A nice cichlid dilemma

[Glenn S.]

I have tooooo many baby fish - and two adults with bulging throats :-)

My 120 (5 ft long tank) is set-up with several rocks, two live Java ferns,
and about 20 'assorted' African cichlids. Seems as though there has been
some hanky-panky amongst the assorted fishies because I have only one
'bright orange' zebra but she's the one with her second mouthful. I was
able to catch her about 2-1/2 weeks after I first noticed the bulging jaw so
I stripped her of her fry and they are mostly all doing well in a holding
tank. They're all fairly light orange colored.

My dilemma is that I also have three dark colored fry swimming freely in the
main tank! I have no idea what they are but they sure are FAST !

--
G.D.Smith
Harpers Ferry, WV

FOR SALE: 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350
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[Gill Passman]

Glenn S. wrote:
> I have tooooo many baby fish - and two adults with bulging throats :-)
>
> My 120 (5 ft long tank) is set-up with several rocks, two live Java ferns,
> and about 20 'assorted' African cichlids. Seems as though there has been
> some hanky-panky amongst the assorted fishies because I have only one
> 'bright orange' zebra but she's the one with her second mouthful. I was
> able to catch her about 2-1/2 weeks after I first noticed the bulging jaw so
> I stripped her of her fry and they are mostly all doing well in a holding
> tank. They're all fairly light orange colored.
>
> My dilemma is that I also have three dark colored fry swimming freely in the
> main tank! I have no idea what they are but they sure are FAST !
>

I have much the same problem :-) My Melanchronis Cyaneorhabdos (Electric
Blue Johanni) are at it like rabbits and I think one of the Labs has a
mouth full at the moment. I leave them in the tank - I think I'd be
totally overrun if I didn't.

I like the way that the tank is now operating on various community
levels - the adults at the top, the juvs in the middle trying to go up
top with the big guys when they dare and darting down to the bottom when
it gets too much, the babies poking their heads out of their hiding
places at feed time. It's also quite interesting to watch them get their
colour and guess who the parents are.

I'm actually now starting to get worried about the tank getting
overstocked so need to attempt to catch the Juvs. I've already
negotiated some credit for them when and if I can catch them.

Gill