# My Yellow Lab Female is Holding ! (second time)



## Mikelodeon (Aug 6, 2008)

Her first time wasn't a succes.

Now she is holding again, I can see her mouth with a lot of eggs, I am sure that happend last night or today, yesterday I was watching them and she hadn't these eggs for sure. I can see the big male chasing her and "shaking" his body in front of her.

My question is... How long I have to wait before take this female apart? how long last this holding? It is my first time, I need some help.

Thank you !


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## cevvin (May 2, 2008)

I took mine out the moment I saw her holding. And she can hold anywhere from 2-4 weeks usually. and 18 days being the minimum stripping day to ensure that the yolk sac is dissolved.


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## Mikelodeon (Aug 6, 2008)

Yeah, but I have heard the female can hold the eggs but that doesn't mean they are fertile, the male have to do its job with the eggs and then the (the eggs) come back to their mothers mouth.
am I right?
I am going to give them (the couple) some days more before take the famale out.
It does make sense?

Thank you !


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## Mungobrush (Jan 10, 2009)

Hi,

No you don't make sense. cevvin had good advice. usually 2-4 weeks of holding. The eggs are fertilised by the male as they go in the mouth, so nothing further will happen after day 1. The female spits out the un-fertilised eggs. Therefore you have to wait for at least 2 weels before stripping her, 3 is better, or the egg sack will be present still. Of course you can strip earlier if you have a tumbler and only want to get the eggs not the fry.

Mungo.


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## cevvin (May 2, 2008)

Okay they do the "dance" in a circle. Momma drops a few eggs, daddy rubs over drops some sperm, and then momma picks them back up. So if she is hold they are already fertilized, unless its false then she will spit or swallow within a few days or a week. If your going to take the female out, just take her out now, it will reduce the stress. Especially if its a first time mom. I took my first time mom out on Day 1 and she carried a brood of 30. So I would say I was pretty successful.


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## Mikelodeon (Aug 6, 2008)

I will take HER out TODAY !!!!

Thank you for your help. It will be my first fry.

Mikel


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## Mikelodeon (Aug 6, 2008)

Yeah, she is safe now.
She was not successful in her first time, this is her second holding.

Let me ask you about feeding this female, I've heard she will not eat until she "delivers", 
what I have to do? just wait 'til delivery time? feed her anyway?

Thanx for your help.


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

I strip and tumble as soon as I see my females holding because it causes less stress on my female and she can breed sooner than if she held full term. Thats just what I do and I find tumbling the eggs quite easy. :thumb:


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## webgirl74 (Jan 30, 2009)

I have a pair of rubies that breed constantly. I find that having plenty of cover in the tank for my breeding females really helps. It allows them to "hide out" while holding and cuts down on the stress level. I have a mangrove swamp sort of set up with lots of hiding places among the roots. I personally don't strip my females until the fry have been hatched for several days. There's always a chance she will release them before I get to them and they get gobbled up by the other fish, but my mortality rate is pretty low as compared to stripping her before the eggs have hatched or before the egg sacs on the fry have disappeared. The female does not feed while she is holding, and she will lose weight. This is normal and they make up for it once they are no longer holding (at least mine does...you'd think she hadn't eaten in a year!) Everyone has their own methods that work. Good luck!


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

so how long befor eyou know it wasent a false breeding... like how long before she spits or eats the eggs?


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## algae eater (Jul 29, 2008)

Mikelodeon said:


> I will take HER out TODAY !!!!
> 
> Thank you for your help. It will be my first fry.
> 
> Mikel


This is beginning to make sense now...........That is why they call it a "Fish Fry" :lol:


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