# What to do with Mouthbrooder?



## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

My female Maingano (blue vertical dark stripes) is going into her second week of mouthbrooding and i've unsure the right way to go about the fry. She's currently in my 130g with 4 other africans and 4 larger breeds of cichlids (oscar, severum, midas, dempsey) so i have an empty 40g breeder set aside for her. Should i leave her in the 130g or remove her and place her into my 40g, and when should i remove her? Read alot of different methods of what to to when they're hatched like striping the fry before she eats em, placing the fry in an empty tank with no decor except a bubbler, place both parent and fry in a breeder net, and the list goes on and on. 
I have the live brine to feed the fry once there hatched. How long should i keep mom from the 130g alone to fatten back up before she breeds again. How much flow should be in fry tank, what kind of filtration? Any advice is much appreciated, ty.


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## bccromer (Apr 13, 2004)

First are you sure it's a maingano? They have horizontal stripes. What you do with her depends on if you want to keep the fry or not. If not just leave her and they will probably get eaten. If you do want to keep them, then wait about another week and move her to the 40g. If there is nothing else in there, then she will spit when she is ready. No need for a breeder net if she will be in the 40g by herself. Once she spits you can move her back in the main tank. You can place the fry in a breeder net after that and leave her in the tank by herself for a few days to make sure she eats some if you want. As far as filtration, not much is needed while they are fry. Make sure you put something on the intake tube so the fry won't get sucked up.


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Yes both male and female are _Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos_ Common Name(s): Maingano. and your right there horizontal not vertical mixed the 2 up.
I do want to keep the fry and was wondering when to remove her since... quotes off a site -> "_gestation periods can range from 18 to 25 days. . Place the mother in this solitary tank two weeks after discovering she is pregnant. This will allow a lead time of 4 to 7 days before the eggs are hatched. Do not leave the mother in with the babies for any longer than 4 days. She will start to eat the babies, thinking this is her food source."_ And was going to take her out this friday since last friday i noticed she was carrying making the gestation 2 weeks.
At the moment i have no decor just a bio wheel filter, a bubbler, a heater, and a small powerhead. Should i add decor? remove some of the flow? add substrate? or just leave it empty like it is atm. I do have the intakes covered with some thick sponge so they wont be sucked in. 
My plans were to remove her friday wait til she releases her fry, put a divider in the middle of the 40g to keep her and the fry seperate, add hiding places for her, then wait a week place her back into the large tank, take the divider out and raise the fry in the 40g adding substrate, extra flow, and decor as they mature. Does that sound about right or should i change things up abit? :fish:


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

It sounds like a good plan to me :thumb:


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Some of the new fry, shes still carrying half of em im sure, managed to get this pic bf she gobbled em back up


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Congrats on the fry!

You are aware that mbuna are not "pairing" fish? They are harem breeders, and should be kept in larger breeding groups of 1 male to 3 or more females.

And, those larger cichlids will eat those mbuna once they fully mature, so if I'm reading this right and they are all in the same tank, you might want to reconsider your stocking! In fact, that oscar may eat them before he/she is fully mature!


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Going to leave the fry in the seperate 40g as their "grow out" tank. Been looking to rehome my midas, severum, and dempsey for some time now. They were given to us with the purchase of our 75g (now saltwater). Had to take em since there wasnt any other home for them. My female is still carrying her brood but once shes spit and refattened she will be reintroduced. If anyone is in or around southern maryland and interested in taking on these large fish lemme know. The Severums 6" dempseys 5" and Midas is 4" I Refuse to take em to the local fish store here bc i've seen how he houses his fish. He has 2 very large oscars, a jackdempsey, and silver dollars each in 10g tanks by themselves. Asked him bout how they were being kept and he said he doesnt have any room to house the fish..
Here are pictures ^^


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Had a 100% survial rate on my fry so now i have 38 of the little ones and she's brooding again.. oh joy here we go again :fish:


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

And so it begins. Instead of saying they "breed like rabbits." The newest saying is that they "breed like African Cichlids" ...lol" Welcome to the club!


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