All the Fish Rock Like This...
The Holding Tank.
The females have started a "new" way of letting their babies go. They hold them as long as they possibly can, until their mouth can't even close, the little babies are practically FALLING out, and then one escapes and gets sucked down the tube. The next day, a couple more babies escape and get sucked in the tube and then, the third day she lets all the babies out.
That's what happened last week with the female that was due. Interestingly, it's usually an albino one that is the first one to escape. (shrug) Don't know why. On Wednesday the 12th, she let them all out. Except she had held them for so long, she was hungry and ate a couple before I could get her out of there. (sigh) There were 7 albinos and 15 grey, 22 total, that I was able to save.
I transferred the 22 babies into the Baby Tank, in a little holding cell. That was fun. I don't know who taught those little ones how to swim, but they were good little swimmers, the best so far. Two of them escaped into the Holding Tank and I had to round them up.
Within a day, 12 of them had swum over the top of their holding cell and on into the Baby Tank.
I have one more holding female in the Holding Tank. She let one baby out today, so either Tuesday or Wednesday, she'll let the entire batch out. Probably in the morning, they seem to like to let them go at sign of first light of day.
The Baby Tank.
All the babies are healthy and growing big. I haven't found any more killed ones, so I guess it's key to move the big ones out as soon as they get to that aggression point. I have another batch that needs to be moved to the fish store this week. I have the smallest ones separated with a partition from the bigger ones in the Baby Tank.
The Male Tank.
The male is still doing okay. He swims very frustratedly up and down in his tank, generally making a ruckus because he feels very restricted. I feel bad for him. My strategy is, that once the last holding female releases, I'll move him into the 6 gallon tank. The footprint is longer, which is better for cichlids. Then, once all the babies are taken to the fish store, and the 12 gallon tank is empty, I'll move him into the 12 gallon tank. Then, when I want to breed the fish, I'll put a female in the 12 gallon tank with him. Once she's holding, I'll move her into 5 gallon tank to finish her holding term.
I'll use the 6 gallon tank as a grow out tank for the two albino fish that I want to grow into adulthood and put in the 36 gallon main tank. Hopefully, they won't be males.
The 36 Gallon Tank.
Is now the female tank. There is one female that is highly aggressive, she chases the other females into hiding. Ironically, the big tank looks empty much of the time, except when it's feeding time. I really miss seeing the male in that tank. But I feel somewhat relieved that I don't have three new holding females. (sigh)
I'm tired tonight. I have a lot going on in my personal life right now.
The females have started a "new" way of letting their babies go. They hold them as long as they possibly can, until their mouth can't even close, the little babies are practically FALLING out, and then one escapes and gets sucked down the tube. The next day, a couple more babies escape and get sucked in the tube and then, the third day she lets all the babies out.
That's what happened last week with the female that was due. Interestingly, it's usually an albino one that is the first one to escape. (shrug) Don't know why. On Wednesday the 12th, she let them all out. Except she had held them for so long, she was hungry and ate a couple before I could get her out of there. (sigh) There were 7 albinos and 15 grey, 22 total, that I was able to save.
I transferred the 22 babies into the Baby Tank, in a little holding cell. That was fun. I don't know who taught those little ones how to swim, but they were good little swimmers, the best so far. Two of them escaped into the Holding Tank and I had to round them up.
Within a day, 12 of them had swum over the top of their holding cell and on into the Baby Tank.
I have one more holding female in the Holding Tank. She let one baby out today, so either Tuesday or Wednesday, she'll let the entire batch out. Probably in the morning, they seem to like to let them go at sign of first light of day.
The Baby Tank.
All the babies are healthy and growing big. I haven't found any more killed ones, so I guess it's key to move the big ones out as soon as they get to that aggression point. I have another batch that needs to be moved to the fish store this week. I have the smallest ones separated with a partition from the bigger ones in the Baby Tank.
The Male Tank.
The male is still doing okay. He swims very frustratedly up and down in his tank, generally making a ruckus because he feels very restricted. I feel bad for him. My strategy is, that once the last holding female releases, I'll move him into the 6 gallon tank. The footprint is longer, which is better for cichlids. Then, once all the babies are taken to the fish store, and the 12 gallon tank is empty, I'll move him into the 12 gallon tank. Then, when I want to breed the fish, I'll put a female in the 12 gallon tank with him. Once she's holding, I'll move her into 5 gallon tank to finish her holding term.
I'll use the 6 gallon tank as a grow out tank for the two albino fish that I want to grow into adulthood and put in the 36 gallon main tank. Hopefully, they won't be males.
The 36 Gallon Tank.
Is now the female tank. There is one female that is highly aggressive, she chases the other females into hiding. Ironically, the big tank looks empty much of the time, except when it's feeding time. I really miss seeing the male in that tank. But I feel somewhat relieved that I don't have three new holding females. (sigh)
I'm tired tonight. I have a lot going on in my personal life right now.
posted by Jammie J. at
4/17/2006 09:27:00 PM
