Cichlid fry
 

Hi,

I have a 40 gal tank with 6 cichlids (3 yellow lab, 3 acei, about 4 inches). Yesterday, I found there are 3 fries hiding in the rocks (maybe more). I have never bred cichlids before and I didn't even notice that my cichlids had been pregnant... My question is what I should do with these fries. Shall I separate them from the adults? or just leave them in the tank (It is practically quite hard to get them out since they are hiding so well). If leaving them in the tank, my biggest concern would be their food source, because there is no other thing besides rocks and sands in the tank.

Thanks.

Kenny

Congratulation! It's awesome to find new life in a tank. I like to think I'm doing something right when I see it. A couple of things...
To feed: you can feed the same as before but crush a little of it so that it is small and will float by them with normal circulation. They will find it.
Keeping them: You can add a few more rocks in that area to create cover that the bigger fish can't get into, some crevasses or a cave/den that they can peek out of but won't end up as a snack. Or conversely if you don't want them, take away rock/cover. I don't know your goal so either is possible. Nature will take care of it. I would put in more cover. But I have a LFS that will buy from me anything I take in to them. So it depends on your situation.
You can also add a divider to section them off from the bigger fish, that is another possibility depending on where they are hiding in the tank. Catching them to put into another tank will be incredibly tricky and will expose them to the bigger fish.
Good luck with them!!

congratulations.
i love cichlid fry,they are so cute.:-D

Thank you! I am quite exciting too :-D and willing to keep them since this is the first time I have bred cichlids. As for feeding them, the problem is my Acei would almost eat anything I put in the tank immediately. No food will be left in 5 minutes ... I have some fry food purchased for my Swordtail fries in another 10 gal tank, but I doubt it will work considering the size of the cichlid tank. The fries will occasionally come out of the rocks but only in a limited range.

I would advise then feeding the bigger ones first at the other end of the tank and while they are busy, you have some flake or baby food ready in tank water in a turkey baster that you can squirt down into their rock area for them.
That keeps the big guys busy. It's tricky, I'm not saying it's not!! But being ready with the fry food would help.
Do you think it would be easier to use the turkey baster to suck up the fry? Having another tank ready to house them?
I'm always afraid to look at the babies cause they are inquisitive and come out to see us humans and I'm always afraid they will get noticed.