# Stripping Fry and Egg Tumblers?



## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

I want to know any tricks ppl might have to catch a female who is holding, before she spits out the eggs...I just have a show tank with some Lethrinops and Lab Caeruleus, and I went to try and catch the female to move her to a separate tank as she spit out the last batch before te fry hatched, but she spit them out before I could catch her. I pretty much have to disassemble the whole tank to catch her.

Also I was wondering if she spits out the eggs and I catch them in a net, *how effective are egg tumblers?* I looked them up on you tube (pantyhose and a clear plastic tube with a bubbler)

If I notice she is holding, can I strip her of the eggs the next day and put them in the tumbler to relieve her of any stress and so that she will be able to breed again sooner?


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

I have to dissemble my tank to get my females out every time they "know" I'm coming for them.... LOL I then use a big net at one end and lure her to that side to get her. 
I made one from this site I believe, and it works GREAT!! I've got eggs tumbling as we speak and the eyes, heads, and tails have emerged yesterday!! 
I usually leave the female in the adult tank for several days after I've noticed she's holding then I remove her.

Parts:
Uplift tube (I used one that expands up and down)
spare net (for top of retaining area and bottom)
2 ends of the uplift tubes
pump
hose


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

What kinds of diameters should I use for the tubes?

should the eggs be stacked on top of eachother?


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

There are many different ways to make the tumblers there are some directions in the DIY section here search tumblers..

I have simply used the standard uplift tubes that you can get at the LFS ( I bought the kit that had the uplift tube that one piece slides into the other with an expansion ring)

Here's somewhat of a close up picture the eggs are in between the 2 white mesh I only have them gently tumbling so they really don't come much off of the mesh at the bottom... 









This is of the entire thing 









It is pretty easy to put together and with a small pump and stone at the end I can decide how much to tumble them by how far or close the stone is to the top mesh. Just making sure they have air/water flow around them or they can get egg rot

I'm not sure about stacking the eggs but if you think about it momma has them in a much tighter environment...her mouth and the tumbler is larger than that but that's IMO... But I never know how many eggs I'm going to get or how many she going to drop or how many females are holding at once so I have made 2 tumblers and have a splitter for the pump to connect a second tumbler.


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## Sheribobbins (Jan 13, 2010)

I have had success with tumblers and I bought some before I built my own. You can buy good ones off of jemco but they work really well. When I went to catch my females I only had one spit and it was because she was ready to but you have to be patient and not stress her out or she will spit. Good luck


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'm not sure removing the eggs so she can breed again sooner is (a) effective or (b) healthy for her. Her body must devote resources to creating the eggs. She needs time to recover in between.


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Awesome Thanks!

You have all said you have had success with the Tumblers...but how much success? Are you able to hatch as many fry in the Tumblers as the Mother would in her mouth?

So far the only Female Lab who has spawned for me twice now, spits out the eggs roughly after a week, so this is my reasoning for attempting this. She is only with other labs and lethrinops as I mentioned before, so I dont know if this is a common occurance for the first few spawns a fish ever has or not.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

except for my M. Auratus's first spawn and the eggs turned out not fertilized (18 of them) I've had all others successful with no egg/fry loss... My fish right now within the last 9 months have been spawning soo... 100+ fry success... with about half in the tumbler and before I had a tumbler I yes waved a spoon over a retention area to move them LOL in a fry tank.... it worked...was a bit of a pain but..... LOL

Now I don't know which is better mechanical tumbling or the real deal but all of them look/act just as normal as the ones from mom....

Maybe your female Lab is still getting used to holding mine have done that but they soon figure out "how" to do it. Are they feeling threatened?? Maybe that's why she spits so soon. My OB peacock usually holds full term but this last time she did not...that's why I only have 4 the rest she ate or the others ate before I could remove her. My Zebra holds toooooo long..... I have to force her to leave them be and she goes back into the adult tank quickly...

Guess it comes down to is she just inexperienced.....


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

I am going to assme she is just inexperienced, as I dont feel there is any real threat to her...I have had lots of success with other mouth brooders, just not these yellow labs...

I just want some little yellow guys and to say that I have bred these guys too.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

It is alot of fun and interesting as I said in one of my other posts this never gets old....


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

I am assuming you are refering to breeding fish and looking after the fry...that never gets old and is interesting?

If that is the case then I totally agree, even though I only started into this hobby maybe a year ago now, I am definitly hooked


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Liquid_Pyro said:


> I am assuming you are refering to breeding fish and looking after the fry...that never gets old and is interesting?


yes that's what I meant... I love watching the whole process!!


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Agreed!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

She may be spitting the eggs after one week because they are not fertilized. After practicing a few times she should be able to hold them 28 days so you don't have to use a tumbler.


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Yes, I really hope she will do that eventually, I just figured it would be a good idea to have a tumbler made up just in case as a backup.

