Kribensis Eggs!!!

note: this is a continuation of my "female kribensis vibrating" thread... I was just too excited and had to make a new one!!!

EGGS! I knew my female was acting strange today!!!! She's been acting strange all morning, digging around her flowerpot cave and acting crazy around the male. I went to abbotsford, came home a couple hours later and first thing I noticed... she looked skinny! She was also breathing alot, she looked stressed. The male came over and they started crazy fighting! so I fed them, she wouldn't leave the flowerpot and would only eat when stuff came close enough to her. So then I peeked in the cave with a flashlight and there are grey little eggs all against the front wall! My only concern is that I don't know if he fertilized them becasue she is hating him right now, if this doesn't stop by later tonight I might take him out. But for the most part she only fights him when he comes near her, and he's doing a pretty good job of keeping out of the way. For now I have a few important questions... if they arn't fertilized how/when will I know? If they are... how long till they hatch? And also.. I have 2 yoyo loaches in there with them... they never go in the flower pot caves but will I need to take them out?? THANK YOU!!
soooooooo excited!!!!!

 

well, again, i'm learning about cichlids myself, but I think if she's chasing him off, he most likely fertilized the eggs. if you have somewhere else for the other fish, they'll probably be happier there once the fry come - she'll be a protective mama and might kick the out of the loaches if she feels they're a threat. (and the male krib)

If the eggs aren't fertilized, I think they'll go white and if they are fertilized you should know in a few days. i'm sure some of our experienced krib owners will confirm or deny this.

 

I managed to remove one yo yo loach, so hard to catch tho without uprooting any plants! I removed the bigger more aggressive yo yo, I'll try for the other one in the next couple of days... don't want my hands in their too much. I have 2 humminbird tetra in there with them as well, but they are tiny... I don't think they are a threat at all. The male and female are actually getting along alright now, she's always in the cave and he's close by chasing the remaining yo away if he gets close. She's "fanning" the eggs with her mouth so cute!

 

okay so it's the worst picture ever... but I don't want to upset mom or the eggs with the flash, you can see tho she deffinately has company in there! she laid them at the front top of the flowerpot which is pretty much impossible for me to see except through the top. Coresean hasn't been more than 3" away from the pot since they were laid!

 

;D it really sounds like you'll have lots of little wigglers soon. The Kribs sure think so anyway.

 

Welcome to the Kribensis fry club. Get some baby brine shrimp going and your babies will grow fast.

 

That is great news Melawii.

Regarding the colour of eggs & fertilisation, if they are white then the eggs are not viable/infertile and may be eaten, if yellow it means that the eggs have been fertilised, but then can become transparent just before hatching.

Cichlids are one of the best parents you can get in the fish family. They are so protective that they will sometimes bury eggs & newborn fry when they feel threatened, so I wouldn't worry if you notice that they go missing for a day.

Fry usually hatch in under a week, and take another 3-4 days to consume their yolk sacs and become free-swimming (they don't need feeding during this time as they are getting all they need from the egg sac).

Congratulations again!!!

 

okay, so both yo yo loaches are now out, besides an otto and 2 hummingbird (walking) tetra... the brooding tank is ready! took another good look at the eggs today and they are deffinately yellow-ish tan colored. Coresean is doing an excellent job protecting them, and kiro is always near by. We're ready for fry! Just a few questions, will the otto and tetras be okay in there with the fry? The otto is about an inch and the tetras are smaller. Also, baby brine shrimp... are they prepared live or frozen? There are pretty much no places around here that sell live fish food, just frozen. I've also read somewhere about temperature control when the fry hatch, what temperature should I be keeping my tank at? Currently it is about 84. Thanks again everyone for your help! I feel a lot more comfortable now that the other fish are out

 

The Otto won't bother the fry at all IMO, The hummingbird's (very unusual fish, I think you're lucky to have some) can sometimes be aggressive if in a small group but I don't think they should be a problem either, as Coresean & Kiro will protect the babies for some time after hatching & if they sense any threat they will gather the fry up in their mouth to keep them safe.

