# Cyprichromis leptosoma Kerenge Fry & Wigglers (56K Warni



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

I have 9 young adult Cyprichromis leptosoma (Kerenge Island) and two 1.5in fry from an earlier strip. Well I have had 6 girls holding and a couple getting pretty beat up with very dark buccal cavities so I figured it was time to do a mass strip - since Julies and Calvus are in the tank I expect mom released fry survival to be about zero.

I never tumbled eggs before so I made two different tumblers just to try before I stripped everyone.

I have a 10 gallon tank I use for fry grow out - I stripped a very clean yellow lab female (so is dad) last Sunday so I already had 15 fry my breeder 'net'.

Here is a shot of the 10 with the 2 tumblers and the breeder net.









The two tumblers I tried (both from web designs) - one was using an uptake kit for an under gravel filter from PetSmart ($2.99) - the other tumbler using a dust cover for a florescent bulb and fittings, all from Lowe's ($6.47 - bought enough to make 2 tumblers). I had the straps, vinyl mesh, and suction cups/clips for mounting.



















I definitely notice better water movement with the smaller tube - though it is much more finicky with amount of air.

I ended up with 5 fry that were very long and thin - zero egg sack and sunken stomachs, 2 fry with a little egg sack from a smaller female, and 6 with just a bulge from a third girl. I put these 13 in my breeder 'net' with the yellow labs.



















You can see the differences in the egg sacks or lack thereof below.










I ended up with 12 pretty active wigglers that I had just swimming around the tank for a while (groups of 7 and 5) which ended up putting in the larger tumbler.










And a batch of 4 wigglers who had a hard time getting off the floor of the fry tank - these went in the smaller tumbler.










So by my count I ended up with 5 + 2 + 6 + 7 + 5 + 4 = 29 Cyp Fry/Wigglers for my effort today :dancing:.

Thanks for reading.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Very cool! I have Kerenge too, how do you like them? I need to replace a few jumpers so I may try catching 2 holding females I have.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Very cool! I have Kerenge too, how do you like them?


I like them a lot - as I said on the other thread - I am a little surprised and how aggressive the males are at courting, but nothing like some mbuna of haps I have had.

I finally saw the reason for the white tips on the pectoral fins when all the action was going on a couple of weeks ago - they look like eggs and the girl wants to pick them up - so did a Yellow Calvus who kept diving in :lol:. Very cool to watch the entire display.

I am thinking a 6ft tank would be better simply to get the numbers up some more - ah, another day another dream.

I think I will add a few of the fry to my tank to get it to about 15 total and trade the rest for a male hap of two.



> I need to replace a few jumpers so I may try catching 2 holding females I have.


Good Luck catching them, I ended up having the best success putting my large net in one spot and slowly herding them with my hands. Definitely took a while to get all six girls without blowing up the entire tank and freaking everyone out.

Thanks for reading and congrats on Moderator status :thumb:.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Someone said grab them while they are sleeping. It never worked for me with mbuna...but I'll try anything.


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## Timbothediver (Jul 11, 2009)

Never had a problem catching them while they are sleeping. I wear a head torch to keep both hands free.
Once you have identified the girl you want to take out, you can scoop her out and put her in the fry tank before she even wakes up. Its funny to watch her come round, its as if she is saying to herself, hey where am I.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Yes, don't try and catch them any other way than sleeping. It's not worth the effort...lol. Have someone hold the flashlight for you. It helps to check a few nights before and get an idea of where she likes to sleep, especially in a larger tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mine don't sleep on the bottom...the rest on the ledges in the in-tank background. They still move around, even in the pitch black at 4am. But in slow motion, LOL. I seem to be able to catch one/night and by then the others are too awake.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Fry update:

All fry out of tumblers and holding pen - but I ended up losing the 5 that were held too long within the first 48hrs, the rest are fine.
------------------------
On this whole catch while sleeping thing - mine sleep back behind the rocks and under the powerheads for my UGJs, I am not sure how this works short of pulling everything out before hand.

