Labidochromis caeruleus Holding

[Aiglos]

Good news everyone.

Not 2 weeks since I got back from my holidays to find 2 little fry, I have another female Labid holding eggs.  The two little labids are doing fine in there growout tank now.  

The tank is a 55 Gallon and is inhabited by 1 2 inch buttikoferi,  1 male swordtail - dont ask... girlfriend wants him in there and 5 labids,  DENSLY planted and with lots of hiding spots and rocks.

Temperature, 78 degrees, PH 7, Amm - 0, Nitrite -0 Nitrate 5-20 max.

Often water changes, tank is taken very good care of,  I've read alot on the internet about them and the info is conflicting, seeing how my last batch was born and were found after they were already free swimming and doing well  I can't say that I have any experiance and would love some help.

The female is holding now and has a little ornamental mountain as her home,  should I take the holding labid and put her in her own tank  now?  wait 2 weeks?  wait 4 weeks ?  or leave her in there and let her defend her new fry herself  ?

I know lots of people on the board have had alot of success and I'd love to hear your stories,  The mother and presumed father are absolutly beutiful full bright yellow fish, the "fathter" is a big almost 3" labid and is bright yellow with beutiful black coloring on all his fins.  So I can only assume the fry will be beutiful.  

Thank you in advance, very excited.

[NjOyRiD]

congrat bud

[pegasus]

You got every reason to be exited.
I have a new female holding every second day, excludind the C44    so I,m exited all the time.
Here's a few techniques:
-Place it in it's own tank, subdue light and a pile of small rocks where the female will feel her fry will be secure later on. I don't do this anymore since I figure I'd need a dozen tanks.
-I make a pile of rocks in a corner of the big tank and small cave for the female beside the pile. Do it right and you could get 25-50% of her holding. The fry coulg get to be swim among the other fish after a few monts. When the fry will reach about 3 monts , they will become predators among/amist this pile of rocks. Time to use another strategy.
-Wait 10-16 days (up to 21 days for a female that I know as a good breeder) and strip her of her eggs/fry. I strip my females as soon as I notice their renewed interest in food. 100% result
-I remove all the other fish when I have more than a few holding females.
-Do nothing and let law of the tank to take over as you did for the other female.

It's time to tell the girlfriend to get a 130g tank for her 2 inch buttikoferi. It's her tank, it's her fish. LOL  as I did for my prize tropheus that found a temporary tank in my wife's office. She's in charge of growing them up and I'll claim custody for their breeding. BTW she never asked their price either.      

Good luck & remember... if you fail... you can always try again next month.

[Aiglos]

Pegasus > Thanks for the advice. .

Question: I have a tank full of female guppies,I breed guppies as well for feeders,  Will the Female Labid be okay in that tank ? its a 10 Gallon.... worst comes to worse I could move the female guppies outta the 10 and put them in the growout tank, i doubt they would eat many of my guppy fry.

What about Terra Cotta clay pots, I can crack a few of them and stack them, what do you think about that ? I don't have any more rocks left and now is not the time of year to go collecting, and I refuse to pay for rocks at a store LOL

With a good nod I'll go and do buy some more pots for hiding and get all that done tomarrow and take the female out and put her by herself/with guppies?

[Eirikre]

Congratulations!  The clay pots will work wonderfully.  Good luck!

[pegasus]

If the water parameter is the same, she should be fine with the guppies (no agression, no stress) I would probably  eventualy use an eggcrate wall between her and the guppies (4"x8" room should be enought).

What about Terra Cotta clay pots, I can crack a few of them and stack them

That's fine. I also drill then with spade drills.
I could get you rocks if you come down to our next OVAS meeting, no problem.

[Aiglos]

I work Tuesday Mornings at 7, Its too hard to make it to a 7pm meeting and then drive home 2 hours.  

I will have to do with clay pots, thanks for the help everyone, im off to Pembroke today to buy some clay pots from walmart. The fish should be happy.

[Aiglos]

Hey everyone.  

Great news.  My Yellow Labid female released her young fry 2 days ago,  The mother was left to recover in the tank for 2 days with often feedings, and water changes,  she is now back in her 55 gallon tank and I am very happy to find that I have upwards of 12+ small Labid fry.  I am very happy.  The 2 other fry from the last hatch are growing well and are about 1/2 an inch now and VERY yellow in there young age, very happy.

I wish I could count how many there are, but they are very fast and hard to count.  

Thanks for everyones help !

[pegasus]

Congratulations & we'll see then at the mini-auction, right?

[Aiglos]

Thank you, and yes probally in the near future,  Will take some time to mature first. Hopefully most of them will go into my tank but the way they are reproducing my tank will be soon faster then I know it.

[dannypd]

You got every reason to be exited.
I have a new female holding every second day, excludind the C44    so I,m exited all the time.
Here's a few techniques:
-Place it in it's own tank, subdue light and a pile of small rocks where the female will feel her fry will be secure later on. I don't do this anymore since I figure I'd need a dozen tanks.
-I make a pile of rocks in a corner of the big tank and small cave for the female beside the pile. Do it right and you could get 25-50% of her holding. The fry coulg get to be swim among the other fish after a few monts. When the fry will reach about 3 monts , they will become predators among/amist this pile of rocks. Time to use another strategy.
-Wait 10-16 days (up to 21 days for a female that I know as a good breeder) and strip her of her eggs/fry. I strip my females as soon as I notice their renewed interest in food. 100% result
-I remove all the other fish when I have more than a few holding females.
-Do nothing and let law of the tank to take over as you did for the other female.

It's time to tell the girlfriend to get a 130g tank for her 2 inch buttikoferi. It's her tank, it's her fish. LOL  as I did for my prize tropheus that found a temporary tank in my wife's office. She's in charge of growing them up and I'll claim custody for their breeding. BTW she never asked their price either.      

Good luck & remember... if you fail... you can always try again next month.

Girlfriend? Wife??    :shock:

More then just a fish hobby!! LOL

[pegasus]

Girlfriend? Wife??  
More then just a fish hobby!! LOL

All three. LOL