Geophagus steindachneri - how long to hold?

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Know eartheaters aren't the typical topic here, but to me they're dwarfs (dwarves?)...considering my neighboring tank has Amphilophus synspilum, probably anything is dwarf to me these days. :lol:

Anyone, if anyone cares to indulge me, and has any clue about G. steindachneri....how long is a typical holding period for a female? Mine has had a mouthful of fry for almost 2 weeks. Is this normal? Should I strip her now? Am not a big fan of stripping, but she's in a community tank and want to save at least a few of these F2 fry (parents are GORGEOUS! Thank you, Jeff Rapps!).

Any help would be much appreciated, as always!

Ta-ta,
Wendy

 

[Neil]

Wendy,
I really am not sure about the duration, but I think that I recall that it shouldn't be that long. Maybe 8 or 9 days! However, it is very possible that the fry are hatched and she is simply continuing to protect the in her mouth. Maybe you should throw some fry food in there to see if she releases them. I think that these guys can easily eat finely-crushed flake food.
By the way, the question of what is a Dwarf is a toughie. But I tend to lean toward Balzanii instead of steindachneri to be a closer representation of what a Dwarf Eartheater is. Little smaller and sweeter disposition.
Neil

 

[Neil]

Wendy,
Dr. Wayne Leibel says that these are immediate mouthbrooders and that the female picks up the fertilized eggs immediately and "gargles" them for 1 - 2 weeks. He also relates that they should be seperated, as the male will harass her. She can be left with her brood for about another week or two, where she and the fry should be fed well.
Neil

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Gargling fry (kinda funny, eh?) - with or without Listerine?

Neil,
If Doc Leibel says so, then I must comply! I'm still giggling about his birthday celebration at ACA! :lol:
I'll get her out of the tank tonight and put her in a holding tank and see if she spits. Have been putting live BBS in the tank and she occasionally "swims through" the cloud of BBS, which is good.
The male has been surprisingly supportive (as much as a fish can be, that is normally used to a harem of girlies to diffuse his hormones), so he hasn't harrassed at all....which is more than I can say for my Apisto. juruensis male, who's a homocidal maniac. :x
Thanks to you and Doc Leibel for the help!
Wendy

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Mama's in isolation

Hi fellas,
Just wanted to let you know that Mama Red Hump is now in her own little universe and started to release a couple of fry last night after the addition of BBS. She's still kinda pissed at me, despite my best efforts, but the fry look healthy and happy to munch on BBS. She still held onto most of the fry as of this morning, but am hoping she relented and let the rest go during the day to have a fine meal of BBS.
Thanks for all your help and support with my first Eartheater fry! Now maybe my non-dwarf G. brasiliensis will follow suit! 8)
Cheers,
Wendy

 

[Randall]

"Geophagus" steindachnari

Wendy,

"G." steindachnari typically hold for about two weeks, give or take a day. The female will continue to hold onto her fry, if she is in the presence of a lot of other fish, as in a community environment. With mine, I remove the Mom after about a week and don't feed her. When she starts releasing the fry, I feed her frequently. The more time the fry spend out of Mama's mouth, the more they are able to feed as well. You can raise the fry with Mom indefinately.

As for the dwarf thing, I've never thought of my seven-inch male and four-and-a-half-inch female Redhumps as dwarfs! Heaven forbid it doesn't work out with your fry, you want some of mine? They're eating me out of house and home!

Take care.

Randall Kohn