# Eretmodus Cyanostictus Gobie Breeding questions?



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

I have a pair of Eretmodus Cyanostictus Mpimbwe Orange. I first noticed the female holding on the 18th of August. She passed to the male on the 29th.

I was wondering what would be the best way to get these fry out of the tank, and when I should do it. Is it best to move the male to another tank or strip him?


----------



## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

Cute fish! Sorry I don't have good advice. I've heard arguments that netting the fish, and stripping him into a breeding box or similar container (rub gently at the throat while holding him?), then replacing him in the tank is less stressful, but other people contend that removing the "pregnant" fish to another tank, and letting her (him) spit naturally is better.

Your fish, your choice!

-Rick (the armchair aquarist, who never stripped his fish, but did put his pregnant peacock cichlid in a floating box with lots of holes in it till she spat, but all the wee babies went out the 1/8" holes and got eaten, so next time he banished "big blue" and the leleupi to a smaller tank, leaving just mama and the multies until the babies grew up a bit... but that's a little extreme  )


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

Stripping is probably not the best or most natural way to do it but when I don't strip my male EC he either spits and tries to eat the fry soon after or spits in the tank. I would get him out soon, he'll probably spit VERY soon.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I hear the males will often eat the young if left to spit naturally unless they can escape into cover.
You will I am sure need a rearing tank for the young.
If going for a natural spit;.....
You need rocks just over the bare glass where they can hide from him and cover for him to feel safe enough to spit. A holed plant pot works fine.
But how long to let the male hold for is the question I think. And just how much do you want all the young.

I hear a total holding time female + male of 21 days is what is often used before stripping him (Or even her if the eggs do not get passed).
Sorry if someone has direct experience please contradict/correct me. :thumb: 
If you are real lucky he may spit while being moved.

I am a lousy stripper and thus a lousy goby breeder, I think, most of mine get eaten.


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

I stripped him  It took me a lot longer than I though It would. I Got 9 fri


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) 
Good luck with them. Next prob is they can be awful mean to each other even as fry. Sight dividers (rocks etc) can help with low numbers. Higher numbers you can sometimes crowd out the aggression so they will sit quite close together without picking on any one individual.
9 is rather borderline, sorry.
Not sure weather its best to rock a tank with that number or leave them on a bare bottomed tank.


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

I put them in a old 10 gallon shellie tank that has sand, rock, and shells. They are with 3 Cyprichromis leptosoma and 5 Lamprologus Similis fry. The Similis are chasing them around quite a bit. So far they seem to be doing fine. When they get a little bigger I have a 55 gallon tank to move them into.

The male I stripped is doing great! He was eating like a pig when I fed him earlier today. I was a little nervous considering how much handling I did with him.

:fish:


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

Couple shots of the babies.




























Female is holding agian!


----------



## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

Great shots... I love baby gobies.... So cute !!


----------



## Phildo (Jul 29, 2004)

The great thing about bi parental mouth brooding is that as the male finishes the job on the first batch the female can eat again and be ready to breed again just as the male spits.


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

How long exactly did the male hold before you stripped?

I have been stripping mine with the male holding for 7 days. It's just a theory but It seems like when I strip earlier rather than later, more of them survive the mouth part of life because I seem to get bigger spawns (The one I stripped two weeks ago gave me 22). Of course it could also be that these two just have big broods. They are very well grown and good sized for eretmodus. I was just wondering because the pics you posted seem like the fry are pretty well developed. Mine have been swimming around, eating for a couple weeks and don't look as big as yours.

I don't have a ton of experience raising these guys though and what I'm saying could be as much coincidence as it is, or is not, time tested.

I did just set up another Goby setup, out of love for the first and for the ease of catch and removal, and the two parents I chose paired off within two days! so, pretty excited about that. My first pair took almost a month to become friendly.

Congrats on the fry keep us posted on progress, or at least pm me and share what has been working and what hasn't as I am new to raising gobies but hoping to do much more of it (I've kept them for awhile but never wanted to try and catch the dads when holding).


