# jewel cichlid babies now free swimming, now what???



## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

The eggs hatched a few days ago and now they are free swimming a little. they are also getting the attention of other tank members and we have lost a few. the parents are protecting in the corner but can't help them all now if I want to give them a chance should I put them in a breeder net or small 2 way breeder.


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## GotCichlids? (May 21, 2010)

If you don't move them all the fry will be gone in the first week of free swimming! If you are looking to get a high yield on the brood I would move them and the parents to a 10 gallon holding tank until they are about 1/4" or the parents stop showing interest in them! Don't keep the parents in too long or they will eat the fry! Jewels like to spawn in sessions and if this is the first spawn it will most likely be followed by several more before they take a couple months off! When trying to remove the fry do not use a net as it will scatter the fry and most will get eaten in the madness as the parents will also be very skittish and will stop protecting them with the net present! Also with the net the fry are going to be extremely fragile and can easily get smashed (found out the hard way with a big mess in my nets trying to get them out)! The best way that I have found to get them out is to use a tube much like one you would start a siphon on an overflow box with and actually siphon them into a bucket! Make sure that you do already have some tank water in the bucket prior to starting to "suck" them up; this will help cushion their arrival in the bucket and they won't smack the bottom! Good luck! oh and PS make sure the holding tank you are moving them into is cycled 300+ fry and two parents can send a bio load into shock pretty quick!


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