Well, I wanted to see how a mouth brooder fry grew, so I built an egg tumbler. When my Electric Yellow spawned again, her 10th time! I set up the tumbler in my 10 gallon fry tank. I then took mama out and stripped the eggs out. This was day 9 after the spawn.
Dang they are cute! They are tiny bodies with huge orange egg sacs! They roll around in the tumbler, just like the mama rolls them around in her mouth.
Here is a video of them at day 9 after the spawn:
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... erDay9.flv
Couple pics at day 9:
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... CT0005.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... CT0034.jpg
So, 3 days later they are bigger and the egg is smaller. When the bubbles float them, they now swim real hard and float better LOL. They are also a darker color.
Here is day 12 video:
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... yDay12.flv
This is the tumbler in action :-)
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... wDay12.flv
Here's a couple pics of them. Its hard to get a clear close up because they are so small.
Day 12
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... /Day12.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... /Day12.jpg
If you all are interested, I will try to get a short video everyday of their growth :-) Funny thing is, even still so young, they are about the same size as my 1 month old Ram fry!
I got inspired by this video on U-Tube. It show the eggs from spawn to free swimming.
Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTRTE39vZog
I have a Red Zebra that spawned today and I will be setting up another tumbler for these ones probably tomorrow. This is so cool!! I have a LFS that wants all of them this time! YAY!!
Anyone want to see what happens in a mouth-brooders mouth?
10 posts
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
Dizz,
Which LFS wants your red zebra? Neptune's Realm. I have another group of 10 I need to send off so I was curious. I'll wait until you send yours off though if you want. I don't want to step on your toes. Thanks.
Which LFS wants your red zebra? Neptune's Realm. I have another group of 10 I need to send off so I was curious. I'll wait until you send yours off though if you want. I don't want to step on your toes. Thanks.
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
Yep, just a tall plastic spice container.
I cut the bottom off, you have to make sure there is no overhang that they can get stuck in. I also read square ones are bad because the fry get stuck in the corners.
I then covered the bottom with panty hose, held on with a rubber band.
I poked small holes in the lid. Make sure they are small because I cut them too big and my first try with Acei eggs, the eggs came out of the holes. Good thing I was just seeing if they were fertile.
Then I made a hole big enough for the air hose, put it thru and attached a small air stone.
Its not the most best looking or sophisticated, but it is getting the job done :-) I think its the pressure of the air trying to get out of the container that causes them to bounce.
Here's the thing when I first put it together.
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... T00022.jpg
I searched U-Tube and got the idea thru that.
I cut the bottom off, you have to make sure there is no overhang that they can get stuck in. I also read square ones are bad because the fry get stuck in the corners.
I then covered the bottom with panty hose, held on with a rubber band.
I poked small holes in the lid. Make sure they are small because I cut them too big and my first try with Acei eggs, the eggs came out of the holes. Good thing I was just seeing if they were fertile.
Then I made a hole big enough for the air hose, put it thru and attached a small air stone.
Its not the most best looking or sophisticated, but it is getting the job done :-) I think its the pressure of the air trying to get out of the container that causes them to bounce.
Here's the thing when I first put it together.
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... T00022.jpg
I searched U-Tube and got the idea thru that.
Last edited by dizzcat on Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tmercier834747 - Posts: 887
- Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm
nifty..did you use anything like this for your bolivians or is this kind of treatment only useful for mouth-brooder eggs? I know you said something about fanning..
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
Hey Miami!
Its Seascape that wants them. Right now their tank with the smaller Africans, 1 1/2 to 2 inches has a bad case of ick, so she wont sell anything from that tank or take any that small because they will have to go in there. Not sure how long she will have a hold on that tank, usually she will for a month or so to be sure its gone. It will be a couple months before mine are ready, because as you can see they are still in the egg stage. So I am sure yours would be gone by the time mine are ready. Sue said that every time they get the bright colored Africans in they sell within a week. So I guess they are looking for some. They will be getting a new shipment in soon, so I have a male Acei sort of on hold. Sue will make sure to call me when it gets in.
I went over there after you told me they had Demasoni and got me a tiny guy! He is so beautiful!! Real small still at less than 2". That is the first time I have seen them here in town! I have yet to get to the store on west side. They still have about 8 left, but unfortunately that is the tank with ick. I bought mine a few weeks before they had the problem, so he is healthy and ornery! I guess it was a fish they took from a customer that gave it to all others.
They also have beautiful South Americans too. They have a bunch of small German Blue and Gold Rams. I wish I had the extra space, I would get some!