I have 7 females on black sand - I have looked at night and unless they are up in the water column I couldn't tell who was holding, and within 30 seconds they are plenty active, is there a secret I am missing here? Do yours sleep out in the open, are things more obvious on lighter substrate?

Any insight is appreciated.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I only have 5 or so females and most of them are holding, LOL. You could catch a likely suspect and observe her in a container. Keep going until you get the holding female?

No I can't tell the holding one in the dark. I'm lucky I can tell the females...everyone sleeps with their colors turned down. 

I'm terribly impressed that Floridagirl has a such a devoted person that will get up at 4am and stumble around in the dark to hold the flashlight for her!


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

DJRansome said:


> I'm terribly impressed that Floridagirl has a such a devoted person that will get up at 4am and stumble around in the dark to hold the flashlight for her!


My husband is great...but not that great. :wink: My fish settle down pretty quickly. If I turn lights out at 8p.m., I can catch them at 11ish, before I turn in.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

GoofBoy, I saw a pic of one of your cyps on the Malawi forum today, you have at least one with the blue tail. Are your's all blue tail? Mine are mostly yellow tail, but I do have a couple blue tail males. I think I prefer them.


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

Thanks for sharing that. I catch my female holding cyps in the daytime in my 90 gallon, but I take the rocks out first. I don't have a lot of rocks and the catching only takes a minute.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> GoofBoy, I saw a pic of one of your cyps on the Malawi forum today, you have at least one with the blue tail. Are your's all blue tail? Mine are mostly yellow tail, but I do have a couple blue tail males. I think I prefer them.


I have 2 Adult males one yellow tail and the dominate blue tail in the picture the yellow tail is in the background - he is definitely a lot more colorful and active a month later.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have probably a dozen males and all area yellow tailed except for 2-3. The yellow is flashy, but...

The spawn I witnessed was with a blue tail. What are the odds out of my 5 holding females the one I'll manage to catch that THAT one? :lol:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I got 3 fry from one holding female overnight. One more holding female to go.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

4 females are holding again - they are machines... :lol:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What's your fry survival rate? I read another post by someone who said it was very low, under 50%. My three look pretty healthy, but it's only Day 2.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Other than the 5 that were held too long and died within 2 days - I think it has been 100% survival - if not - very close, I have found no bodies after the first 5 and no noticeable thinning of the herd.

I feed a bit 3-5 times a day and do a weekly 100% water change - they are in the 10 gallon posted above with the yellow lab fry - all doing well together.

Now I just need to score something larger from Craig's List as they grow .

Good Luck.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> What's your fry survival rate? I read another post by someone who said it was very low, under 50%. My three look pretty healthy, but it's only Day 2.


Update - I took a picture and counted, 21 of the 24 are still doing well. So, I have lost 3.

Nothing like 50%.


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## GlennC (Oct 5, 2009)

Does anyone know at what stage the fry begin to show colour? I have a Cyprichromis Leptosoma that is about 4cm long and the only colour it has is a yellowish dorsal fin.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe around 2"? Mine were that size when I got them. Seller said another 3 months but I think it took mine a little longer. First sign was the yellow-tailed ones started getting the yellow tails. Then the blue on the body came after.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Does anyone know at what stage the fry begin to show colour? I have a Cyprichromis Leptosoma that is about 4cm long and the only colour it has is a yellowish dorsal fin.


Mine started to really show around 6cm and about 7.5cm to full color. I would assume this would vary by species.


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## aandfsoccr04 (Sep 2, 2009)

Always impressed by what you do Goofboy. Congratulations on the fry. I'm sure it's a good feeling especially when so many live after all that work.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Always impressed by what you do Goofboy. Congratulations on the fry. I'm sure it's a good feeling especially when so many live after all that work.


Okay, thanks, I guess .

Yeah, the fry are great and it is fun trying out stuff like the tumblers - now I need to find a trading partner - for what I am not sure.


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## aandfsoccr04 (Sep 2, 2009)

haha I'm sure that it helps to have an engineering background when it comes to making stuff like that. I, for sure, would have no idea where to begin on building a tumbler or what a tumbler even does. haha


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I lost half my fry within 24 hours after a water change.  Ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=20ppm before and 10ppm after. My pH is always 7.8 tap and tank and I matched the temp carefully.

None of my fish ever react to large water changes, but I've never raised Tang fry before.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> I lost half my fry within 24 hours after a water change.  Ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=20ppm before and 10ppm after. My pH is always 7.8 tap and tank and I matched the temp carefully.
> 
> None of my fish ever react to large water changes, but I've never raised Tang fry before.


That sucks.

I do pretty close to 100% water changes once a week.

The first couple of weeks I actually did a 50% change on a bigger tank - drained my 10 gallon to about 1/2in, filled the 10 from the large tank then refilled the large tank. I figured I didn't want to do a 100% from the tap with the babies.

Now I do, straight from the tap with about a 4x dose of Prime. Guess I have been lucky.

Update - I have Julie and Multi fry in this tank now (to go with the 4 holding Cyps).


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes I have juli fry for the first time too, they are so cute! They are in the main tank though.

Don't know what it was. So far I have a couple of survivors, and the Mom's are back in the main tank to breed again.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Yes I have juli fry for the first time too, they are so cute! They are in the main tank though.


So are mine, after reading what I wrote it came out wrong.

Update - stripped again two days ago, 18 free swimming Cyp fry all fine- plus 12 with some egg sack that went into the tumbler - I lost half of those 12 within 24 hours. From the get-go they looked thinner and more pale than the 6 others - I could have picked the ones that wouldn't make it - not sure why that is happening. The other six are now in a breeder 'net' as they were 'swimming' fine this morning. Yeah, I also have another 12 lab fry as well - same mom who just looks absolutely perfect, I hate to lose her fry.

Update on the Julies. I have a pair with fry and 5 extra that have not been picked on by the pair 2M:3F.

I re-arranged the tank a little to add another rock pile at the far end away for my pair yesterday (sorry multies ).

Today, the two 'extra' males were going at it something fierce behind the new rock pile. I stick my net in (as I know how this will end) - they keep at it, I bang the net into them - they didn't stop even then. I ended up having to stick my hand in to break them up so I could get them out in the open to catch one.

I have never seen that kind of determination with mbuna - my first time with Julies, so I have to ask, is that normal?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think juli's get very unhappy (killing unhappy) when you rearrange their tank.

BTW I lost the rest of the cyp fry. No idea why. I tested the tank, then added a hybrid peacock to see if the tank had some toxicity issue...the peacock is fine. Snails are fine. I just don't know.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

DJRansome,
I , too, had trouble when raising 9 Cyp fry in a 10 gallon. I lost them all, and didn't know why. Last spawn, I put the 3 that I stripped into a tank with a huge sponge filter. The whole back of the tank is a sponge. I feed very sparingly, 1x-2x a day and do 50 percent water change once a week. I notice the fish picking off of it occasionally. My 3 Cyps ae about 1.5-1.75 inches. I'm going to put them in the main tank soon! Here is the baby tank with the background that they are doing well with. This had some juvi Saulosi males at the time the picture was taken. This worked for me this time, but who knows next time....


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Glad to hear yours grew up nicely. Mine had been eating and swimming around for a week. something happened with that water change, don't know what. Hope to do better next time.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> I think juli's get very unhappy (killing unhappy) when you rearrange their tank.
> 
> BTW I lost the rest of the cyp fry. No idea why. I tested the tank, then added a hybrid peacock to see if the tank had some toxicity issue...the peacock is fine. Snails are fine. I just don't know.


Sorry to hear.

Does your city do flushes or anything on the water system? It is about all I can think of, we have slightly chemical tasting water - we only drink filtered water because of the taste. So, I always 2-3 times over dose on prime - just to be sure, but I really can't imagine what else could have taken them out.

Well, I will keep my fingers crossed, I am feeling lucky right now.