I just really want to see some baby yellow labs, I think they would look real cool


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

I know I would really like to see some of your labs.... opcorn:


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

liquid pyro...they do look pretty cool...today i stripped my first holding lab...she was pretty small and she had 11 in her little mouth they were darker than expected to be honest, but that is just because the mom and dad are so yellow it seemed they were dull..lol I llove them already and cant wait to watch them grow up! I hope u get your wish.!


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Well thank you! I sure hope so too!

She spawned last on the 25th of March and either spit em out or ate them around the 1st of April. Roughly how long till she is able to spawn again? My Electric Blue Haps took about 2 months between spawns, should this be expected with the Yellow Labs?


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

That's about what my gals do.... so I may have to wait another month for fry again


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

So on average how often do the yellow labs spawn?


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

i am not sure to be honest. I have had mine for about 5 months now and no spawns till the middle of last month and have had 2 so far. one i mentioned before i stripped and one spawned on the 1 of april. I hope it is every 2 months i guess we will see. If i were u the day after u notice a female holding strip her and tumble eggs. I have just done this because everytime a female would spawn in the vic tank she would get the snot beat out of her and swallow or spit. I now have 41 healthy eggs in a tumbler as of yesterday... I will let you know how that works otu.


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Thats exactly what I was thinking of doing, "shaguars" as I believe my female was doing the same thing as yours.

I hope to find some supplies neccessary to make my own DIY egg tumbler this weekend and hopefully within the next month or so I will have some more eggs.

Did you make your own tumbler?


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

I make my tumblers... I put a thread in the DIY section if your interested think I made it for about 5-10 bucks Granted....if you get alot of eggs this is small.... I also did alot of searching on the internet and many different kinds come up..


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

yes I have been looking at the different varieties ppl have made online, and I think I should be able to come up with a similar design


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

yes i made my own tumbler and it was free..lol... well i guess just random purchases in the past may have paid for it. I just used 2 old siphon tubes from a ac 70 and a ac 110. honestly it was a throw together last minute job...so it looks hideous, but it is working. I am going to the hardware store soon to make more. My plan will be figured out while i am there..lol...but hopefully it will be less ugly but still as effective.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

I agree mine is not great looking but it is in use at the moment and it works soooo I'm ok with that....  I would like to make a different kind and have been looking into different ways of making them.... My issue is I am limited in space so I have to make them on the small side...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

I will be the same way, they have to fit into a 10 gallon tank...i am hoping to make 2 or 3 of them to fit in there.

Will size of the pipe they tumble in effect how much they are able to tumble? Like will I need more air flow for a larger diameter tube? Does the length of uplift tube make a difference? I think I heard depending on how far down the lift tube the bubbler was effected how much the eggs tumbled, to a point where it would lift the eggs off the bottom...

What have ppl been using to sit the eggs on? Does pantyhose work or is it too restricting on water flow? (not on your legs)


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Mine have to fit into a 5.....  I have 2 5 gal fry at the moment due to space....

I think that the size of the pipe will determine how close the stone will need to be (my guess). In my tumbler which is 1" dia the stone is about 4 inches from the eggs... I found that any closer to the eggs they REALLY tumbled and I was afraid they would be deformed or broken... But from what I've read some species eggs need more tumbling than others. My eggs are OB peacocks
I've used cut up net from a spare net that I had that I wasn't using anymore. I have found that pantyhose at least for me was too closely weaved to filter well.


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Alright awesome, thanks for the great answer...exactly what I was looking for

ps. OB peacocks are great looking fish!


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Liquid_Pyro said:


> Alright awesome, thanks for the great answer...exactly what I was looking for
> 
> ps. OB peacocks are great looking fish!


Your welcome!! Look forward to seeing your little ones and when mine are more visible I'll snap some pictures


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

that would be awesome, i cant wait...


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

I went to Home Depot and got supplies to make new tumblers will see how it goes this weekend but it should work out really well and be easier to add eggs and clean out.....

My little ones are getting spots now and are moving around alot more in the tumbler!!! opcorn: How are yours doing?


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

some pics of your new tumblers and fry would help me out alot i plan on going out saturday or sunday for parts


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

=D> I'll put it together Sat then.... 

found it on the net but I'm changing it up a bit hope it works... should be if I've thought it out right.... :?

I'll post pictures of fry and new tumbler.... (fry only if tumbler fails...)


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

what was wrong with your first tumblers?

what site are you copying your tumblers from?

i would like to make a good one the first time around if possible, although i am sure i can always make minor changes i want to know where others improved or what to look for


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

well it is somewhat unstable at the mid section in my pic that's why it looks like it buckles....

