# Feedback please.. re: hybrids



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

(and please be nice, thank you! Im apprehensive about asking for any feedback regarding hybrids!)

Someone is giving me some cichlids, and I know there are hybrids in there. After much fretting about the ethical delemma, I decided I want them. (my reasoning is it is my tank, and I am the one who has to look at it-as long as I don't give away or pass along any hybrids, I don't see the harm-Also, if I don't take them, someone else will-and who knows what they would do with the hybrid fry..) 
What I DON'T want is babies, because I don't know if I could cull them, Im pretty soft hearted. I get excited over baby guppies I can't see culling cute lil cichlid fry.

What Im wondering is what could I add to the tank to eat any fry that might pop up? *** never had luck with ciclids breeding, but apparently the fish Im taking- in breed like ..well, guppies. It would be my luck after trying unsucessfully to breed ps saulosi to end up with a tank full of hybrid fry..

Currently my tank has 4 ps saulosi a- adding some red zebra, and the crosses are a mix of zebra and kennyii and some are zebra and johanni.

It is a 55 g.
Any feedback would be appreciated.


----------



## FishandFire (Jul 2, 2007)

You definitely have the right attitude about not letting any of the fry out of your tank. The danger with hybrids is them getting out into the public and being distributed as something they are not. You can't control the breeding. If I had hybrids and they bred, I would just let mom spit in the tank just as she would do in the wild. The chances of any fry surviving would be very slim. The other fish would find them. There is nothing wrong with having hybrids in your tank as long as you are responsible with them.


----------



## fiupntballr (Jul 7, 2004)

I would keep cover to the minimum.... fry survival will then be minimal...
let nature take its course


----------



## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

I had a pictus catfish that ate a bunch of fry. Not all the fry, but at least helped keep numbers down.


----------



## noj33 (May 14, 2008)

i don't know if it's a good idea, but what about a Clavus... they're fry hunters aren't they?


----------



## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

maybe you could add some Synodontis Multipunctatus they are good at eating fry.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Synodontis Multipunctatus are the answer. I let all my Mom's spit in the tank, and even with 6 Synodontis Lucipinnis I had too many survivor fry to keep in the tank. Since I added the Multi's the problem is solved.

Calvus are fry eaters but they are also timid and slow swimmers. They will not thrive in a mbuna tank.


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

loveanda45 said:


> Someone is giving me some cichlids, and I know there are hybrids in there. After much fretting about the ethical delemma, I decided I want them. (my reasoning is it is my tank, and I am the one who has to look at it-as long as I don't give away or pass along any hybrids, I don't see the harm-Also, if I don't take them, someone else will-and who knows what they would do with the hybrid fry..)


I don't think many people that dislike hybrids (like myself) will get on your case for this. You speak very responsibly, and you know what you are getting into.

Enjoy the fish!


----------



## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Little cover and Syno. multies could do the trick.


----------



## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

loveanda45 said:


> and the crosses are a mix of zebra and kennyii and some are zebra and johanni.


Those hybrid mixes have high chance of being very aggressive lil hybrids


----------



## LexBubble (May 21, 2008)

get a s. fryeri. they are fry hunters, too and are beautiful too look at.


----------



## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

LexBubble said:


> get a s. fryeri. they are fry hunters, too and are beautiful too look at.


 This is another option that could be combined with the above suggestions. This species is also fairly aggressive and may be able to handle the potential aggression levels of these hybrids, which can be unpredictable.


----------



## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

Just thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I agree with the suggestions of minimal cover and some syno multies. Adult fish will also eat the fry if they can catch them (including mom and dad).


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Sounds like you've been given some excellent suggestions above, I just wanted to applaud you for being so responsible about this. :thumb:

I also thought I should warn you that since the hybrids won't be too picky as to who they spawn with, you won't be able to trust spawns to be pure from your existing saulosi or the new red zebras, either. I'm not sure if that matters to you or not, but it's something to think about, if you planned to breed those two species. Hybrids are notorious for breeding with everything in sight because of their mixed parentage.


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

I picked up the fish tonite-- wow, they are bigger than I expected. I was expecting something along the lines of what I had. 
I have 3 quite large ones, and 3 smaller (about the size of my saulosi) My tank certainly looks more active now! Ill have to see how they all get along *fingers crossed*

I have another questions -one of the larger hybrids I took is missing a tail. Apparently he was getting beat up on. I felt sorry for him so I took him as well.

As long as he isn't getting harrassed, will this grow back? I seem to recall having a betta once with tail rot and the tail grew back after it healed (salt baths worked wonders) but Im rather ignorant about cichlids. He seems nice and lively so I dont think he is sick..

I think Ill go the cheap and natural route for now and just see what happens re: babies...hopefully I won't get overrun with hybrid fry (even though I would get a kick out of seeing one or two.. )

thanks all


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It will grow back if the others stop beating him up. Usually we would put such a fish in the hospital tank and treat with Melafix.


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

I don't have a spare tank, per say-- Ill keep an eye on him and make sure he isn't harrassed, if the other fish don't leave him alone, I guess Ill have to grab a net and start relocating guppies (to free up a tank)

I took some pictures of the new fish-please excuse the size-the blue one is some kind of hybrid (the other large blue one, sans tail, is hiding) Im hoping the peach ones are just zebras.


































