Awoke this morning to a day just like any other.

Shortly before it was time to feed the fish, I look over to see these red cheeked fish, very close to the glass which is very unusual as they normally hide behind the rocks and dart out as the food makes it's way to the bottom.

At first I thought there must be some sort of fight in this community tank, as there was a great cloud stirring before the two fish who, as I said, normally hide near the back behind the rocks.

Upon closer inspection; lo, and what did I see but mommy, daddy and a school of babies looking back at me!

congrats Joe!!! you're a Grandpa!! :] give the fish a fishfood cigar!

My adopted father always had a mild belief in reincarnation; and passed away last March.

Before his death, I became aware that my father was not the sharpest knife in the scholastic drawer, he had to work extra hard in high school just to make a passing grade. In short, he was sort of dumb. Humorously considered, a very mild man who never really cared for debate, politics, or any real hard thoughts.

After feeding the fish, my chore being done, I walked into the back room, an enclosed patio, protected from the wind, rain and hot sun.

After lighting up my smoke and sitting in my chair, I glanced up to the weight set and look who sat there!

The dumbest, most mild of all Gods creatures, a juvenile Turtle Dove!

Astonished at the mornings results I exclaimed to the new guest, "Richard has come home to roost! Lets make you a soft safe nest."

a sign of some sorts surely :] hugz

Awww, the babies are cute, and the sentiments sweet in regard to the dove and your father. :)

awwe!!!!!!!!! HOW WONDERFUL!!! isnt life just full of suprises!! i loved this story and the shot ... big smile and congrad to your new babies !! hope they all fare well!!

Awww cuties!! They're all wonderful and amazing creatures and I don't believe they're dumb at all! We just don't understand them! It's very different! ;) Thx for sharing these great stories with us dear! :)

Yay! Congrats on the new baby fishies!! I love animals of all kinds, always have! Hope they all grow up to be beautiful big fishies..but you might have to get a bigger tank then. :-D

Yes! A big tank!

Wish I knew what kind of fish these are. I rescued them from a person who didn't know what they were getting into, nor how dfifficult it is to keep fish, learning about the nitrogen cycle and all that stuff.

This is an 85 gallon Vivarium that houses frogs, and hermit crabs as well as a variety of other fish.

After the eggs were laid, the male put them into his mouth where they hatched and then he garded them fiercely letting them out only after they were big enough to keep an eye on.

Both the male and female guard them, but it is primarily the males responsibility, or so it seems.

I've turned down offer for so many tanks, because I'm out of room. I have a small 25 gallon Hospital Tank, this Vivarium, and then a 140 gallon monster that covers another 10 feet of wall (inside the cabinate is the refugium where I brred snails, ghost shrimp, and guppies (mexican top fin minnows) for food for the puffer and other carnivours.

Thanx for looking!

Joe

Attached Link: http://www.centralpets.com/animals/fish/freshwater_fish/fwf4502.html

Hi Joe! Check out the link I have supplied! These fish are Firemouth Meeki Cichlids, they are members of the Cichlidae family and are very agressive/territorial fish. They are really cool and have personalities of their own. I used to have a cichlid tank and had a pair of these guys and a few convict cichlids everyone got along very well. These fish should not be mixed with guppies, goldfish, neons, angel fish or another mild mannered fish. Best of luck to you and the babies! I miss my aquarium! Brenda :)

P.S. You might want to keep people away from the tank at this time, if the parents feel theatened they will eat their young. Brenda :-S

I kinda thought they were Cichlids, I've got a Texas Rock (green) Cichlid I rescued from a Parantwo years ago.

There are top fin Mexican Minnows (guppies) in the tank, but I breed them for feeders for the frogs, and there are the narrow goldies turning up dead, so that explains them getting torn to hell, but, they're feeders too so no great loss. I'm kinda glad about it in a way because yesterday they were eating, or trying like hell I should say, the babies.

Gads, they chose the spot themselves. Right up front where everyone can see their babies, and the tank runs along the wall where the front door is at.

If these babies do not survive, well, at least I know I have a mated pair. And I'll transfer the other larger gold fish out after this shoal is finished.