Frozen shrimp will be OK, but if you can I would recommend getting powered fry food which I use to feed any fry & used it a few yrs ago when I kept cichlids.

You're temp. is fine at 84* if that is what they are used to, usually anything from 76* to 82* is OK as long as there is plenty of oxygen in the water at the higher temps.

Very exciting isn't it!!!

 

yes, well it was exciting

bad news everyone, I'm pretty sure coresean ate all her eggs
she must have thought something was wrong with them, I've heard of kribs doing this before. I know she could have moved them but I doubt that because she is unusually "fat" again and is no longer protecting any particular spot, just following kiro around. I'm pretty upset, I wonder if it was my fault netting out those 2 yoyos. I probably upset her. I feel terrible, I was so excited sorry everyone.

 

ugh this sucks. coresean looks absolutley devestated. she's hiding, won't even eat (probably because she's full of eggs but still...) and kiro is acting all frantic, I don't know why. I also lifted up the flower pot just to make sure, and yes... nothing left.

so I thought.
...I actually found one little lone egg. It was attatched to a pebble below the wall where they all used to be. I took the pebble and put it in a shot glass in the tank, covered it with little bunches of live plants so the other fish won't get at it. doesn't look promising tho, it's yellowish, but pretty solid looking. looks like a dud, still... yah never know.

 

yea, that is disappointing, but at least you know they are a breeding pair. I'm not sure that moving the fish had any effect on her, this sounds like just one of those things that they do.. but next time she shows the early signs of getting ready for fry, you'll have the opportunity to move the other fish out sooner.

Perhaps i'm just being cautious, but I'd take all the other fish out when the time came.. my thinking being that they'll 'shoot first and ask questions later' with any perceived threat, even if it's not a real threat.

 

Also, baby brine shrimp... are they prepared live or frozen? There are pretty much no places around here that sell live fish food, just frozen. I've also read somewhere about temperature control when the fry hatch, what temperature should I be keeping my tank at? Currently it is about 84. Thanks again everyone for your help! I feel a lot more comfortable now that the other fish are out

You just buy a BBS factory.
Follow the instructions...presto. ;D
Yeah if the other fish are fast enough keep them in the tank...the krib pair need "target" fish or a distration.
I took my diamond tetra out & a day later the female, Pixie turned on my male, Kirby. I had to move him out of the tank.

 

ugh this sucks. coresean looks absolutley devestated. she's hiding, won't even eat (probably because she's full of eggs but still...) and kiro is acting all frantic, I don't know why. I also lifted up the flower pot just to make sure, and yes... nothing left.

so I thought.
...I actually found one little lone egg. It was attatched to a pebble below the wall where they all used to be. I took the pebble and put it in a shot glass in the tank, covered it with little bunches of live plants so the other fish won't get at it. doesn't look promising tho, it's yellowish, but pretty solid looking. looks like a dud, still... yah never know.

Ah ...Don't worry, they will be at again soon. Usually their first time doesn't take. Mine did b/c my female was a part of a pair when I got her. It was my male 1st time tho.

 

Ah ...Don't worry, they will be at again soon. Usually their first time doesn't take. Mine did b/c my female was a part of a pair when I got her. It was my male 1st time tho.

I heard that once the breed it can be anywhere between 10 days to 10 months before they breed again... I really hope I don't have to wait too long. I'm leaving just the kribs in there now, no distractions. I'm worried about coresean, she's not eating still this morning. It's strange I just look at her and know she's depressed, she's always hiding.
I think she misses being a mom already

 

I heard that once the breed it can be anywhere between 10 days to 10 months before they breed again... I really hope I don't have to wait too long. I'm leaving just the kribs in there now, no distractions. I'm worried about coresean, she's not eating still this morning. It's strange I just look at her and know she's depressed, she's always hiding.
I think she misses being a mom already

People have told me that if there first time seems tramatic then they may not breed for a long time. Who knows..I hope yours try again soon for you.
I think they take the mom role pretty seriously.

 

my female seems back to normal now, her and kiro are inseperable and flirting again I gotta fatten her back up, maybe in time she'll think about babies again!

 

;D that's good news to hear.