WTB - Psuedocrenilabrus Nicholsi - Page 2

todda · 08-21-2012, 12:10 AM

got 8 free swimmers out of the 2nd female - 61 more fry out of my 3rd female (they are just eyeballs and egg sacks) - in a few months I should have plenty to sell.

turfboss · 08-21-2012, 9:28 AM

On Friday 3 nicholsi fry appeared in the tank - first sighting and they are over 1/2" long (I am excited). Then Sunday afternoon when I was checking tanks I find the female holding with a buccal sack that makes her head look like it will explode. Am removing the male (per discussion with Matt) and will remove the female when she spits - leaving the little plecos in the tank for cleanup.

What is truly amazing is that these 3 little fry never appeared once in the past 4 weeks - and I am guessing they are at least that old based on their size (and your comment about how little they are when they hatch).

Have you figured out how long the female is holding before she spits??

todda · 08-25-2012, 5:41 PM

The first female held for 14 days and spit free swimmers. The 2nd spit free swimmers around day 13, but most got eaten overnight. The third female I stripped at 11 days, and they were just eye balls and egg sacks - I counted 61. I only lost 3 of 61 fry from the 3rd female that I stripped at 11 days. I have close to 90 fry total(hard to count). I have them in a hard bottom breeder basket and am feeding decap baby brine shrimp from Ken's. Some are still lying on their sides and haven't started free swimming yet. If you have any more question, just ask & I'll try to help.

turfboss · 08-26-2012, 11:52 AM

Took out the male yesterday - and looks like I have 30+ of the Nicholsi fry in the tank along with the female - which I am now debating taking out - she is very protective against the other 4 fry and the plecos (who seem to pay no attention to the fry but when they get close the female chases them away). I made a fry food from a recipe I found on the web -- I mix some with water and pour a little into the tank - it settles down like a small cloud and is eventually sucked over to the sponge filter - where all those babies are now gathered feeding off the sponge - so they seem to be doing OK. Thanks for the feedback and the info you are sharing.

turfboss · 08-26-2012, 12:25 PM

Looks like we need to move this discussion out of the Marketplace and into general discussions - who can do that??

todda · 08-26-2012, 2:27 PM

are all of yours free swimming? I have lost about 10 of the ones that were just eyeballs and eggsacs that I stripped early, I still have about 30 or so that are lying on their sides and haven't started swimming yet. I left for a few days to go to Kansas City to see Phish & the fry doubled in size while I was gone. I got another female holding again?

turfboss · 08-27-2012, 3:12 PM

Yes - the first four are a bit over 1/2" long - the 30+ new ones are all free swimming - even up to the top of the tank and taking some crushed flakes - although I am feeding them my home made liquid mixture - and they (so far) are all alive - I did a 30% water change this morning while they were still asleep - once they wake up they are all over the tank so it's hard to pull water without pulling fly along with it. So for so good - keeping my fingers crossed. Still have the female in with them - she just patrols around and chases the plecos away if she thinks they are too close to one of her babies - but noticed this morning that the plecos (they are only 1.5 to 2" size) don't seem to bother the fry at all and the fry swim right along side them as well.