DJ - by the way - the first two fry I got are around 2in+ and I am starting to see just a hint of blue on the dosal...and on the tail of the larger. Dad was the Blue Tail for sure we will see if jr follows suit.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have a private well. I drilled it (well not personally, but it's not an old well), very deep, phosphates and nitrates=0. I live in acres of woods, no farms or even very much in the way of lawns nearby for a pollution source. Mother nature at it's best. Yes, even in New Jersey, LOL.

Also the water change did not bother the snails. They are nerites, not pest snails. Inverts are pretty sensitive, right?

Maybe there was something on my hands or on a cave I added. All have been used in tanks before, and I scrubbed them, but who knows. I'm watching for the next batch of holding females.

Wow two inches already? Hope you get lots of blue-tails!


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

GoofBoy,
Do you it is possible to let Cyps fry growp out with the group in main tank? For sure, there are only Cyps in the tank. Thanks.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

JackyLiu said:


> GoofBoy,
> Do you _(think)_ it is possible to let Cyps fry grow out with the group in main tank? For sure, there are only Cyps in the tank. Thanks.


Yes - If it is only Cyps in the tank.

I like to feed the fry Hikari First bites then crushed flakes until they can eat the NLS Growth .5mm pellets - which is what I feed the adults. Once they can eat the pellets I add them back in.

I have A. Calvus in my main tank so leaving the small fry is a non-starter for me.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I did have two Moms in the tank for a week with their fry and there were disappearances.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> I did have two Moms in the tank for a week with their fry and there were disappearances.


Though maybe not completely probable for a real high success rate :lol:.


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

Thanks GoofBoy.
I saw the Cyps are willing to eat everything small. So, I think the fry may be food in the tank without parent taking care of them. 
Another problem is food. The **** may not have enough tiny food for growing up in main tank. 
But there are lots of work to catch them and hatch the eggs. Good work GoofBoy.
Did you success to get some fry growing out in main tank before you hatched them ? Thanks.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> So, I think the fry may be food in the tank without parent taking care of them.


Cyps are _not_ good parents, they ignore the fry.



> But there are lots of work to catch them and hatch the eggs.


You just need to make it an opportunity to do a 'spring cleaning' and empty the tank of decoration and be prepared to get both arms completely wet - that's all .



> Did you success to get some fry growing out in main tank before you hatched them ? Thanks.


I've had moms release and I've netted out fry - but in my tank I have noticed the females tend to hold, and hold, and hold. When the fry come out the tend to be emaciated and die in a day or two - so, I now strip if I want fry and let them spit in the tank and let nature take its course (A. Calvus) if I do not. With the Calvus, there is zero chance of a Cyp fry making it in my tank for long since they like to swim out in the open.

I think the best way if you want to grow them up is to set up a ten gallon tank - grow them to an inch or so (when they can eat the food the parents eat and not be eaten themselves) and re-introduce them to the main tank.


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

OK I know. The fry's suvival will be close to 0 in the main tank. Strip the female is the only way.
My problem is I can not have any other extra tank. My boss won't allow it. 
I will try to make a space in the main tank for **** when I have luck to get female holding.
Thanks GoofBoy.

BTW, ur Cpys looks great. The color of mine is not that dark blue. What is the secret? Water ? Food? Thx.


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## redblufffishguy (Jul 16, 2009)

Is it just my fish? I have 2 females CYP's that are about 3" (the male died on the trip home), they have no color at all. solid silver. They have been the tank for about 3-4 weeks, and quit hiding a couple weeks back. they eat anything I put into the tank. Do I need a male to get them to color up? If so, how do I determine what species they actually are (can't tell without color can you)?

Sorry to jump into this thread with a slight tangent...


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

JackyLiu said:


> OK I know. The fry's suvival will be close to 0 in the main tank. Strip the female is the only way. My problem is I can not have any other extra tank. My boss won't allow it. I will try to make a space in the main tank for fry when I have luck to get female holding.


I would get a hard plastic floating 3-way breeder from Lee's - works well as the adults cannot get at the fry - the regular soft breeding nets can be problematic as fry get sucked through the net.



redblufffishguy said:


> Is it just my fish? I have 2 females CYP's that are about 3" (the male died on the trip home), they have no color at all. solid silver. They have been the tank for about 3-4 weeks, and quit hiding a couple weeks back. they eat anything I put into the tank. Do I need a male to get them to color up? If so, how do I determine what species they actually are (can't tell without color can you)?


