# Fry again... this time not Hybrid.



## DEREK21 (Dec 21, 2006)

A little background..... I always find the fry while cleaning. About a year and a half ago, i found 30 little ones while vacumming, so I netted them and put them in a H.O.T. keeper. They're hybrids, so I kept them all. Once they got a little bigger, I decided it was time to let them out to explore the world. Currently I think there are 8 who made it.

Again while cleaning, saw fry about a year ago. This time, no H.O.T (again hybrids) and i think 3 of them are about a year old.

And again 6 months ago..... 1 little guy (Houdini) has survived. And he's Pretty for a little hybrid.

I've learned a ton in the last 3 years on this site, and 2 days ago, I noticed that a Female OB Metriaclima Estherae is holding.... this time, I think they're gonna be pure. I've been watching and 2 male OB's have been "doin' the shake". One's a "Blueberry" OB I picked up from "Something Fishy" in Cleveland - I hope he's the fertilizer. The mom & other possible dad I got from the last GPAS auction as a pair.

I've read every article in the library on Breeding and I've still got questions. I'm watching the mom every night, and it looks like she's doing the tumbling right now. I'd like to strip her, and put the fry in the HOT keeper, but I don't want to do it too early because I don't have tumbler. But if I do it too late, I fear losing most of them.

Advice please?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Once she's been holding for a week, I would remove her to another tank of her own for the remainder of the holding period.

If you want to strip her, 18 days is a safe bet on viable fry.


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## QHgal (May 18, 2006)

If that HOT keeper is net the adults will get real good about sucking the babies out through the net. To raise fry you really need them in their own tank. A 10 gal with a heater and sponge filter works really well.


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## gunnerx (Apr 14, 2008)

Aren't OB's hybrids?


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

gunnerx said:


> Aren't OB's hybrids?


The only OBs that I know to definately be hybrids are those that do not naturally occur. This would include Cynotilapia afra (last time I checked), Peacocks, and D. compressiceps.

Seeing an OB in a naturally occuring species does not mean that the fish is a hybrid, one must know its lineage.

Blueberries are just a strain/collection point that produces blue with no orange.


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## DEREK21 (Dec 21, 2006)

I just realized.... I have no pics of any of the fish involved.

Time to get out the camera again.


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## DEREK21 (Dec 21, 2006)

I stripped the OB female today... I have about 20 of the little buggers.


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## wedrnkbeer (Aug 6, 2005)

Wouldn't be very difficult to guarantee no hybrid's in this brood?


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

wedrnkbeer said:


> Wouldn't be very difficult to guarantee no hybrid's in this brood?


It would be very difficult if the collection point of the parents is unknown.


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## steveb_12 (Jul 2, 2008)

I have two yellow's labs (male and female). The female has had fry three different times, with me keeping as many as possible, 19 so far. It appears that all three batches are starting to have like a light yellow with red tint. It's like the yellow lab mated with my red zebra. The red zebra is always doing the "shake". None of the fry have shown any sign of turning yellow with black on the fins. Does anyone know is this possible? Oh, and not to mention, she is holding again.

Thanks


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

steveb_12 said:


> It appears that all three batches are starting to have like a light yellow with red tint. It's like the yellow lab mated with my red zebra. The red zebra is always doing the "shake". None of the fry have shown any sign of turning yellow with black on the fins. Does anyone know is this possible? Oh, and not to mention, she is holding again.


It's highly possible that your fry are a cross between your Yellow labs and red zebras.

We don't really advise keeping these two species together in a tank because of this. Hybrids from the two species are flooding the market.

These aren't "pairing" fish, they are harem breeders, requiring one male be kept to 3 or more females. When you attempt to keep them as just a pair the female may be killed by the male - he needs more females to disperse aggression. Some species shouldn't be housed together at all in an effort to prevent crossbreeding - red zebras and yellow labs seem to be the worse combination these days. A dominant male red zebra can easily overpower a male Yellow lab and breed with his females because of the differences in their temperament.

Or, you could have Yellow labs that have some red zebra in their lineage, making them more prone to crossbreed with the red zebras, or causing the obviously hybrib fry to crop up - even though the Yellow labs may look perfect. :thumb:


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## steveb_12 (Jul 2, 2008)

Thanks for the comment. I think you are right in that my male red zebra is being dominant over the male lab. The red zebra is full grown and much bigger, so I could definitly see your point. What do you think would help more getting a female red zebra or maybe two more female labs or both? Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!!!


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

your yellow lab female is a skank, lol


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

steveb_12 said:


> Thanks for the comment. I think you are right in that my male red zebra is being dominant over the male lab. The red zebra is full grown and much bigger, so I could definitly see your point. What do you think would help more getting a female red zebra or maybe two more female labs or both? Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
> 
> Thanks!!!


If you plan to breed and distribute fry, I would recommend removing one species altogether, and building on the breeding group of the remaining species. I would not house the Yellow labs and red zebras in the same tank. Adding more of either group might not stop the crossbreeding at this point. It's already started.

What else is in the tank, so we can help you make a decision as to what you should keep?


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## steveb_12 (Jul 2, 2008)

I didn't plan on breeding any of the cichlids, one day I saw her holding and attempted to keep the fry. I really don't want to get rid of either of the breeds because my main purpose is not to breed, but she a breeding machine. I know I could just let nature take it's course and let the other fish eat the fry, but as a fish hobbyist I challange myself to keep as many as I can. I'm not going to be selling the babies. I'm gonna keep some for myself and give some to family/friends. Thanks for input.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

That's totally up to you! :thumb:

The problem with giving them to family and friends is that they may very well wind up in your LFS for sale as a pure species. As a hobbyist myself, that scares me more than leaving them in the main tank to be eaten!


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