# Holding female still trying to eat



## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

*What do you do with your holding females?*​
leave them in the tank for another 2-3 weeks1164.71%Segregate them into a tank by themselves423.53%Breeder net15.88%Strip them / Egg Tumbler15.88%


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

One of my demasoni is holding and is still attempting to eat. I noticed she was holding last night. What would you do?


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## allierw (Apr 20, 2006)

My experienced moms will eat or at least attempt to while holding. Do you want to keep/raise fry? If so, you could go ahead and isolate her. If not, I would just keep her in the tank. No need to strip prematurely.


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

allierw said:


> My experienced moms will eat or at least attempt to while holding. Do you want to keep/raise fry? If so, you could go ahead and isolate her. If not, I would just keep her in the tank. No need to strip prematurely.


I do want to keep the fry. I feel like if she tries to eat the food that she may also eat the eggs in the process... I have a red zebra who does this every time..


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I've never had one of my holding moms who eats swallow the fry.

The only time my moms swallow the fry is within the first week, and when that happens they usually are not fertilized.


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## allierw (Apr 20, 2006)

I've never had a fish swallow fry, either. Usually when I see a mom eat, she's holding and about to spit. Pretty cool when you can see all the little fry crammed in there.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

*limpert*

With my Demasoni I let them hold in the main tank till day 18 then strip the fry into a breeder inside a fry tank. As others have stated I have never had one swallow the eggs if they help past the first week. Usually unfertilized if they dont hold full term, or could be a first time mother still getting the hang of it.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I think maybe 1/2 of my new moms held to term, second batch they've always held. They all seem to "bump" the food, even though they don't eat it.


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