# my first DIY: Egg Tumbler



## natedgg (Apr 9, 2011)

My lab is holding, first time for her. I figured I'd strip her tonight and wanted to try my first DIY with an egg tumbler. Let me know what you guys think. Cost me about $5 to make. The undergravel uplift tube was 3.99 and the media bag was $0.89. I had the airstone and the tubing. Only problem I ran into was the tube opening at the top of the uplift was too small so I had to drill it to 1/4''. Yeah, plastic doesn't drill, it cracks  Oh well, it works. It is based off this design:
http://www.sydneycichlid.com/egg-tumbler.htm

The eggs will go in the middle chamber and then suction cup it in the tank. My wife thinks I'm crazy...


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I miss the connection between having a yellow lab holding and needing an egg tumbler????


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## bou (Dec 8, 2005)

to allow the egg to hatch if you do spit too fast


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Do labs ever spit too fast? I find they make great Mothers and making them spit seems so much more trouble that just waiting. It gives me another use for my QT tank.


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## natedgg (Apr 9, 2011)

Yeah. I was mentioning that it was first time for her, and I've read that first time mothers will spit prematurely. Also, since I have a very over aggressive male (he has killed two additions to the tank already), he still chases her all day. With only one other lab in the tank, I thought it would be good to strip her so she doesn't lose too much weight or get tormented. Anyhow, I didn't end up stripping since I got cold feet, and she is still in there.

I'll save the tumbler for another day and pray for mom! :roll:


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

If you have a small tank where you would be putting the fry, I would put her there and let things go the natural way. I have never had them eat any fry but have always had some rocks that lie close to the bottom but leave a crack where the fry can go and be safe if the mom does decide to eat them. When I have tried to strip females it has always been such a mess that I never do it any more. After a day or two of rest, I just swap her back to the main tank. I have never really had a male that was too much trouble for the female but I have always had a number of females and he would lose track of which he was trying to attract.


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## natedgg (Apr 9, 2011)

Yeah PfunMo, I have a 10g, but it's probably still a week away from being cycled. She'll have to wait till then, but I think I'm going to do what you suggest. Anyone want a $5 egg tumbler?


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

its a matter of preference. I usually strip. There are advocates of both. Sometimes I have to strip because I keep Syn. Multis and if you don't strip and there is cat fry then the cat fry eat the cichlid fry and then each other until you are down to 1 or 2 cats.

And sometimes I just strip too early and they are free swimming yet. I don't have extra tanks to just let the female chill and spit on her own.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

If you have just seen her holding and been watching, you will have far longer than you might think. First time is really like waiting for your own child. Gets easier from there if you can just wait! Her mouth will get to what looks almost painful before it is time to spit so be patience. If you watch her, she will begin to act somewhat desperate to find a safe spot. When you see here going up and down the corners, etc., she may be getting close. When her mouth begins to gap open due to the load, move her. For fry spitting, I don't worry too much about a cycled tank. One reason is the food situation. For the holding female I feed hardly anything as she doesn't appear to eat enough to count so I don't foul the tank with uneaten food. Once she spits, I don't leave her long enough to bother feeding. I do a lot of small water changes, both while she is holding and after spitting. At some point along the line the fry will need tiny amounts of food but the filter will also handle tiny amounts of bio-load. I go with lots of water changing as it is pretty easy on a small ten gallon. Lots of different ways so I go with the simple way. I hate prying jaws open!


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