chiclid

Question
we have a pregnant chiclid and we put her in a seperate tank by herself! do we need to put the male in there with her to fertilize the eggs when she lays them or what? and once she lays them should we take the mom and the male out so they wont eat the babies?

Answer
Hi Michael,
 Cichlids don't get pregnant as such. Pregnancy refers to fish that give birth to live babies.  All cichlids lay eggs, though they do it in a variety of interesting ways. Some are substrate spawners, meaning that they lay the eggs on a hard surface such as a rock and the eggs hatch there.  Many New World cichlids do this.   Many East African cichlids (but not all by any means) are mouthbrooders meaning that the female lays a few eggs and then picks them up in her mouth where they stay until they hatch and even after.  The whole business may last 3 weeks.  In some of those species the male fertilizes the eggs when they are briefly on the ground.  In others, the male fertilizes them in her mouth.   

So, in all cases you need a male present to fertilize the eggs.  In the case of substrate spawners, the male is very involved in parental care.  In the case of most mouthbrooders, the male is done once the eggs are fertilized.   With most mouthbrooders, but not all, once the female releases the fry from her mouth, she is done caring for them.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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