Mbuna Swallowing Fry?

[ollysaquariums]

Hey everyone,
I have recently had a second mbuna holding, this time a cobalt blue cichlid, and I remember her mouth being bigger and I saw eggs moving around in her mouth. She now doesn’t have that bloated look in her mouth and she hasn’t been opening it like she was so I can’t look in and see if there are fry. I also cannot open her mouth manually because she squeezes it shut when I try. Is it possible she has swallowed them or does her mouth get less bloated when the fry hatch into actual fish?

 

[chromedome52]

The fry are smaller than eggs, so it is not uncommon for her to look like she lost or ate some of them after they hatch out. If she's not eating and still keeps her mouth closed, it's likely that they just hatched and she's still holding.

 

[ollysaquariums]

The fry are smaller than eggs, so it is not uncommon for her to look like she lost or ate some of them after they hatch out. If she's not eating and still keeps her mouth closed, it's likely that they just hatched and she's still holding.

okay thanks so much for answering! I’m definitely keeping an eye on her and it does look like something’s in her mouth I just can’t get a good look in there because as soon as I get a good angle she’ll turn around and swim back. I have got her in a 22 litre currently which people will have mixed opinions about but it’s only temporary and the fry will be split half in one tank and half in the original. When do I take the mother out once the fry are out? I’m worried that last time another mbuna had fry they died because I took her out too early?

 

[chromedome52]

Make sure there are some rocks or plants in the nursery tank so that she feels comfortable. In a bare tank she might not release the fry even if they are ready. Once she releases the fry, remove her. Mbuna females do not usually take the fry back in once they let them out. Don't put her back with the male for a while, she needs some recovery time first. Give her some isolation for a week or so and feed heavily. Don't just drop her back in the main tank, distract the other fish by feeding at one end while releasing her at the other.

Good Luck!