tinytawnykitten Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 I have a malawi tank and I am still pretty new to the game. They aren't breeding at all and I guess I thought they would. I don't particularly want them to breed because it is not as if I would take any fry out of the tank, but I am just wondering if there is something wrong which is making them not hook up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 A few questions first.. What fish do you have? How old are they? How many fish do you have in the tank? How big is the tank? Do you have males and females in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted September 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 I have 4 electric yellows (which I have just seen spawning minutes ago, making this post somewhat redundant now anyway), 5 large male peacocks, 4 female peacocks, 8 mixed cobalt blues, 1 male comp, 1 male fryeri, a pictus cat, and a BGK. The tank is 230-240L, age of fish, don't know sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 Maybe they are spawning, and just eating the eggs before you notice them. Lots of fish seem to spawn at dawn. Also, if there's nothing to induce a spawn (water change, pH change, feeding changes, light etc), they often wont. Good luck with the yellows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant N Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 I had a about 3 months of no activity from the bricardi ,then wammo! three seperate spawnings one after the other , sometimes a big water change can spark them off, sometimes males of similar species can disrupt courtship. Spring is here....you never know.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 Good work on the yellow's I remember what you've got now.. lol Sorry been a bit out of touch lately.. Your peacocks are all random females, but the males should be trying to spawn with them, are the fryeri (known for being troublesome during spawning) or the eye biter more dominant than the peacock males? Maybe the cobalts need to mature a bit more? I have found the females had to be a good 5cm's plus for them to start breeding and holding successfully.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted September 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 The eye biter isn't coloured up and he is pretty chilled out (if not a little goofy with his big stupid face) and I haven't seen the fryeri displaying any aggression. Perhaps it is the PH which is low, around 7.2. I have silica sand as substrate, one piece of coral, a large piece of driftwood (which I guess doesn't help but the GBAs (forgot to mention 4 little GBAs) like it and it looks nice) and I am not sure about my rocks. They have what looks like fossilised shells in them and I thought they were lime rock? - Should I raise my PH? - How long will she hold for? Should I try and move her into a guppy breeder? It would be kind of nice to raise the fry seeing they are definitely not hybrids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 They would probably prefer a higher ph but if they're happy then don't mess with it, it will probably be more hassle than its worth and you might end up with fluctuations which will be worse.. They should all live happily and breed at 7.2.. She should hold for 3weeks+ if you dont strip her, guppy trap or anything floating in the tank is not a good idea. If that comp see's them he will try anything to eat them including sucking them through holes or netting or jumping in... Probably best if you want to keep any to put her in her own tank to spit or strip her after 2 and a half weeks if any get spat into your tank they will likely get eaten by the fryeri or comp.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted September 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 I don't have a spare filter or pump for my little teeny tiny spare tank at the moment, what if I put her in a guppy breeder (actually it's bigger than that, one of the 1/2/3 sectioned betta displays) in my community tank? There are only tetras in there at the moment and hopefully they wouldn't be interested in her in the betta box. And I could buy a filter in the meantime and move her into the spare tank once it's set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Personally I wouldn't move her, if she is just chilling out in the tank then leave her alone, if she's getting beaten up or a hard time then take her out. Only move her to strip her or to place her in the tank she is going to spit in moving her too often is alot of stress and might cause her to spit early. All you need to do is to remove her or strip her babies into something that has no holes in it. You can make something small as an ice cream container, bucket, vege bin etc etc etc to stick the babies in in your tank until you can setup your other tank.. Just remember to cover it (have it floating upto the glass tank lids) and do water changes on it to keep the water sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firenzenz Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 A sponge filter in a small 10-15ltr tank and a little heater will be fine for fry/female tank. Wait 2 weeks and put your mum in there and she will spit her brood in safety when she's ready, and saves you stripping . Are you doing anything to induce breeding. Decent water change and temp change work for me. And patience, sometimes they just need time to grow up enough to breed successfully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 It is day 19 and I just made my first attempt at stripping. I felt really mean. She only released one fry who is happily swimming around, but she won't give up any more, no matter how hard I tried, so I have put the one fry and mama into the spare tank, and will wait til she spits I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 lol its all technique for you and the fish Don't stress it you need to learn how much to open their mouths and if you open their mouth and dunk them in and out of the water it washes the babies out, should only take 1-2 goes to get them all once you're good at it I think it feels mean too but am happy to do it so the fish don't get as run down holding forever and potentially get wasted by the males.. Yes you can remove them but then you have trouble when you reintroduce them 6 of 1 half dozen of another I guess. Good luck with the babies, was the one you got out fully free swimming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 I tried it again this morning and I was a little bolder and got the rest out. 14 little fry swimming around in a little tank now and Mum is back in her tank. Feels a little bit like playing God! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandysme Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Congrats on your babies tiny, good job, now your a nana,,lol..but seriously great skills on the stripping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Thank you! I do feel rather smug about it all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted October 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Here are the fry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Awesome good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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