jewel cichlids

Question
Hi! I have a pair of jewel cichlids (Hemichromis bimaculatus), and they just ahd their first batch of fry sometime this weekend. They now swim all over the tank, and I am beginning to become concerned about food and conditions. There is practically no tank big enough to fit 200 in, so I'm at a loss. What should I be feeding the fry? I've been giving the adult pair frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, as well as flakes and pellets. So far, the parents (I think) have been feeding the babies, but when will they become independent? When will they start to actually grow? At what age should i consider trying to give them away or at least separate them from their parents? Wil the parents eventually become hostile?
Please! I need these questions answered. They are in a ten gallon (yes. I know...I'm a bad person. I really did know better though) If I don't know the answers, they will eventually turn into a package of about 200 jewels sardine style!
Thanks!

Answer
Hi Spencer;

Unfortunately, the parents will probably eat most of the babies as they get too crowded. If you want any of the babies to survive, get another tank for them soon. Even if it's just another ten or a twenty gallon, it's better than leaving them crammed into the ten all together. The babies can be moved anytime as long as you have some food ready for them. They can eat on their own just fine. Newly hatched baby brine shrimp, chopped worms, cooked egg yolks, and commercially available dried powdered food are all usually happily consumed by the babies. Feed them at least 3 times a day. Just don't put gravel in the baby tank. Waste and food will become trapped in it, fouling the water. Sometimes even the babies get trapped down there. You will need to siphon out the bottom several times a week to keep them healthy. Replace 25% of the water each time.

Let the parents care for the fry as long as you can though. Once they start spawning again they may eat the first babies. But, sometimes the parents allow the first batch to consume the next few batches as food. It really just depends on the parents. Some allow cannibalism, some don't.

You might contact your local fish stores and see if any of them want to take some off your hands. If not, you will have to advertise them locally and separate the parents so you don't get even more. There are online auction sites too. You can buy and sell fish, supplies and plants on them. Here are a couple I found;

http://www.aquabid.com

http://www.tropicalfishauction.com

I have never used these auction sites, just found them through a search on google.com.

Good luck...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins