# Cyprichromis breeding!



## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

Hi all,
My 60 gallon Tanynikan aquarium has been set up for almost a year now. I have 9 Cyrpichromis leptosomas, 5 Julidochromis transcriptus, and 6 Lamprologus ornatipinnis. Earlier this week, I noticed that one of my Cyps had a baby bump! I can attatch a picture if you are interested in seeing. This morning, her buccal cavity was stretched enough that I could even see the eggs in her mouth. I first noticed the bump on around December 1st or 2nd and I read that the gestation period is about 4 weeks so I suppose I can expect her to be ready to spit them at around Christmas. My current plan is to wait until she seems ready to spit and then put her in an outside of the aquarium breeder box so that she spits them out there. 
https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Hang-On-B ... mbler&th=1 
Is there an easy way to strip her earlier and put the eggs in a tumbler? I have read about a few different methods but they all seem quite stressful  .

Any advise would be greatly appreciated! Even if the spawn is not successful I am happy that they are doing well enough to breed.

Thanks! :fish:


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

I find they hold pretty well.
I would wait until 3 weeks holding then strip them if you are comfortable with that.
Moms are quite fragile so do not apply too much pressure.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

Thanks. If I decide not to strip her, how do I know when to put her in the breeder box and how long can I keep her in there without risking her health?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would put her in the tank you are going to use to raise the fry...not a breeder box.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

Alright. What size tank do you suggest? Would a 5 gallon work?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I like a 20G Long tank for raising fry. 20 cyps that you will need to grow out to 2"?


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

I didn't know that the cluch size was so large. I thought that it was around 5. I was planning on growing them out to about an inch and then re-introducing them into the main tank. A 10 gallon would also work for me. I have a 20 long that is currently a community tank, but it is well stocked and has rams and cories in it, so I doubt that it would work. What would the ideal breeding setup be and what are my other options? Thanks for all of the help!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't think I would put them with adults at one inch.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

I found catching and keeping the female in a separate tank was more work and stress than it was worth. You could try to simply let her spit in the main tank, the fry tend to stay up at the top of the water column away from the julies and neolamps. Adding some floating plants such as water sprite - lots of fine branches and nooks for little fish to hide in - either real or plastic will give the fry a better chance at survival too. Yes, you lose some this way, but enough will make it to be a worthwhile way, unless you are looking to breed for volume.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I never ended up with any this way...but I did notice the babies at the top from time to time.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

So I found a 30-40 gallon tank (can't remember what the measurements) in my garage that I picked up for free because it had a leak. I'm going to reseal it and then set it up and buy another heater and sponge filter. Will this size work?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sounds like it will, but measure before you reseal. If it's not 30" long I would not bother for this project.


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## Perbunan (Sep 12, 2009)

I found it easier to net the fry - moms too quick especially if you have rock work, mine always spat after dusk.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

Perbunan- how do you net the fry? 
The fry have hatched in her mouth and I can now see their eyes. I ordered supplies for the 37 gallon tank (it holds water now!), but they won't arrive until Friday. How long do I have until she spits? I believe that today is the first day that the fry were visible.

Thanks


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You would count from the day she stopped eating. You net the fry after she spits them but before the others eat them. Watch the waterline...they hang out up there.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Chicken of the Sea said:


> Perbunan- how do you net the fry?
> The fry have hatched in her mouth and I can now see their eyes. I ordered supplies for the 37 gallon tank (it holds water now!), but they won't arrive until Friday. How long do I have until she spits? I believe that today is the first day that the fry were visible.
> 
> Thanks


She will hold for 3-4 weeks. I find the best time to net them (the adult female) is first thing in the morning when it's still dark.
They sleep on the bottom and its like netting a rock. I find that they usually spit in the net if you wait long enough.
I usually put the fry in a small breeder box and grow them up until they are big enough to go into a 5g tank.
I would expect to see 3-6 fry from a first time holder.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

The first day that I noticed was December 1st so I guess I have at least a week. If I strip her, will I still need an egg tumbler if the fry aren't free swimming yet?


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

> She will hold for 3-4 weeks. I find the best time to net them (the adult female) is first thing in the morning when it's still dark.
> They sleep on the bottom and its like netting a rock. I find that they usually spit in the net if you wait long enough.
> I usually put the fry in a small breeder box and grow them up until they are big enough to go into a 5g tank.
> I would expect to see 3-6 fry from a first time holder.


Thanks  . Is there a downside to putting them into a tank that is too large too early?


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Chicken of the Sea said:


> > She will hold for 3-4 weeks. I find the best time to net them (the adult female) is first thing in the morning when it's still dark.
> > They sleep on the bottom and its like netting a rock. I find that they usually spit in the net if you wait long enough.
> > I usually put the fry in a small breeder box and grow them up until they are big enough to go into a 5g tank.
> > I would expect to see 3-6 fry from a first time holder.
> ...


The reason I do it is because I can use a sponge filter with an air pump in the 5g tank. I use sponges with maxi jets attached in a 40g long to grow fry out but I find that there is too much current and the fry can get sucked against the sponge when they are so small.
The other reason is feeding. In a small breeder basket I can give them small amounts of crushed up NLS grow without it just disappearing in the tank.
If you strip her now you could probably get away with a breeder box with an air stone in it. I have also just hung a net over an airstone to keep them moving and that has worked. I just stripped a female paracyp this week and got 6 wigglers. 4 reg. and 2 albino.


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

Alright well I tried stripping her tonight. I was only able to get one fry out. Its in a breeder box now. I am scared that she's going to die because I wanted to get the baby fish. She is back in the tank and her breathing is normal and shes acting fine but one of her pectoral fins is against her body. Is that normal after stripping?


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## Chicken of the Sea (Jan 11, 2017)

It appears that all of her fins work. I saw her use both of the pectorals. I guess all I can do is let her sleep and hope that she's ok. I'll feel really guilty if she doesn't make it


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