breeding nightmare

hi, I currently have a 5ft mbuna tank, established for about four years, the
problem I have is they are prolifically breeding, most of the young are
surviving as I have plenty of rock and I will occasionally fish them out and
grow them on in the fish room until they are large enough for my local fs to
take, unfortunately I have more young mbuna than he can handle (approx 50
growing on) and the adults are still at it! any tips on how to slow them
down?

"NetMax" wrote in message
...
"Stephen Provis" wrote in message
...


Remove some rock cover, reduce water temperature to about 74F, decrease
feedings etc.
--
www.NetMax.tk

I've tried that, I wouldn't mind so much but I have seen at least 15 in the
5ft, I have about 50 in the fish room and I took 45 to my local shop 2 weeks
ago.
will a pictus cat be ok with synodontis? cause i have 2 of those in the tank

"Stephen Provis" wrote in message
...
hi, I currently have a 5ft mbuna tank, established for about four years,
the
problem I have is they are prolifically breeding, most of the young are
surviving as I have plenty of rock and I will occasionally fish them out
and
grow them on in the fish room until they are large enough for my local fs
to
take, unfortunately I have more young mbuna than he can handle (approx 50
growing on) and the adults are still at it! any tips on how to slow them
down?


Remove some rock cover, reduce water temperature to about 74F, decrease
feedings etc.
--
www.NetMax.tk

"CanadianCray" wrote in message
. ..
What kind of Synos do you have??? Some Multipuctatus (sp) would help cut
down on the baby cichlids by switching their eggs.


decorus

the fish are all mouthbrooders so wouldn't work that way

"NetMax" wrote in message
...
"Stephen Provis" wrote in message
...


Remove some rock cover, reduce water temperature to about 74F, decrease
feedings etc.
--
www.NetMax.tk

I've tried that, I wouldn't mind so much but I have seen at least 15 in
the
5ft, I have about 50 in the fish room and I took 45 to my local shop 2
weeks
ago.
will a pictus cat be ok with synodontis? cause i have 2 of those in the
tank


No problem I can envision. Pictus are non-stop vacuum cleaners on
steroids
(highly food motivated and food focused).
http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Pimelodus_pictus.html
I've had them in 8.4pH mbuna tanks. They just need lots of roaming room,
5
feet is good.
--
www.NetMax.tk

thanks for that, i'll give it a go

Mine are prolofic breeders as well but I haven't got to your stage. I'm
wondering if the Plec keeps the numbers down - he never feeds on
anything other than what is in the tank even if offered....

If it does become a problem I will also consider the pictus

Gill

its only in the past few months its got this bad, I have no idea why they
are surviving so well, I have 2 plecs and 2 synodontis which I thought would
help but the young are very very good at hiding even getting them out of the
tank is like a military operation thats why I leave it as long as possible
so as not to disrupt the fish too often, although at one point we were
removing 20+ young every three weeks, i'm desperate now, if only there was
the fish equivalent of bromide!

Get some smaller fish that can eat the babies like rock dwelling or
shellies.

"NetMax" wrote in message
...
"Stephen Provis" wrote in message
...
hi, I currently have a 5ft mbuna tank, established for about four years,
the
problem I have is they are prolifically breeding, most of the young are
surviving as I have plenty of rock and I will occasionally fish them out
and
grow them on in the fish room until they are large enough for my local fs
to
take, unfortunately I have more young mbuna than he can handle (approx 50
growing on) and the adults are still at it! any tips on how to slow them
down?


Remove some rock cover, reduce water temperature to about 74F, decrease
feedings etc.
--
www.NetMax.tk

Bottom posted.
Stephen Provis wrote:
hi, I currently have a 5ft mbuna tank, established for about four
years, the problem I have is they are prolifically breeding, most of
the young are surviving as I have plenty of rock and I will
occasionally fish them out and grow them on in the fish room until
they are large enough for my local fs to take, unfortunately I have
more young mbuna than he can handle (approx 50 growing on) and the
adults are still at it! any tips on how to slow them down?

You might try a function fish, like a big old aggressive cichlid, MAYBE one
angelfish, that would eat the young? Just an idea.... Good luck and later!

"Daniel Morrow" wrote in message
...
Bottom posted.
Stephen Provis wrote:
hi, I currently have a 5ft mbuna tank, established for about four
years, the problem I have is they are prolifically breeding, most of
the young are surviving as I have plenty of rock and I will
occasionally fish them out and grow them on in the fish room until
they are large enough for my local fs to take, unfortunately I have
more young mbuna than he can handle (approx 50 growing on) and the
adults are still at it! any tips on how to slow them down?

You might try a function fish, like a big old aggressive cichlid, MAYBE
one
angelfish, that would eat the young? Just an idea.... Good luck and
later!


Good idea, but with a pictus catfish maybe, not an Angelfish.
--
www.NetMax.tk

with mine, the female lays her eggs and the male is right behind her
fertilising them, she then scoops them up so they are moving in circles, if
any of the others get close the male chases them off and the female gives up
so the male has to follow her and try again, possibly in a smaller tank
where there are less breeding it would work cause the fish wouldn't be left
to it too much but in mine the syno would have to be in 3/4 places at the
same time, I am wary of putting too many synos in the tank as the 2 I have
decorus & schoutendini(sp?) are very territorial even if I move their hiding
places they and the 2 plecs will still stay in the same area defending it
from eachother
"CanadianCray" wrote in message
.. .
What do you mean it wouldn't work. That's what syno multi cats do. They go
around scooping up the eggs as the female cichlid lays her eggs & then
deposits her own before the cichlid scoops them up into her mouth.

"Stephen Provis" wrote in message
...

"CanadianCray" wrote in message
. ..
What kind of Synos do you have??? Some Multipuctatus (sp) would help
cut
down on the baby cichlids by switching their eggs.


decorus

the fish are all mouthbrooders so wouldn't work that way