CHoffman

Hey guys,
I'm just wondering when is a good time to take the babies out of the Mom and Dad's tank and into a grow out tank?? Also what's the best way to do this??..I thought about using a airline hose to suck them up and into the new tank..lol..would this work or do i need a bigger hose?? Also when do they start eating food??..I've been giving them decapulated brine shrimp eggs, crushed flakes, and I put the java moss in there because I know there are rotifers, i think that's what they are called. Anything else I can do??..I'm probably jumping he gun here. I haven't seen them eat but they are not that old either So I'm kinda uncertain when to expect them to start eating. They went free swimming Late Saturday early Sunday morning.

Drew 43920

What kind of fish are they ? Will Mom or Dad eat them ? Where are you going to put them. What kind of hiding places are in the tank ? What do you plan to do with the fry if they live ? How big are your tanks.What fish are in them ?

CHoffman

Sorry,
They are Hemichromis Lifalili (Blood Red Jewels.) Mom and Dad won't eat them. I have a 16 gallon and several 10 gallon grow out tanks too. The tank they are in now has TONS of hiding places. I'm going to sell the babies and adopt them out to fishlore buds. They are in a 30 gallon now. Species only tank. Just mom, dad and babies.

Here is the link about them. Lots of pics and videos of tank and fish
Hemichromis Lifalili spawned (Blood Red Jewels)

MizRamzi

Do you have any other fish in with them? Most cichlids make very good parents. If their alone you just may want to leave them alone.

CHoffman

No other fish in with them. They are very good parents. But i've read that If you let them stay in with the parents to long the parents can become aggressive with each other.

Shawnie

why remove them if mom and dad are not going to eat them? or am i lost somewhere LOL ...to remove them, either scoop them up with a larger type bowl or the syphon method...you have babies all over the place there!! id love to see some pics

CHoffman

I've read that the mom and dad get aggressive toward each other if the kids are left in the tank too long. The blood Red jewels are the only ones that have had babies yet Shawnie..Hopefully it will stay that way for awhile..lol..

Here is a ton of pics and videos
Hemichromis Lifalili spawned (Blood Red Jewels)

Shawnie

wow i cant believe i missed that thread...wonder if you can put a divider in instead of moving them? or move mom and dad...I know when I move fry, it seems to stress them too much so I move the parents instead...but im a newbie too

CHoffman

Hey, that's a good idea Shawnie..lol...Hmmmm..Move hundreds of tiny little fry or move two manageable parents..lol...Sometimes I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box..lol...

Shawnie

having a "redhead" moment like I do my "brunette" ones ...took me a few times before I realized the easier way lol

MizRamzi

Ahdah! Why didn't I think of that? A divider! Guess I was just thinking about family unity, something I'm really in to. lol