my chiclid has tiny fish inside the mouth i this my fish is pregnant?

Question

how can i save them? i have more chiclidsin the tank they might eat them when they come out

Answer 1

Your fish is a mouthbrooder and she will keep the fry inside her mouth for a couple of weeks depending on the actual species, so yes you could say she is sort of "pregnant". Normally it's called that she is carrying fry.

The most secure way tho save the small ones is to isolate the female in a separate tank and wait until she releases the fry and then move her back to the normal tank. If you don't have an extra tank you can try to use another "container" submerged in your tank but you will still have trouble raising the fry to a size where they can live with the adult fish.

If you do nothing some or most of the fry will be eating by the other cichlids when they are released but you may be lucky and have a few survive.

Answer 2

You had best not worry about the fry in her mouth. When she spits them out they will no longer be protected and most will die.

If you try to save all the fry generated from a mouthbrooder tank (that's what these cichlids are called), then you will need to invest in fry tanks and growout tanks, and then more adult tanks if you can't find a home for them - because your cichlids will keep breeding and the fry are very easy to raise once seperated. Just let them be and take delight in the few that survive the fish eat fish world of your aquarium.

Answer 3

Yes, you do have a pregnant cichlid. We had electric yellows that were constantly pregnant! Some wil live as long as you have lots of tiny hiding spots, but yes, most will get eaten. If you want to save them, try putting the mother in a different tank as soon as you notice she is pregnant. When she releases them, put her back into the old tank. VERY IMPORTANT... before you put her back in the old tank, move ornaments around in tank so they dont try to attack her and there is all new territories. Alot of times they will not except new fish, even if they are not new! if you confuse them, they tend to not bother w/ other fish, they just want to make new territories! Good Luck!

Answer 4

Your fish isn't pregnant, she already had her babies. They keep them in their mouth to protect them from being eaten by other fish. I would move the mom with her babies into a separate tank. If you don't have another tank to separate them, make sure the babies have enough hiding spaces for when they do come out. Fake plants would be perfect. Another option is a breeding net, they are very inexpensive $5-10.

Answer 5

It's not pregnant, but it's definately holding fry, it's called a mouthbrooder

The best thing to do is removing the chichlid into a separate tank, and once she spit out the fry, move it back to the main tank



Hope that helps
Good luck



EB

Answer 6

This sounds like you have a mouth brooder type cichlid and you will not have to save them because they are already being protected by the parent.

Answer 7

stop worrying! You have mouth breeders! You will see the fry swim freely and then if another fish comes near, the parents will gather them in their mouth for safety.

Answer 8

This is how this type of fish protect their" babies."
Even if the little ones get away they will go after them scoop them up in their mouth ;and sort of spit them back in the corner that they are using for breeding.
You should seperate them from the other fish if you can. They will eventually get eaten if you don't.

Answer 9

Sounds like mouth-brooding. The parents will take care of the fry and will harrass any other fish that come near.

Answer 10

You could catch the female, open her mouth, shake the babies out and put them in a seperate tank.