Kenyi Breeding!

[Raul]

Since I am new to my mbuna tank, just had it for 4 months, and today I catch the kenyi breeding since I saw them dancing in top of a rock how the male starts vibrating and showing the female the anal fin with the dot and then how the female drops and egg and then catch it with her mouth, also all the synos started hounding them I assume to see if they can catch an egg, the male doing a good job to keep everyone away.

But my question is how long it takes to see fry and also well the problem I have I am traveling during Christmas and well a neighbor is going to drop by every couple of days to look at the tank but technically I do not have a mean to take care of the female kenyi, feeding is being done by the eheim automatic feeder, should I just let nature take it course and see if any fry survives. Also can i keep doing normal water changes during this time since I know now the female is holding ?

[jose1204]

If I'm right the female is going to hold for 2 weeks... but I could be wrong

[moganman]

2 weeks is a bit soon. Strip after 3 weeks. Depending on when they first bred, she should be ready to stripped around the 21st of this month. Even before then could be ok, if the egg sacks have shrunk by then. Getting an automatic feeder should be a good idea. Goodluck.

[Raul]

what about water changes, should i keep doing weekly ? every time i do the water changes the fish get spooked would that mess with the female holding ?

[Mandocruz06]

no it should be fine from what ive heard its good for them

[tunedis95]

I do water changes once a month if even that now. My tank has been so stable. I do change my filters out every other week along with charcoal. Water does not smell and water crystal clear.

[Raul]

i just came back from Vacation, 20 days out, I was kind of nervous leaving the tank only with the eheim feeder, and well the Kenyi still holding but it looks soon is going to let them free, but I was also suspicious of a "lab hongi" that it appears it was holding but was not sure, and sure it was now I am seeing some hongi fry swimming and hiding, it seems they are not that tiny anymore.

I assume any fry that are left and hiding have a pretty good chance of surviving, I will do the same with the kenyi fry and see how it goes.