Then I realized that when I looked at my "backup" I didn't make an "isolation area" for the 2 nets to be placed... opps... I like to have a net above my eggs so they don't float or swim up and hit the air stone....

ummmm it will kinda be a cross between this www.cichlidforums.com/showthread.php?t=34241
and this.... canadafishtank.com/wp_marcel/2008/05/09/diy-egg-tumbler/

I hope anyways....


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

yeah...thats very similar to what I was thinking of making...whats the purpose of adding the 90 degree elbow to the top? just out of curiosity...


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## larry.beck (Jul 31, 2009)

Supposedly the elbow increases the water flow through the tumbler.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Yup that's what I've read will see I'll work on it here in a bit...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

just got back from buying the parts

the only clear tube i could find was the light protector, which was used in on of the links u had posted up in this topic "HDrydr"

so thats what I ended up with a 4 foot section of flourecent light protector, 2 ninety elbows and 2 straight adaptors. Figured out i would start by just making 2 tumblers with these supplies, but there is more than enough light tube to make more down the road if they turn out alright.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Well here it is:









And yes it was a florescent light protector and wow 8' of it.... Got the elbows and connectors will be able to make bunches.... =D>

Better yet this way I will be able to see the eggs/fry growing.....And it comes apart at the bottom of the connector piece easily to add/remove eggs/fry

Total height is 9" top to bottom to fit in my 5 gal fry tanks...

90 elbow then clear tube then connector piece then net then approx 4" tubing then net finished with 90 elbow. Airline tubing with stone at end down the top elbow with a air regulator before pump...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

yeah I bet mine is going to look the same minus the elbow on the bottom...hahha


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Are you just doing the connector at the bottom?? I thought about doing that but was worried about getting air/water circulation under the eggs... True test will be when I have eggs in it will they tumble enough being that the stone is 4" away from bottom net?? Tube is wider then the one I have.... May have to cut a shorter piece of tube to bring them closer not sure yet...

Waiting to use my new tumbler!!! Don't think I'll have to wait too long several of my ladies are getting flashed!! 

I've let my little ones out of my current tumbler they needed more room, all are doing fine just wheelin' around the 5 gal, they still have half their yolk sac so they don't get much air yet.... When I can get a good pic I'll post..... They are still quite small and they take cover in the creases in between rocks... So hard to isolate at the moment...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Thats great news...

I dont know if I will get around to making mine today its been too nice outside I haven't even done my water changes yet, just about to do them now. Hopefully this water change gets them all in the breeding mood!

Cant wait to see some pictures


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Looking forward to seeing pictures of your tumblers when you make them... It was soo nice here too I need to do a wc on my 30 gal but....tomorrow...

Ok so call me a worry wort but I was afraid they would get stuck since they are not very mobile so I put them into a floating net/plastic container... I feel much better about them until they swim better...

Here they are in the net container 3 top left 1 top right


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

Great work, do you just have the four fry?

Now I want some more fry...hopefully I dont have to wait another month before I get someone holding a mouthful of eggs!


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Yes only 4 survived..... before I could strip her she spit, ate some, others ate some..... it was a sad day her babies are adorable!!! I have 12 red Zebra's in one of my fry tanks they are about ready to go in the grow out tank... I have 22 Melanchromis Auratus in the grow out tank... And it looks like I have 3 females that are having alot of attention shown to them so I expect momma's with full mouths soon...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

did you say you have some peacocks as well?

I hope to get some yellow lab fry soon, I was told they are yellow when they are fry, so I thought they would be fun to see


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

My tank is a very mixed tank... not the way it should be I know...But it works for me... And everyone gets along for now anyways... I know I may have to change it up at some point....

The 4 are OB's
55 gal
pair of Melanchromis Auratus
Metriaclima's (Lombardoi, Callainos, Estherae, OB Zebra, Albino Greshakei, Pyrsonotos)
Lab
Haplochromis sp "thick skin"
Iodotropheus "rusty"
couple of strawberry peacocks
And yes 2 Pseudotropheus Crabro I know they are mean but so far they have been fine...

And I know about cross breeding and that it happens and it has and I've let nature take it's course... I do preserve lines and don't sell/trade hybrids... This is a hobby for me so what is is... ya know...

I enjoy watching nature and when my spawn it is always exciting to see what I've got...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

no sweat man, I am kinda the same way, although so far no one in my tank can hybridize...

either way its fun no matter who breeds with who and as you said you dont sell the hybrids, its all good, cant wait to see some more pictures!

I hope to get mine up soon too!


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Thanks it is a hobby and I enjoy them they are relaxing.... I will post pictures I'll post a new thread I took some last night didn't turn out too bad....

I just looked over at my fry and they are free swimming now!!!! how exciting!!!


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

thats awesome, I just moved some of my freshly hatched convict cichlid fry into thier own tank, I know they are crazy easy to breed, but they are awesome to watch grow up and gain their stripes!


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