suemack Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 discovered yesturday that my keyhole cichlids have eggs again - in one of the ornaments took some photos today and they look orangey coloured so far (shakey hand/excited mummy :lol: ) - sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 You're getting good with that camera sue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 Hi Sue I have bred these guys a couple of times of the past few months, Our ones spawned in a community tank and the parents looked after them very well... BUT I decided to remove them from the parents and raise them away from the all the other fish in the tank. I raised them in a 40 litre tank with a small amount of meth blue to keep on top of any fungus. They will take brine shrimp or finely crushed flake as a first food. They do take a while to grow. Good luck /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 Thanks Bruce - these are just babies still (only their 2nd lot of eggs) in a 29 gall community tank (cories, kuhlis, an apistogramma borellii, guppies and neons). they are keeping the others away from the 1/2 tank they are guarding. I think they laid the eggs Friday am - it's about 4 days to hatching isn't it (if they are fertile) Can you tell from the photo if they are M & F? I'm still not sure. thanks Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 here is a better photo of the two of them together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 From that pic I would have first said they are both males but since you have eggs... :lol: The one at the back is the female and the front is a male. Males have slightly longer dorsal and anal fins. Looking at them, see how the anal fin on the back fish lines up with the end of the caudal (tail) fin but the fish in the front has an anal fin extending past its caudal. That is just my opinion of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 thanks Caryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Hi Sue Hatching time is temperate dependant to some degree But 4-5 days would be pretty close, they seem to take a long time before they are free swimming. Good Luck BTW I couldnt really see the diffrence between our male and female apart from the female was slightly smaller than the male Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 eggs gone - moral of today's lesson - leave the poor little fishes in peace when they are doing intimate things (i.e don't take photos every 3 mins).......... still - they have laid twice, so will probably do it again - sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Bad Luck The good news is yes they will go again... probably :-) Maybee its worth setting them up in their own tank ? /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 how big a tank would they need to be in Bruce? At present they are in a 36 x 15 x 15 inch well planted tank with 3 cories, kuhlis, an apistogramma, 6 neons and a few guppies - they are definately the top fish of the tank - no-one came near when they were guarding the eggs. thanks - sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted December 4, 2003 Report Share Posted December 4, 2003 Hi Sue They dont need a lot of room, if they were in by themselves then a 24x18 inch tank should be fine something around 50 litres Cheers /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted December 4, 2003 Report Share Posted December 4, 2003 I bread myne in a 24 x 12 x 12 Like Bruce said, long time to grow. Hard to tell the sex difference, other than it's the female wot lays the eggs. My male was bigger than his mate. Hope you haven't got two females. have you had any hatch out or were they eaten as eggs the first time. Leave them in with the other fish, then you wont have to worry about "dither fish". Goodluck Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted December 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2003 thanks Bruce and Alan - the only other tank available is the 10 gallon (18x12x12) and thought that might be a bit small for them ...... unless.... :roll: That is how I ended up getting a 29 gall tank last time - :lol: sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted December 4, 2003 Report Share Posted December 4, 2003 Naughty naughty no more tanks Sue But then it it Xmas time isn't it. mmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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