swarvegorilla wrote:

1) most mums never learn to eat enough to not lose condition, at most
they
get little bits and pieces. Usually they get none.

Are we really talking about Malawi Mbuna? They have almost no problem
with feeding while breeding, maybe a little when breeding for the
first time. They may have some problems, though, when the main tank
is too overcrowded (I mean, less than 12-15 liters per adult fish).
But in such conditions you should not expect natural behavior.

The exception is if she is a tank all by herself.

And that's the one method which is preferred by Malawi hobbyists
community
which I belong to. Small separate tanks for breeding females. But
absolutely
no stripping!

2) screw other people and there problems with hybrids. They make a
good
first batch of fish to 'learn the ropes' with as they are quite a bit
more
tough.

You should not go online with such and attitude. "Screw other people".
Huh.
As to fish "to learn the ropes" there are many such fish, which do not
belong to endangered species, so what's the point?

3) using fry savers as opposed to keeping the one or 2 that manage to
survive hiding under rocks etc in the main tank does not weaken the
population. That is absurd. All it means is a couple of larger males
will
survive.

As to only males surviving, this is deifinetely not true. And I am
not talking about using main tank to produce as much fry as
possible - I am talking about natural behavior.

Without stripping and using fry savers there is just no way someone
with only one
fish tank can breed enuf fry to make it worth bothering.

What do you mean by "worth bothering"? If "making enough money" then
we are talking different things now.

It also leads to healthier, larger females who breed more often due
to regaining condition quicker.

That's just another inconsequence. A female which has a chance to
keep the fry as long as is needed will be sure more healthy and
it's fry will be healthier. We are not talking about factory here!

Maybe this bizare irrational defence of bloodlines
mattered one day, but for most places those days are gone.

Sad but true. Especially in States. They also have many more
of very interesting (huh) methods, such as male only overcrowded
tanks, one-bag-for-all-fish universal fish food and such.

To denie someone the chance to raise up some fry just
because of your own issues is just.... stupid.

You just don't have to strip to raise fry. Is small breeding
tank so hard to get and keep?

People need to relax and have fun.

That's just stupid. Do you mean that having fun is impossible
while you keep at least SOME rules? Turn on CNN, every day
we see something stupid, bad or outrageous just because
someone "had fun".

Try tell discus breeders to kill all their hybrids and see
where that gets ya!

Hello? We were talking african cichlids here! Hello?

I been doing this fish thing for a while now
and it still amazes me how single minded people can be.

Doing something for a long time is not equal to doing
it the right way. But I understand some people will not
agree to that. Castro for exapmle :-)

Watching fish breed is a magical thing.

You do not need stripping for that.

Now flame me all ya want
Heard it all before
I mean crap Iv'e bred blood parrots
do your dam worst!
I'll still be here.

Of course I will still try to convince you. This is
what it's all about. You're still not lost :-)

Oh and ya wanna know my best selling African mate?

So this is really about sales, is it?

milc, 500L Malawi Mbuna