Need Help: Stripping Mouthbrooder, Pundamilia nyererei

Hey guys,

I have three or four females currently holding and usually I let nature take its course and so have never stripped a mouthbrooder of fry. I have attempted the method of holding the female out and using an air tube to get her to drop the fry without any luck. I was hoping that someone in my area could drop by and help me strip these ladies out. I am sure that its something simple that I am screwing up but want to get fry from these guys and anticipating a purchase of frontosa's which i definitely will want fry from so this is something I need to learn how to do.

I should be home each evening this week except Wednesday. Let me know if you can help. I am in Sterling, VA.

Thanks
Rob
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Here's what I do (others may do differently):
0) set up a net breeder in the main tank (to be used later for female recovery)
1) Fill a plastic basin (rubbermaid or large catch cup) with water from the tank
2) Get a toothpick or 2 and place it near the basin
3) Catch the female that's holding (PVC pipes are your friends)
4) Hold the female in the wet net such that her mouth / head are under the water in the basin (sometimes they just spit). Also see if there are fry in the net
5) hold her mouth open with the toothpick and dunk her head in the water
6) If it's taking more than 30 secs or so, I put the female (in the net) back in the tank for a minute
7) Then try again with the toothpick / dunking
8) Put the female in the net breeder to recover (as needed). I usually give them a couple of days to fill up on food / heal...and then re-introduce to the colony during a water change

Never fear!

Matt

I prefer to put
 
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