# What to do with all these fry!



## Dr. Scott (Sep 26, 2008)

Hi--

We have had our 55 gallon Lake Malawi tank running since September (our first foray into keeping cichlids!) and it's been off to a great start! I do a 20-30% water change weekly and the fish have all been thriving and done well so far--maybe too well. They keep having fry! At this rate we're worried we'll be over-run with fry. We aren't trying to raise them, so we've been leaving the fry in the tank (we also have three catfish). At this point in the tank out of the original baby batches we now have three saulosi fry, 4 mangano fry, and 3 cobalts--and they are all about 6-8 weeks old and have come out of hiding and zooming around the tank keeping up with the rest of them. I think they must sense they are big enough to not be eaten. Now though our three adult female saulosi are holding AGAIN, and a mangano female is also holding! These fish keep breeding in the tank and if two or three survive out of every batch we'll soon need another tank.

Am I changing the water too frequently? The fish love the water changes, but I have noticed that with water changes comes spawning behavior and then inevitably we'll find 2 or 3 females holding. Should I change less often? What do you do with all the fry? I've become quite attached to them, although I know we can't possibly keep them all.

Alissa


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## Reeyia (Apr 6, 2008)

Any fish friends? You could spread the wealth and give them to your friends.  I like to keep my friends well stocked before anything else. :thumb:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What kind of catfish? Also maybe if you remove some of the smaller rocks to reduce baby hiding places?


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2009)

Dr Scott, sound like you have a very healthy happy tank. Congratulations :thumb: Any pics to post? We'd love to get a look.


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## SUPERBEE (Jan 23, 2005)

Lots of breeding usually equates to a healthy aquarium. Congrats :thumb:

This might not go over too well with some but i often suck up newborn fry from my 150 show tank.

I have a pair of Brichardi that never stop having babies and removing them is not an option as the tank is too large with a lot of lace rock so i just suck up the newborn fry with my python into the sink when doing waterchanges.


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## walleye (Aug 20, 2007)

Add a hitman to do the dirty work. Get a hap or peacock or 2. they love fry. I have an O lithobate z-rock, a trio of peacocks and a firemouth in my 75. They keep frydown to a minimum. When I do get fry, I grow them out and sell them at auctions or swaps.


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## cevvin (May 2, 2008)

Might want to change the catfish out to some synoditis multipunctus (sorry on the spelling). Heard they love fry. I raise them so no idea what I would do if I didn't want to keep them.


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## Dr. Scott (Sep 26, 2008)

Actually we have those catfish--three of them, and they're a pretty good size now. I'm sure they've eaten many of the fry, but they certainly haven't wiped them all out! Maybe they're too well-fed?!


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## umesh54 (Feb 7, 2009)

You are triggering the spawning behavior, change the water less often, and if you are really desperate, remove slates, and rocks they spawn on.


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## mittzgame (Oct 3, 2006)

Please don't change your water change schedule! You wouldn't want to have sick fish just so you don't get so many fry, that's pretty irresponsible. Removing the rocks they spawn on won't do any good, as they'll just use a different rock. The only viable suggestion is to reduce the number of spots fry can hide in, as someone else said, remove smaller rocks so that there are only large caves. This will allow the adults and the synos a better chance at eating the babies once they're spit. I'm in a similar predicament as you, except I don't have synos yet, so I'm hoping they will help me some!

Good luck :thumb:


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

umesh54 said:


> You are triggering the spawning behavior, change the water less often, and if you are really desperate, remove slates, and rocks they spawn on.


Changing the place to hide or breed might work, but suggesting that you perform fewer water changes it not good advice.

You could add a few more catfish, if your tank is large enough to accommodate.


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## Metalshade (Feb 14, 2009)

Take them to the pet store, give them to a friend, or set up a baby tank. If they are purebred and you have time. Sell them. When they get a little older. As disheartening as this sounds - If they are not purebred feed them to the larger fish.

OR...

Drive southwest till you hit Dallas, TX. Look for the guy grinning ear to ear, because he is getting lots of free fish!


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## Dr. Scott (Sep 26, 2008)

I'm not planning on stopping my weekly water changes! I like a clean tank, and I can't stand it when I feel like my water isn't clean. Plus, I actually enjoy the water changes--it's therapeutic for me and the fish!

We'll try and sell them, probably, when they get old enough--we don't have any friends who keep cichlids, so we can't pass them onto anyone we know. It will be hard to part with them though, they're so cute!

P.S. did you see the pics I posted below in the forum?

Alissa


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

Where did you post ithe pics I haven't seen it. (didn't look very hard though I must confess)

Never mind found it  nice shots :thumb:


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## avy1219 (Jan 8, 2006)

Those cat fish might be good, but I would bet anything that my Tire track eel is the ultimate fry machine. Not only that but everyone that sees my tank falls in love with him. He has become the star attraction. I would def suggest looking into an eel......


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

As eels get larger they are known to take larger fish.


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