In the third picture you may be able to see the tail-less fella peering out from under some rocks..The little yellow ones are my saulosi. The male is washed right out, I hope he adjusts to the new tenants.


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

I just thought of one last question

The tank currently has the 4 sp saulosi, plus the 6 I added today (3 larger, 3 smaller, the red zebra and zebra x something else hybrids) and a pleco about 6 inches long (I know he's still in there somewhere because the zuchinni keeps disappearing!)

Would you say this tank pretty much stocked to capacity? I think I mentioned before, its a 55 g 
I keep forgetting how addictive new fish are..I get a couple, and my immediate instinct is, MORE. I don't think its in the budget right now, and my husband would kill me if I suggested it, but Im curious if I could fit anything else in there..and what, if anything would be happy living in there with the current tenants.

(in the back of my head, Im also thinking-now *** joined the dark side and put hybrids in there, does this mean I can go buy cichlids from that infamous "mixed cichlid" tank at the LFS? I don't think I could go that far...but who is buying those fish, anyway? Someone must be..)

thanks for all the responses, and feedback.


----------



## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Stay away from that mixed cichlid tank at the LFS--not because you might add more hybrids but you risk adding disease with any new additions. Think about getting a quarantine tank.

Many folks overstock their African tanks to spread out aggression but you will need extra, extra filtration if you go that route.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Hmmm. If budget is an issue, then the next purchase should be hospital/quarantine tank, especially with hybrids. You need a filter and heater with that.

I would consider another 8 Saulosi and try for 3 males and 9 females.

Alternatively, since you already have hybrids and cannot save fry from the tank at all, no reason not to buy from the mixed cichlids tank (not Saulosi though). I don't think mixed tanks are disease ridden in quality LFS. The ones I've seen keep the mixed tank because they don't have tank space and/or enough focus on cichlids to devote more than one tank, but the fish are healthy. We are not talking feeder tanks though.

I think you have room for one more species. Certain species, like Acei, IMO, are pretty safe to buy from mixed tanks because there are not too many other mbuna that really look like an Acei (blue/purple body and yellow fins). Acei might be too large for a 55G but you get the idea.

Personally I'd add Cynotilapia sp. hara (no profile on cichlid-forum). The light blue with bars (male) goes well with the darker Saulosi. Along with the medium purple-gray-blue of the females, will add a lot of blue to your tank. Not as large as they Acei so a better fit for the tank. I would not buy them from a mixed tank either.


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

Budget is definately an issue at this point -which is why I am taking in hybrids instead of buying cichlids. If I had cash to buy fish, I would never have considered adding hybrids on purpose. Hey, beggars can't be choosers, right. Not desperate, fish addicted beggars, anyway.
I just don't have money to spend right _now_ -but I like to know what I _could_ do-- you know, for future reference. 
I like to look up fish profiles and plan ahead  (hey, everyone needs a hobby..)

My LFS had ps saulosi for $15 each- I don't think I will be getting any more of those! Even when Im not gainfully unemployed, I can't justify $15 dollar a fish, especially when Im considering buying 6 of them..Yeah, Im pretty cheap..but anyway.

I did have an excess of tanks awhile back but gave them away b/c of lack of space to set them up..I am kicking myself now. I have excess filters and heaters, but no tanks. The idea of a quarrentine tank didn't even occur to me (I guess space is still an issue, but I could have always relocated the tv-my husband would love that)

Anyway..sorry for rambling, lack of sleep (insomnia sucks)
thanks for all the info/feedback, and answering all my Q's 
.I think Ill go back to lurker-mode again now until another crisis arises..

:thumb:


----------



## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

For a quarantine tank, you could get a 10G at wal-mart for $10 or so. If you already have the filters and heaters, that's a cheap way to go. Something's better than nothing.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The tail will grow back as long as it isn't gone too far into the body. But, he may be picked on by the other fish, so if it were me, I'd separate him out and do daily water changes and add Melafix to aid in healing. Should you see any white cottony areas around the tail, there may be infection and a need for antibiotics.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I use my 5G fish bucket with filter and heater in a pinch.

Unfortunately if your zebra-like fish kill your existing Saulosi you'll be even more unhappy.

Join a fish club, you can get GREAT bargains on fish at their monthly auctions.


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

*** been watching their behavior and I think I will move the one with the damaged tail. *** noticed the larger blue one chasing him every chance he gets. Id feel crappy if he doesn't get better and its my fault before being lazy and complacent. 
I have a 15 gallon with only a few red eye tetras and an algae eater, Ill just move the red eyes for now (the algae eater should be ok to leave in though, right??)

Luckily I havn't seen any aggression toward the saulosi-who knows, though..the bully may move on when I take away his current victim..hopefully not though..

Ah, I guess I asked for this, I was bored and wanted some action in the tank, now I have it.. 

again, thanks all


----------



## loveanda45 (Oct 14, 2006)

I took your suggestions and moved the injured fish to another tank today, and added Melafix.

Besides the 20 minutes of frustration it took to actually catch the fish, it really wasn't as arduous a task as I expected. Well, wait, it was. Stupid rock caves. 
But thanks for pushing me, if not for you guys I probably would have cluelessly let him languish in the other tank being mercilessly bullied.

:thumb:


----------



## padlock 08 (Jul 31, 2008)

:idea: add some melanochromis johannii, they are aggressive so will be able to handle the hy-brids temperments and are also highly sufficient fry-hunters


----------

