Where did my fry come from??

[Eraserhead]

Hey guys!

So I've got this 72 gallon tank with a bunch of juveniles in it, some mbuna and some haplochromis. I also tossed my demasoni in there. The demasoni pretty much is the boss of the tank, as everybody else is quite a bit smaller than he is. I was watching the tank today, and got kind of up close, when all of a sudden I see this tiny little fry shoot out of a rock and eat a piece of passing by food! I could NOT believe it. First of all, these guys, with the exception of the demasoni, are very young. It seems they would be too young to have any offspring. Second, I never saw a single egg in the tank. And third, I have only seen ONE fry. Where the heck did this guy come from?? I am guessing it belongs to the demasoni, simply because the demasoni has been more aggressive than normal lately. But seriously, how could this have gotten past me? And who the heck did it mate with?!?

[JustOneMore20]

Do you have a m/f of any of your fish? It doesn't have to be 2 of the same types of fish mating, I know, but its probably more likely. If you don't have more than one of any of the fish, then its probably a hybrid.

You probably didn't see eggs because Mbuna and Peaco-cks are mouthbrooders, as are some other cichlids (not sure what all is in your tank).

[Eraserhead]

It looks sort of like a demanoni-esque little fishie. Here is a picture:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bobbycri...83622407229538

[emc7]

Looks more like a pea**************** or hap to me. Are any of them Victorian Haplochromis? They breed at a very early age and stop breeding when they get big and pretty. As mentioned before, all those fish are mouthbrooders, so the egg was visible only long enough for the female to turn around and pick it up. I had a little yellow lab about 1.5" inches long carry exactly 2 fry to full term. Watch for chin lumps.

One fish I had "spontaneously generate" was a daffodil, after I removed all the 1 in long "juveniles", fry started turning up in the tank they had been in. So you can get fish from rocks and plants.

But yours really looks like a mouthbrooder cichlid fry to me. It could be a hybrid, because the most dominant fish will try to mate with anything that swims and prevent any other males from trying. Thats why mixed cichlid tanks other than bachelor tanks are discouraged. But the females usually prefer their own kind. It just doesn't look like a demasoni to me, but I usually don't see the fry until they get a bit bigger than that.

[Eraserhead]

Thanks for the help! I do, in fact, have a couple haps in the tank, so I am betting that you are right about that.

I will post more pictures as he develops!
I've got him in a little doodad to keep him safe for now:

Originally Posted by emc7

Looks more like a pea**************** or hap to me. Are any of them Victorian Haplochromis? They breed at a very early age and stop breeding when they get big and pretty. As mentioned before, all those fish are mouthbrooders, so the egg was visible only long enough for the female to turn around and pick it up. I had a little yellow lab about 1.5" inches long carry exactly 2 fry to full term. Watch for chin lumps.

One fish I had "spontaneously generate" was a daffodil, after I removed all the 1 in long "juveniles", fry started turning up in the tank they had been in. So you can get fish from rocks and plants.

But yours really looks like a mouthbrooder cichlid fry to me. It could be a hybrid, because the most dominant fish will try to mate with anything that swims and prevent any other males from trying. Thats why mixed cichlid tanks other than bachelor tanks are discouraged. But the females usually prefer their own kind. It just doesn't look like a demasoni to me, but I usually don't see the fry until they get a bit bigger than that.

[joe kool]

I will say this ... your little guy is NOT happy in that "doo dad" you need to put some cover in there for him to feel safe. And I've used that type of box before (I love it actually very effective) and I think you have it too far in the water (too deep) the water level should be right around the top "spray bar" type thing where the air bubbles come out this will also get you more water flow through the bar and some air surface in his little cube. Not to mention if he got frisky he could swim out of the little hole in the lid.

Priority 1 get him some cover so he feels "safe" maybe a thin layer of sand or something on the bottom so he "feels" like he's on the ground.

priority 2 raise your box a little

ALSO don't let any food sit in that box. if he doesn't eat right away take it out. fungus bacteria and with the slower flow rate of the confined space ammonia will develop and all are bad for any fish much less a stressed one

[Obsidian]

I would agree, the little guy looks pretty "clamped" to me, which is a sign of stress. Giving him cover would help him feel safe. He is cute

[Eraserhead]

Originally Posted by Obsidian

I would agree, the little guy looks pretty "clamped" to me, which is a sign of stress. Giving him cover would help him feel safe. He is cute

Well that was immediately after I stuck him in there. I put some gravel in it and he got happier. However, I went out of town for Thanksgiving, and got back and he had escaped. No sign of him. So I am guessing he was a small snack.

Ah well, hopefully they'll have more.

[joe kool]

did you raise the box like I said?

[Eraserhead]

Yep, but some time while i was out of town the thing must have slipped or something. When I got back to town, the little slot was below the water level. Hopefully they do it again, he was cool. I guess that's how it goes though. Not I have some of that breeding grass stuff in there just in case more appear.