Most female Cyps are silver - no other color. Only the males have non-silver color - the males do display constantly more than making up for the 'drab' females - big reason why you want a larger group - 8-15 total - 3-6 males. No, you can't tell species from the females.


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

Thanks GoofBoy


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

It seems she is holding.


















I had one holding before. But she ate eggs after 2 days. This one is bigger. I hope I can get some fry after 3 weeks.


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

BTW, what kind of Cyps is that? utinta? The seller said they are Mpulungu.
Another pic. The biggest male is not in here. He hid when I turned on the light.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> I lost half my fry within 24 hours after a water change.  Ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=20ppm before and 10ppm after. My pH is always 7.8 tap and tank and I matched the temp carefully.
> 
> None of my fish ever react to large water changes, but I've never raised Tang fry before.


Well - my luck ran out - after a water change last week - I lost 8-10 fry and have I have been slowly losing a couple of fry a day.

I have done a couple more water changes since - no fry lost last night - I have no clue.

They all seem fine and eating like pigs - I come down in the morning - a half eaten body or two.

Argh....:x


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What the heck IS it? I've got a couple more holding females, I'll probably try again.

I've read about people who have water change problems with tangs using water from an existing tank for the change.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> What the heck IS it? I've got a couple more holding females, I'll probably try again.
> 
> I've read about people who have water change problems with tangs using water from an existing tank for the change.


I was doing the filling from main tank - stopped for a few weeks with no issues, guess I will go back to it.

I have several more females holding also - again...


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Playing with my new camera - proof of holding .


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Cool! What camera did you get?


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> Cool! What camera did you get?


Nikon D90 - Now maybe I can convince the wife I *need* a new 85mm Micro Lens for X-mas .


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Hey Goofboy, congrats on the new camera. Good luck on that lens :wink:

Keep practicing - I am enjoying the pics :thumb:


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

Oh, nice pic. How clear the eggs are!

Sorry to hear the lost.

I can not see any eggs in my female's mouth. Here are mine. Three female are holding.


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

Finally, I got a pic of the eggs too. In fact, the eggs are easily seen after several days.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

JackyLiu said:


> Finally, I got a pic of the eggs too. In fact, the eggs are easily seen after several days.


Nice... :thumb:


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

I hope I can get some pic of mouthfull fry after 2 weeks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have holding females again, but no success catching them yet. Hope some fry make it this time!


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## JackyLiu (Nov 2, 2009)

I just got 2 fry from 3 females this weekend. So sad.  
I should strip the female and use egg tube next time.
I have one female holding 1 week now.


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## remm (Apr 6, 2009)

Mine just did the dirty tonight for the first time that I am aware of. Female is holding now and male was a real prick for about 20 minutes tio the rest. Kinda exciting except I have a comp and leleupi in the tank so I'm not counting on any fry.


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## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

remm said:


> ...male was a real prick for about 20 minutes to the rest.


maybe he just wanted a cigarette.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

One evening over the holidays I glanced at my tank and saw 3 baby cyps flitting about. I was able to net two and the third hid under a shell. I think he was a goner.

Well I put them in a breeder net in the tank as all hospitals, etc. were otherwise occupied. Last cyp fry I lost after a water change.

Well this time they survived, but one of the little buggers jumped out of the tank and landed splat on the floor! I scooped him up on a wet, dull knife blade, nudged with wet fingers and put him back, but he just floated, did not swim.

I sloshed the water around a little and he revived slightly, but I had little hope.

Well two days later he survived the fall and the water change and is doing fine. Fingers crossed!


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Here is my dirty 10 gallon tank that started this thread - just got a 40 breeder today to 'replace' it .










Somewhere around 30 Cyp and 15 yellow lab fry.

I went back to water changes from the main tank and haven't lost another fish.

