P. Nyererei holding

[fish speaker]

I just received a shipment of fish yesterday, including a killer pair of Pundamilia nyererei "Ukerewe Nyererei", and the female is holding. She was either holding when I unpacked them, or they liked the new tank so much that they spawned in the 15 minutes I had my back turned (feeding my midas) after releasing them. Since I only have this pair (last pair of this variety that Armke's had when I called), I would like to do what I can to assure some fry survive. The tank is a 180-gallon, with the following fish:

13 yellow labs
7 Ps. acei (looking for more...bought all they had: )
6 Lab. trewavasae "opal"
6 C. afra cobwe
6 Astatotilapia latifasciata Lake Kyoga “Zebra”
15 Ps. demasoni
2 Pundamilia nyererei "Ukerewe Nyererei"

Most of the fish are small, with the largest being the nyererei and the afras, so there isn't much aggression, just lots of activity. Should I set up a maternity tank and move the female nyererei into there, or leave her in the main tank? Since I'm not sure when they spawned, I'm not sure how long until she's due to release.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

[Matt V]

Originally posted by fish speaker
Should I set up a maternity tank and move the female nyererei into there...?

Yes.

If you don't already have an established tank to use, be sure to use established media and maybe some decor from the big tank and a bottle of cycle when setting it up. i usually keep something harmless in my maternity tanks like small danio or something...

Don't net her out. Try to catch her in a container so that she doesn't leave the water.

Breaking down a 180 must stink... i have (been told) a holding Labeotropheus fulleborni to deal with in my 75 when i get home... there's so many rocks in there.... :(

that's awesome that they're holding. such and awesome little fish!

[SGypsyMermaid]

i agree with matt, but i would wait a week before removing her in case she just spawned.

[fish speaker]

Thanks for the tips. I have a little 10-gallon tank that I have been using as a hospital tank that I might use. It currently has a molly in there to bulk up and repair some fins. I have a little sponge filter that I run in one of the bigger tanks when the hospital tank isn't in use. I'll probably just siphon some of the water from the 180 to replace what's in the 10 now, so that the parameters match what she's been in.

I really dread trying to catch her. Catching my 12+ inch pleco is almost easy next to trying to catch a fast, elusive little fish. :D

Wish me luck!

[SGypsyMermaid]

i net the females, but i don't bring the net out of the water until i have a container(like a "critter keeper") in place under the net, so the fish is never out of the water. sometimes you get lucky and the holding female sleeps in the open near the front of the tank and you can catch her before she's fully awake in the morning. otherwise you'll probably have to bite the bullet and pull out all of the rocks to get her.

[Matt V]

also, since they're sometimes looking for cover anyway, you can leave a container in the tank. i usually leave it in the tank for a while before i try to catch them. once or twice, i've actually had the female cooperate by just swimming into it. usually that doesn't happen... but sometimes - just sometimes - they acutally make things easy.

[fish speaker]

Originally posted by SGypsyMermaid
i agree with matt, but i would wait a week before removing her in case she just spawned.

After observing the male over the last couple of days, I'm leaning towards thinking that they spawned right after I unpacked them. His colors are a little less incredible today, so I think I got his photo while he was in full breeding dress. I'll wait until next weekend to try to move her. That will give me time to decide what to use for the maternity tank: I'm hesitant to use the hospital tank, since that would leave me without a hospital tank (I'm a master of the obvious:D). I have plenty of room in the stand for either a 20, 20L or 29. Any recommendations on what to use for a maternity/growout tank? Hmmm...I could actually move my 20-gallon tropical non-cichlid tank under there, but I don't think my paradise fish or cory cats would be happy with that, unless I offered them the alternative as "dithers" for my midas. :twisted:

[Matt V]

for grow outs/maternity tanks right now, i have 2 10g tanks. but, i'm going to get another 29, put 3 filters on it and have moveable dividers in the tank so that i can split it up. a 20L would probably work just as well, but i'm getting the 29 w/cover for $30, so that's what i'm doing.