----------



## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

I would love to get my hands on a pair of gobies, I can't find them anywhere!


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

BioG said:


> How long exactly did the male hold before you stripped?
> 
> Mine have been swimming around, eating for a couple weeks and don't look as big as yours.


1st batch
First noticed female holding August 18th
She passed to the male on August 29th
I stripped him on September 8th
I think he was holding for 10-11 days
21-22 days total 
9 fry

2nd batch
First noticed female holding October 1st
She passed to the male on October 13th
I will probably strip him tomorrow October 21st

The pictures were taken October 11, 2009 around 1 month old.


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

Some updated pictures from the first batch.


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

ABout how big are your fry right now? I got 22 from my male in late september and they're only .75 of an inch :?


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

They are probably around 1 - 1.25 inch. I had them in a 10g for around a month then moved the group to a 55g and they really took off. What kind of gobies do you have?


----------



## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

I read something recently about these gobies. It said that they will spit their fry onto a rock high up in the tank, not far below the water line if you provide them with one. This simulates what they would do in the lake, which is release their fry in the super shallow lake margins where larger fish can't go. They suggested putting some rockwork up high like that, maybe a flat rock with some algae or java moss would be good. Sorry I can't remember where I saw that. Lots of juvenile fish rear on floodplains for the same reason--larger fish can't go onto them without being too exposed to predators or just getting stuck.


----------



## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i read that in the species article on this site


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I've read that too and have yet to witness it in my tanks regardless of how many different rigs (and fish) I've tried. :lol:


----------



## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

What?! You tell those gobies to read the article!! :lol:


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

I have eretmodus Cyanostictus, I believe they're one of the southern varieties. Spots on head profound defined striping, red fringe on fins.

I have had thm in a 10 gallon for almost 3 months so maybe it's time to move them in to a 30?


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

BioG said:


> I have eretmodus Cyanostictus, I believe they're one of the southern varieties. Spots on head profound defined striping, red fringe on fins.
> 
> I have had thm in a 10 gallon for almost 3 months so maybe it's time to move them in to a 30?


The earlier you move them up the better.


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

BioG said:


> I have eretmodus Cyanostictus, I believe they're one of the southern varieties. Spots on head profound defined striping, red fringe on fins.
> 
> I have had thm in a 10 gallon for almost 3 months so maybe it's time to move them in to a 30?


Mine really took off when I put them in the 55 gallon.


----------



## ssondubs (Nov 16, 2008)

I have 5 gobies along with 5 Occelatus and about 20 Cyps in a 135 gallon tank.

One of the lager gobies seems to be holding because his/her mouth looks a little full but he seems to be hyper aggressive and is chasing all the other gobies...is this normal behavior for breeding gobies?


----------



## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

Mine are always chasing each other. When they are holding they don't eat. So watch close when you feed them to see if he/she eats. Also the larger one is probably a male.


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

ssondubs said:


> I have 5 gobies along with 5 Occelatus and about 20 Cyps in a 135 gallon tank.
> 
> One of the lager gobies seems to be holding because his/her mouth looks a little full but he seems to be hyper aggressive and is chasing all the other gobies...is this normal behavior for breeding gobies?


Yep. For example, the male in my avatar was photographed a week before I stripped 41 fry from him. He never let up on his chasing, and would breed with females while he was holding.

IME, a holding female is more reclusive, unless she's ready to transfer to the male. Then she can be a terror towards her mate. But it sounds like you are describing male behavior- did you see one of the other gobies holding before this?


----------



## ssondubs (Nov 16, 2008)

triscuit said:


> ssondubs said:
> 
> 
> > I have 5 gobies along with 5 Occelatus and about 20 Cyps in a 135 gallon tank.
> ...


This is the first time that I am aware of. I wasn't sure of the holding since I am used to seeing my CYPS which are more obvious when they are holding (you can literally see tiny eye balls from the mothers almost see through skin).


----------