Though I think they are now big enough to not be quite as sensitive :roll:.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I found 3 more cyp fry swimming around the tank during a water change. One escaped but I added two to the breeder net. They have survived two water changes now. Keep your fingers crossed for females, LOL.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

My new 40 - 30+ inch and quarter cyp fry plus yellow lab fry - too bad you aren't closer.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yeah! :drooling:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I had a nice surprise last night, walking by the tank and saw 6 newly spit cyp fry swimming around the tank. Swooped in with my net and stuck them in a breeder net temporarily.

I've actually had that happen a couple times now. If I don't notice them right away the other fish get them. The moms seem to spit in the evening while the lights are still on. It's my new way of avoiding having to hassle with catching the mom at midnight, LOL.


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## malawi_luver (May 5, 2004)

Do you ship goofboy


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## fishies1 (Jan 12, 2010)

Congrats again DJ..I can't wait to see my surprises.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

malawi_luver said:


> Do you ship goofboy


No I don't - those 30 have found a home - now there a 7 more in with Multies and J. orantus that are growing out and being ignored, I think I can find a local home for them as well. They were released when I was changing tanks around, I didn't actually try to save them but - since they were just waiting to be netted...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Every single one of my females is holding. If I could only catch them all I could double my cyp population, LOL.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> Every single one of my females is holding. If I could only catch them all I could double my cyp population, LOL.


=D>


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thought I would jump in on this thread and say thank you for the info provided so far.

I recently acquired acquired some 2 yr old "Kerenge" cyps, 6 males & 4 females + 10-12 of their 2" offspring from a local fish club. I've had them 10 days now and they are starting to color back up.

I don't know what the previous owner was feeding them but I'm using 1mm NLS, flake NLS & occasionally live black-worms. They seem to be taking all the foods readily when I feed a couple times per day. What is everyone's experience with the frequency that they should be fed?

Also, what is the recommendation for maintaining a colony of these fish? Should the fry be left in the tank to reach adulthood and possibly breed with their siblings or parents? Would doing that reduce the value of any offspring that were to be sold? I was told by the seller that the adults were F-1 and were purchased from a breeder in Michigan named Rudy about 2 years ago.

The Cyps are presently in a 125G (72" x 18") tank with a real rock background, CQ sand substrate, live plants (Giant Hygro. & Anubias Nana) and a couple pieces of driftwood. Filtration is an Eheim 2260 and an FX5.
Tapwater source is a private well, 
pH of 7.8, 
kH of 130 PPM,
gH of 260 PPM.

I did post this tank in the Malawi section as I was originally stocking it with 3 pairs of Aulonocara, 1 male Nimbochromis Venustus and 6 Synodontis Petricola (though I think they are S. Lucipinnis). As soon as I have another tank open up, the Malawi will be moved out.

I hope this isn't imposing on the OP's thread. It is so hard to find info on this particular strain of Cyprichromis.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Deeda said:


> Thought I would jump in on this thread and say thank you for the info provided so far.


You are very welcome.



Deeda said:


> I don't know what the previous owner was feeding them but I'm using 1mm NLS, flake NLS & occasionally live black-worms. They seem to be taking all the foods readily when I feed a couple times per day. What is everyone's experience with the frequency that they should be fed?


I fed NLS 0.5mm growth exclusively twice a day and they bred like little, well...um...cichlids.



Deeda said:


> Also, what is the recommendation for maintaining a colony of these fish? Should the fry be left in the tank to reach adulthood and possibly breed with their siblings or parents? Would doing that reduce the value of any offspring that were to be sold?


Clean water, clean water, & clean water. I would definitely move the Nimbochromis Venustus. I don't know that the others would have much impact on the colony.

You cannot keep fry with the adults - they will get eaten. You will need to catch holding females and strip or let them spit. There is no issue with having the siblings with the adults and value.

Congrats on your find and Good Luck.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I feed once/day with an occasional fast day. NLS 1mm pellets only. Adults will eat the fry so if you want fry you would catch the holding female. Which has not been easy for me, LOL.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thank you for the advice. When I do get a holding female, I will move her to a spare cycled 30G tank with a sponge filter.


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