# Cichlids eating their eggs.



## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

Help!!! My Cichlids are " Eating" their eggs!!!
Help!!! My female african cichlid, cindy, seemed to be eating her eggs she had laid on a smooth rock at the front of my aquarium. Now, she is swallowing her eggs! I read that this could be mouth brooding but it could also be the female eating her eggs. I have a pair of african cichlids, no common name as it was given by a friend. I have a HOB, a 13-watt light ( Homebrand), and some live plants. My cichlids did a "fin dance and some catching " two days ago.

My friend said that the female could be shifting her eggs to a safer spot. my family members somtimes walks past the aquarium and scare the fishes. They are very timid creatures. My male has become very aggressive and would do anyting to protect his mate.

Any advise would be greatly appreacited :fish:  Thanks!


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## Kalost (Feb 27, 2013)

whats the question?


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

The question is if the Female was eating her eggs or shifting them?


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## Demigod (Mar 22, 2013)

Post a photo. It would help to know what kind of fish you have.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

if it's labeled as an african cichlid, it's most likely holding the eggs...the female will bounce them around in her mouth for about a month, then spit the fry out.


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

I think the the female ate her eggs. They still have not hatched after 6 days.
:?


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## Demigod (Mar 22, 2013)

I think we're all confused here. How do you know if they've hatched??? If she did indeed take them into her mouth you won't see them again for a month.. and even then, only for as long as it takes for any tank mates to see them, and they'll be eaten up right away.

Best thing is to tell us what kind of fish you have. If you don't know, post a photo. If you can't do that... well.. don't know what to tell ya.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You are going to have to identify the fish. You can post a pic in the unidentified section.

We also need more information. What size tank is this? How long has it been set up? What are the water parameters?

We cannot help without this information, especially without knowing what species you have...


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

I'm trying to post a photo. I will do it soon......


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

Finally....... Got the photo :dancing: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

That was Chris, the male. I will post up the female soon. :fish:


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

That doesn't look african.


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

My friend says it is. I feed it African Cichlid food. :fish:


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

It looks like this http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=113to me (see juvenile pictures), there are no africans that look like that.


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## OldCoot (Feb 23, 2013)

Those are pink convicts and yes they are African cichlids. That's obviously the male because of the small hump on his head. I've never seen my Pink's hold the eggs in their mouth. They usually lay them in a dugout hole and fiercely protect them. The female I have now doesn't dig holes so I'm thinking of getting a different one. I don't want her passing those genes on.


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

The female is now growwing very fat and turning pinkish-orange. Is she gonning to mate again?


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

It looks too fat and too yellow for my species.


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

I got a picture of the female.

__
https://flic.kr/p/9326353382


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

She was about to spawn then......
Now she's even fatter!


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

OldCoot said:


> Those are pink convicts and yes they are African cichlids. That's obviously the male because of the small hump on his head. I've never seen my Pink's hold the eggs in their mouth. They usually lay them in a dugout hole and fiercely protect them. The female I have now doesn't dig holes so I'm thinking of getting a different one. I don't want her passing those genes on.


They are definitely not African.....


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## OldCoot (Feb 23, 2013)

lilscoots said:


> OldCoot said:
> 
> 
> > Those are pink convicts and yes they are African cichlids. That's obviously the male because of the small hump on his head. I've never seen my Pink's hold the eggs in their mouth. They usually lay them in a dugout hole and fiercely protect them. The female I have now doesn't dig holes so I'm thinking of getting a different one. I don't want her passing those genes on.
> ...


I guess technically they are South American. They are most certainly pink convicts with the description he gave.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

OldCoot said:


> I guess technically they are South American. They are most certainly pink convicts with the description he gave.


 'Pink' convicts are neither African nor South American. They are from Central America which, if you are going to consider it part of one continent as a posed to another, is considered part of North America.

BUT, the fish is most definitely NOT a 'pink convict'. It is a midas/Red devil; also from Central America. The 2 species (midas and red devil) are very similar and have been hybirdized since they were first imported in the mid '60's. The traits that distinguish these 2 very closely related species generally overlap.....so aquarium strain really can't be distinguished with any certainty. Even if it resembles one type more then the other, generally same to assume it is a mix of both.

If there is a male in the tank, it might be that they have moved the wrigglers after they hatched and are not yet free swimming. If there is no male, then of course the eggs are not fertilized and the female will probably eat them after it becomes apparent that the eggs are 'bad'. Not unusual for cichlids to eat there eggs if they somehow feel threatened....often it takes a few tries before a pair feels comfortable enough to be successful.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Sorry, I am mistaken. Did not look at the picture very well  Yes, indeed it is a 'pink' convict!!


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## cutecichlid123 (Jul 2, 2013)

Thanks!  
I searched the web and it really looks like a 'pink' convict. :thumb:


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