# yellow lab fry update with pics



## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

so i posted on here a little while back that i had stripped my my yellow lab and the fry were looking nothing like the parents so i've added some pictures of my yellow labs and the fry maybe you guys can help me out with wether there pure labs and what happend as far as the fry not getting color there bearly starting to get the nice black but still no yellow








































sorry not the best pics


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Anyone


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## pack-rat (Aug 2, 2010)

Gus,
I'm trying to interpret your pictures. Are the smaller white looking fish the fry you are talking about?

I'm still new to cichlids, but all the yellow labs I have seen, down to about one inch in size, were the same yellow as the adults.


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

I am far from an expert on identifying cichlids but the body shape, egg spot and iridescence in the tail of your lab make me think it's a M. estherae cross.

Those are some incredibly pale juveniles, so I'm not sure what's going on there.

kevin


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## lil_flame33 (Mar 20, 2010)

I have seen tiny little lab fry who are still yellow. I don't think these are pure.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

The juveniles do not look pure. My yellow lab fry are already a light yellow by the time their egg sac is soaked, and deep yellow at less than an inch.

When your labs spawned, who else was in the tank? Just the frontosa?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

You may note that picture #4 has a yellow fish with no black in the dorsal fin. That obviously isn't a (pure) Yellow Lab, and could be one of the parents.


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Yeah those fish are the fry they have a tiny bit of a yellow color to them but still look pale and all the adult labs in the tank have black on the fins and as far as then not being pure I was afraid of that now the problem is whether to uthinize or just let them be. What really sucks is that I have about 60 of these guys so I guess oscar food they'll be and as for the adults they'll have to be removed from my tank as well, so that I can start over with some new hopefully better quality ones. And yes its just them and the fronts in the tank


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Unfortunately, as I stated above, some of the Labs, if not all aren't pure. Good Luck in finding some good quality fish.


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

heres some more pics with out the flash to give yo a better idea of what they look like
these guys are in a different fry tank from the same batch the tank light is off so is the flash so only light is the room light they look a little orange in the pic but more yellow in person.








these guys are in the main tanks same as the old pictures just with out flash and fogelhund i saw the one you were talking about with out the black








and this little guy is the one with the most black on him as of now








i think the flash made them look really white but like i said the do have a yellow look to them and know i guess the question is should i just dispose of them or what would you suggest i do


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## lil_flame33 (Mar 20, 2010)

Well since you can't be sure that they're pure you should not sell or give them away. So your choices would be to keep them forever or cull them. You have to decide because they're your fish.


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## whodatfish (Feb 3, 2010)

they are your fish, do what you want with them. if you want to give em away then do it. who cares if they are hybrid


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Actually I care and so should other people I don't mean to sound like a jerk but people not caring is the reason that I'm in this dilema of having hybrids and know I'm gonna have to feed them to my oscars and all because someone didn't care as for the adults ill probably just cull them I hate to do it but I'm not a big promoter of hybrids


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

well although it will be tough to do that as in cull them or oscar food it is the noble thing to do. that is the one problem with yellow labs it is so tough to find higher quality fish. Like it has been said there your fish so do what you will with them. I know it sucks, but if it makes ou feel better lots of people have had to do it. Goodluck with whatever decision you make.


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## lil_flame33 (Mar 20, 2010)

It sucks but you are exactly right! People not caring is why you ended up with hybrid fish sold to you as pure. Good luck with your next batch!


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## RDTigger (Jul 4, 2009)

Sorry Gus... looks like a bad strain.

Where did you get the parents from...?


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Got the parent over a year ago from an lfs that close a couple of months after I bought them they were about 2 inchecs and looked good so I thought. That was also before I found this site and knowledge around my area of texas isn't all that great but luckily know I have a great lfs were the owners actually know what there talking about and will help you and take fish back if there's a problem I actually do a lot of business with these people as far as selling them fry off my other tanks they were gonna take all 60 of the fry but know I have to let them know that they are no longer for sale


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

gus211 said:


> as far as selling them fry off my other tanks they were gonna take all 60 of the fry but know I have to let them know that they are no longer for sale


Good for you, Gus.

kevin


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Thanks first I dont want hybrids getting out of my tanks and second I don't want to burn myself with my lfs I actually make good money selling to them and trading with them and there helping me out with selling to some of the bigger chain stores in my area so I can't mess that up


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

I'm guessing the fry looked like this?


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

No they look like they have a yellow tint to them not complete white but a real faded yellow some have the black some don't why do you ask


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

I've seen pale fry/juvie labs grow into beautiful yellows. So it's not necessarily a sign that it's a hybrid, in my opinion.


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Well that's what I thought but there getting to about an inch and even though there getting more yellow to them there still not what I expected but who know ill probably give them a couple more months and see what happens. I mean it won't hurt my oscars to get eat them a little bigger right


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Before:










After:










And her yellow has since gotten even richer (pic was taken a 3-4 months ago). I, too, was concerned and created a thread about it back then.


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Did yours look like mine 2 months after being spit how old was that yellow in the first pic


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

I actually purchased these labs. But, there were a whole group of fry that looked just like her at the store. They were about 2 inches when I bought them.


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

Ok well ill let them get to about 2 inches and then decide what I'm gonna do with them thanks for sharing the pics


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

No problem. Hope your guys color up, too! :thumb:


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## gus211 (Sep 21, 2009)

well just an update my colony of labs has been rehomed to my brothers house its his first tank and when I explained the situation he offered to start a tank. My brother is a breeder of snakes and other reptiles and knows the bad and the ugly of hybrids, but I still made hin promise not to let fry out of the tank, so he's gonna pick up some fry control don't know how to spell the names but every one on here seems to have them, any way the fry I'm gonna let get a little bigger then they will be fed to my oscar tank sad deciesion to make but I know it has to be done


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

well done on your sad decision, much much respect for you. :thumb:


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