Its Seascape that wants them. Right now their tank with the smaller Africans, 1 1/2 to 2 inches has a bad case of ick, so she wont sell anything from that tank or take any that small because they will have to go in there. Not sure how long she will have a hold on that tank, usually she will for a month or so to be sure its gone. It will be a couple months before mine are ready, because as you can see they are still in the egg stage. So I am sure yours would be gone by the time mine are ready. Sue said that every time they get the bright colored Africans in they sell within a week. So I guess they are looking for some. They will be getting a new shipment in soon, so I have a male Acei sort of on hold. Sue will make sure to call me when it gets in.
I went over there after you told me they had Demasoni and got me a tiny guy! He is so beautiful!! Real small still at less than 2". That is the first time I have seen them here in town! I have yet to get to the store on west side. They still have about 8 left, but unfortunately that is the tank with ick. I bought mine a few weeks before they had the problem, so he is healthy and ornery! I guess it was a fish they took from a customer that gave it to all others.
They also have beautiful South Americans too. They have a bunch of small German Blue and Gold Rams. I wish I had the extra space, I would get some!
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
TM, I didn't do this with the Ram eggs. I let the mama fan them. I have read you can do this, but they cannot bounce around like the Africans do. I think if I ever need to hatch Ram eggs myself I would put the stone they are on in a breeders net and place it near the outflow of the filter so the water flows over them. They need the gentle water movement over them like the parent gives them by fanning them.
With Africans, the mama rolls the eggs in her mouth all day, creating the bouncing movement you see. I do think they might be bouncing a little too much but African eggs are more forgiving. Its working, they are growing.
With Africans, the mama rolls the eggs in her mouth all day, creating the bouncing movement you see. I do think they might be bouncing a little too much but African eggs are more forgiving. Its working, they are growing.
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
I took these last night. If they were in the mama's mouth it would be 2 weeks. I figure all the egg yoke will be gone by this time next week.
They look more like fry today than egg LOL. Doing short little swims. They are popping all over in there. Makes you wonder how they can stand being jammed in the moms mouth with no wiggle room! I can see why some get released before others when the mom lets 1 or 2 go and holds on to some. The yolk sac is smaller on some than others.
Here they are at 2 weeks since spawn:
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... s/D13a.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... s/D13b.jpg
Look at them trying so hard to swim haha
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... =Day13.flv
They look more like fry today than egg LOL. Doing short little swims. They are popping all over in there. Makes you wonder how they can stand being jammed in the moms mouth with no wiggle room! I can see why some get released before others when the mom lets 1 or 2 go and holds on to some. The yolk sac is smaller on some than others.
Here they are at 2 weeks since spawn:
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... s/D13a.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... s/D13b.jpg
Look at them trying so hard to swim haha
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... =Day13.flv
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
Electric Yellow Lab Fry day 15 since spawn:
Oh my Gosh they are so cute today! More fry than egg! I swear every time I look in the tank they all turn and look back at me. They are swimming all over in the tumbler too. I wonder if they are growing faster and using up their yolk faster than if they were in the mom's mouth? Or if this rate is normal? They should be ready to go into the tank and eat by the end of the week. They are actually the same size as my 5 week old Ram fry! Wow.
I have a red zebra who spawned last Thursday and will be getting her out tonight and stripping the eggs. They will go in another tumbler. So I will see the eggs at day 4 after the spawn. I had heard you get more viable fry this way and I did. The Yellow mom usually spits around 10 and this batch is 18. Can't wait to see how many mom zebra has, her mouth is packed!
Here's the kids at day 15:
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... /Day15.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... Day15a.jpg
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... ay15-1.flv
Oh my Gosh they are so cute today! More fry than egg! I swear every time I look in the tank they all turn and look back at me. They are swimming all over in the tumbler too. I wonder if they are growing faster and using up their yolk faster than if they were in the mom's mouth? Or if this rate is normal? They should be ready to go into the tank and eat by the end of the week. They are actually the same size as my 5 week old Ram fry! Wow.
I have a red zebra who spawned last Thursday and will be getting her out tonight and stripping the eggs. They will go in another tumbler. So I will see the eggs at day 4 after the spawn. I had heard you get more viable fry this way and I did. The Yellow mom usually spits around 10 and this batch is 18. Can't wait to see how many mom zebra has, her mouth is packed!
Here's the kids at day 15:
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... /Day15.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... Day15a.jpg
http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... ay15-1.flv