# Whoa, my Jewel Cichlids just had babies, help



## grande_C (Jul 28, 2011)

Totally unexpected

Just a couple of Jewel Cichlids I have in a small tank in my room for the heck of it, I walk in there today and theres a ton of tinny little fry swimming all over.

I'm trying to research right now what I need to do for them, never had fish have babies before.

I freaked out thinking the little guys were gonna get sucked into the filter so I turned it off, was that wise? Now im concerned the water quality will degrade.

Should I turn it back on?

any help is appreciated


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Turn the filter back on. If you are concerned it will suck up babies, put a sponge over it.

You can feed them frozen baby brine shrimp, or crushed flakes.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Just put something lke a sponge or filter pad or even a piece of cotton cloth over the intake and turn the filter back on. I wouldn't leave it off.


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## grande_C (Jul 28, 2011)

ok turned it back on

had things to do today but now the rest of my day is gonna be spent on this, haha

heres a pic


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## mrs.som (Nov 14, 2009)

Wow! That is a alot of fry...congrats!


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

Yeah that's a nice sized spawn there. Congratulations.


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## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

Congrats grande_C! From what I have read, Jewels are terrible to other fish when they breed, just so you know. O, and I wouldn't turn the filter off. Just like was suggested, put a sponge over it. When my convicts breed, I go to my LFS and buy Fluval pre-filter sponges to put over the intake.


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## grande_C (Jul 28, 2011)

well this sucks

Left for a few hours this afternoon, I get back and out of the original cloud of little fry (had to be near 200 of them), there were maybe 30

spent the next 20 minutes watching as the two Jewels just ate them off one by one

Now I dont see any, might be one or two hiding in a crevice somewhere but I dont see them

what gives? Everything I've ever heard about cichlids is that they're great parents, and these two go from fanning water over them one hour, to eating them the next?

dug out an old 20 gallon and everything, was gonna get it ready to transfer the fry when necessary.

the highs and lows of keeping fish


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## Kerricko (May 26, 2010)

My jewels spend a lot of their time rounding up the babies and putting them back in the log I have in the tank. So if you have some good hiding areas it could be they didn't eat the fry. But then again they just might have. Jewels are a bit strange like that. Have no fear though with clean water they will probably spawn again in a few weeks. Good luck.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Each cichlid has it's own behavior...mbuna hold the fry in their mouths for 28 days (great parents) but then if kept with the babies 48 hours after spitting them out, they will eat them.

Some of the Tangs are better parents.

I've heard both about Jewels.


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## grande_C (Jul 28, 2011)

well good news, I awoke to find the babies have not been eaten

at least not all of them

must have found a real good hiding spot and all clustered in there, because I didnt see a one of them before I went to bed last night.

hard to tell how many exactly but there are still a lot of them, maybe 100 or more.

Maybe its like you say Kerricko, and the parents are just rounding them up and not eating them, but they're certianly snatching them up with their mouths.

anyway, false alarm, the fry seem to be doing well. haha


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Cichlids often blow their first couple of spawns, or eat their babies... it seems after a few, most of these poor parents get it, and end up being wonderful. If they do eat them, no worries they'll spawn again.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

ya some species will "grab" the babies in their mouths sometimes 5-10 at a time. my festivums did that a lot to keep the babies organized. i wouldnt worry too much tho. once u see a fry.. theres more coming lol


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## bluebirdnanny (Jul 18, 2011)

Wow!!! Congrats! That IS a lot.


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## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

That's a LOT of babies! :thumb:


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## grande_C (Jul 28, 2011)

so when is the typical time to move the babies from the parent's tank into their own?

the parents are still protective of them and not eating them or anything, not being aggressive to eachother either

they seem to be doing well, their numbers have dwindled a bit but theres still around 80-100 of them


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