Say one thing though Nilla, the lights are on automatic dimmers with blue moon glow's at night. I noticed early this morning, before the lights were fully on, that the babies seemed to settle into the heavy gravel and layers of shells at the bottom last night. I didn't think there were any left until after the lights came on full, and then there were only half as many. I think the others ate them last night in the dark. Do you think I should adjust the timers so the main lights stay on all night? (this might upset the Frogs). If so, I'll have to adjust the fogger too so that it runs all night to offer the frogs cover to hunt under (crickets at night).

Attached Link: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile43_comment.html

Hmmmmm here is another link, a firemouth forum if you will. People giving their insights. This was a problem in my cichlid tank because like you said at night the babies fall into a pile at the bottom of the tank. I had a Brown Raphael (catfish) that got along with everyone, he was a bottom feeder, ate all of the waste and leftover food and only came out at night. Well to make a long story short, he ate the fry from my convict cichlids one night, all except for maybe ten or fifteen. They chose the location because that just happens to be what they like. They like caves, shells, flower pots and basically any kind of hollow thing that they can claim as their own domain and be out of sight when they choose. The parents will also eat the fry out of boredom according to what I am reading here, so that is a possiblity too. The Firemouths that I had never produced any fry, but the convicts did. I will do some more googling and see what more I can find for you! Brenda :)

The other fish are probably resting at night too, including the parents. I am thinking that maybe your frogs ate some of the babies? You said they hunt under cover or at night.

Message edited on: 07/14/2005 14:31

"The fry can be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp and powdered flake food. This, together with the cloud of chewed food the parents spit out after feeding, should see them safely through the 14-21 day stage, when they should be removed to a separate aquarium for growing on." Here is some food for thought Joe, you can siphon the babies out with a tube from the air pump and give them their own little tank for now (maybe a goldfish bowl with established tank water and an aireator?) and you could feed them. That way there aren't any predators in the tank eating them, and you won't have to leave the lights on 24/7. Did this with the remaining convicts I had. I also recall buying fry food, a liquid that comes in a tube, but can't remember if I bought that for the baby convicts or for the baby siamnese fighting fish I raised. If you move the parents they will be stressed and will eat the babies anyway. And yes, they will spawn again and again if they are anything like the convict. Ask me about the baby red rat snakes I raised from hatchlings some time when we both have time! Brenda :)

Thanx Bren. Here's a tip where I buy all my stuff: After shipping the prices are cheaper than Walmart or Petsmart. It's called Dr.'s Foster & Smith and their customer service kicks ass! If it breaks, they replace it, if it arrives broken, they send you another. If the invoice says they packed it but you didn't get it, no arguments, they send you another one!

Someday I want to convert my 28,000 gallon pool into a Brackwater Pond. Get a wet suit and an underwater camera... We live in Vegas, so keeping it warm year round is no problem. Solar Heat!

Curious, I use salt in my tanks, keep the specific gravity between 1.006 and 1.010. I find that the fish can tolerate poorer water conditions this way, and never need to medicate. Got problems? Add Salt, it shocks the microbes! If the Gravity is high and they are having problems, drastically cut the water, it shocks the microbes and the fish recover.

Attached Link: http://www.petsupermarket.com/

Wow Joe! That is a really cool link! I have been browsing it for about the last half hour or so! I usually shop at this pet store (see link), there is one close by. By the way Joe, a bit more about me, I have two dogs, two cats, a bird and a bunny! I think I would have a zoo here if I had the room! LOL! Have a great night, and best of luck with your fishes! You also might consider a tank divider, I found them in link you gave me! ;) Brenda :)

I tried to put up a fine plastic mesh net, but too many "other types of fish (a pair of cichlids I also don't know their type but will follow that link to identify) get trapped behind it too. So, I suppose we'll have to sit this one out and see what we can do by keeping the lights on.

I was reading those threads there concerning the brooding of the fry, it seems that the person who observed that the parents will eat the young under certain circumstances, also recommends keeping cheap fish that light prey (such as goldies and guppies) around in the tank (it's 6 feet long) to give the parents something to do, someone to beat up and kill, instead of taking it out on the babies and eating them or the spousal abuse of the male toward the female so often noted. He claims that they get bored without a target for their aggression.

I guess this is like the quip that Regan gave which was the basis for the plot behind the movie "Independence Day," where all nations of mankind ceased fighting each other for a common cause of survival.

Good chatting with you Brenda;

I too am taken with plants and animals. Someday maybe we can swap some stories I don't have pictures for. God I wish I did!