Stripping cyprichromis leptosoma utinta

My school of cyps has just started breeding in my tank with breeding julidochromis marlieri. Any advice on managing them to maximize survival of the babies? I've never stripped females before. Thanks!

You can always pull the females and put them in a breeder cage or another tank and let them spit.

They are REALLY hard to strip and odds are very high that you'll end up permanently injuring the female's jaw. I agree with Greg....move them to a breeder box or basket, or small tank and let them spit when they're ready. If you go with an in-tank breeder basket, they may jump and rejoin the others in the tank. I usually lay a "lid" on the top of the basket that's cut to fit out of that plastic needlepoint canvas.

I have raised 100s of Cyp fry. Around day 22, I'd put the female into a separate "box" in the same tank and let her spit. There is no need to strip unless the female is holding an abnormally long time. Usually somewhere between 22-28 days they spit during the night.

The female will have a harder time eating bigger things for a day or 2 after spitting. It is almost like their jaws are sore, they don't want to open widely, or something. Make sure you offer her small stuff like 0.5mm NLS Grow. Depending on her health/skinnyness after spitting, you might want to keep her segregated for another day or 2 so you can fatten her up a little before setting her loose again to compete for food.

I have used floating clear plastic soda bottles with many holes punched outward and flap lid for access. Some rubber bands and small foam pieces keep it floating horizontally. Cheap, easy, reusable, esp if you have numerous females holding at the same time, which usually end up happening once they all get in the groove.

I like the soda bottle idea, do you have any pics of them Esther?

Here is an old, very abused one, all bent and such, but gives you an idea.

The holes are punched from inside out so any sharp edges would not be inside with the holding or segregated fish. I usually make more holes and float the bottle near the flow from my HOB for max circulation.
I just make sure that the cut for the flap on the top is above the water line.

Go ahead and laugh...I know, cheesy, but these kind of cheap improvised contraptions have worked for me for years. You should see my plastic window screen-cinch tie-rubber band contraptions for holding multiple fish!

Thanks for the advice. Definitely don't want to traumatize her. Neat that I can now see 2 eyes on the babies in her pouch. What do you think the odds are that the fry would survive if I just left the female alone? The juli fry have no problem surviving in the tank... Will the Cyp school eat their own?

Esther- this female might be one of the babies I got from you awhile back. I mixed 2 schools to improve genetics.

I don't think I ever saw a Cyp eat one of their fry, but I always separated them. The ones that got spit in the main tank (during vacation) never survived, but I had plenty of other voracious fry eaters in there.

I wouldn't think the julies would pass up a snack...