yellow blaze are both Haps. So more than likely the OB peacock is the father if that is the only peacock you have in there.

[Zulaab]

Klwebb -- It looks like to me you have a red shoulder peacock, but not pure. Reason I say this is because it has the red behind the shoulder there. Its okie, your OB Peacock is 99&#37; for sure the daddy to the offspring. She is holding babies. She will release them around day 22-25. She will spit at her size about 20 babies.. if she was fully grown or about 5" she will spit more than 30. I used to keep these types of fish and I reconize the female pattern except for the little red behind the shoulder. This usually means somewhere in the past something was mixed in and it made her show a little more color than usual. When holding she is going to hide. She will eat but you will not see it. Very secretive about it. She will not eat for the first two weeks. When she starts eating it will be all microscopic foods that the babies can eat in her mouth too.

All the babies but one or two will make it in a tank. If the female is not removed there is a very good chance you are going to lose most of them. If you have yellow Labs in the tank and they have babies -- their babies are more aggressive in hiding and pushing others out of their spots.

For now :) Keep smiling and enjoy the fun of watching :)

[klwebb]

Thanks everyone for all of your help! What do you guys think about the possibility of this fish carrying the multi catfish's babies? I just am wondering since the catfish was soooo fat one day and then not, then a day later is when i noticed that this female was hiding and might be holding.
Thanks,
Kristi