Greetings! Finally, after four months and one unsuccessful hold, one of my 4 wild-caught Zaire Blue Kapampa females is holding a batch of eggs! Now my question... How long should I let her hold before I strip the eggs and put them in an egg tumbler?

The last time one of my females was holding, after four days, the eggs were gone and she was eating again. Today is day 3 or 4 for this female and she still has her chin bulging, refusing food and chasing the others away from her area.

Since they're wild caught, she may have had full term batches of fry in the wild, for all I know. All of my females are at least 6 - 7 inches long, nose to end, and the 2 males are about 8 inches. If that info helps.

So... should I strip the eggs, or wait? I'd like to get the maximum number of eggs, and I have the tumbler already bubbling away in the tank so the fish are used to it. They're still jumpy, being wild caught, so I thought I'd get them used to it. I'm not looking foward to trying to catch the female I have a nicely decorated tank... looks nice, but what a pain to use a net it! Any advice for netting will be appreciated, too...

Thanks for any advice from successful breeders!

If she goes past day 6, then you are on the way to success as the eggs hatch on day 5 ish. Any unfertilised or bad eggs should have been got rid of by then. As its only her second spawn, I'd be tempted to let her hold and see what happens. I tend to strip on day 6-7.
As to netting, just go slow and steady and be patient. Try to avoid chasing her around, just gently encourage her towards the net and get a bucket of water ready on the floor in case she slips out of your hands.

The best advice i could give you is keep a close eye.
Watch how she behaves.
If she is chased alot and very nervous it could be wise to strip.
You can strip as early as day one but i wouldn't advise you that at this moment.
Striping before day 6 is not easy the eggs are very vulnerable to fungus and you have to select the unfertilised your self.
If you don't toss out the bad ones in time you could lose the whole clutch.

Only got a few big rocks in my tank right now as breeding is my main goal.
This way it is easy to catch a holding female.
Like BTF said do it slow & steady and most important try to be calm yourself.

Good info, thanks! I'm not sure if it's her second spawn, though. One of the females had and unsucessful spawn before, but they all look so similar I can't tell them apart. This could be her first or second spawn in captivity, but her 10th spawn in life, for all I know, since she's wild caught.

I'll take your advice about gently netting. I worry about spooking her into swallowing the eggs!

So, to be clear, Backtofront, I'm not sure if you're saying I should let her hold until day 6-7 when the eggs have hatched, or wait longer?

Also, I can never tell 100% which male is the Alpha male. One seems to be dominant with his fins spread most of the time, but sometimes the other male seems to spread his fins and chase the one I thought was alpha and puff up to say "I'm really the boss". I didn't see this spawn, so I'm not sure...

I strip Blue Zaire at 5-7 just because they do not hold very well.
Other frontosa I wait till about day 14 PS.
If she is at 3-4 id let her hold a few more days to make sure they are fertile.
Most will dissolve by 5th day of they are not viable.

Dusty Scorpion wrote (View Post): › So, to be clear, Backtofront, I'm not sure if you're saying I should let her hold until day 6-7 when the eggs have hatched, or wait longer?

I would wait until day 6 and then strip. You should see the little fish bodies after that day rather than just eggs. Quite often, if they don't hold that long it is because the eggs are not fertilised, so they would never hatch anyway. (Not always the case though; some females just do not hold whether they are fertile or not.) If they are a beige colour, they are good. White eggs are bad. Half white = bad.

Thanks SO MUCH for the good info, everyone! I need every bit I can get. I have a great deal of experience raising live bearing hybrids, but this is my first go with Cichlids, so this is exciting!

I noticed the female holding in the afternoon on March 7. I try to watch them a bit every day, but she may have spawned on March 6 and I missed it. So far, she's holding nicely and agressively keeping the others away from her area, still.

If I have to guess she spawned between the 6th and 7th, then on Thursday 11th or Friday 12th, I should strip the eggs in the evening. Right? It seems you are suggesting that it's ok to do it before the eggs have hatched into wigglers.

I want to save this batch of eggs as I'm anxious to have my first batch of Zaire Blue babies! All of your collective experience is a great help, and I very much appreciate it. I've had 2 rack systems up and running, ready for the babies when they're free-swimming for months... I like to be prepared.

Thanks so much,
Mark

------------------------------
7ft, 200g - 6 Cyphotilapia Gibberosa - Blue Zaire / Kapampa, Wild Caught - 4 Female, 2 Male