Thorichthys maculipinnis tryin' so hard

dSerk

dSerk

Members
I picked up 3 juvies from the LFS over the winter and they're all about 3" SL now. Two have paired off and (against my wishes) are attempting to make some babies and failing. I've had them in a planted 10gal and just haven't had the time to make space for them in a bigger tank. But no, they just couldn't wait.

Two clutches in one and a half weeks. Both failed. Eggs turned white. I guess this means they were never fertilized. I dunno. The eggs were laid on the side of a rock; no cave. Like I said, I only had them in this little tank to grow them up, it was temporary so, other than lots of WC and good food, I've made no accomodations for them.

Mom and Dad seem to be attentive parents. Dad especially spent lots of time fanning the eggs.

So what's wrong? Dad's shooting blanks? Fish not mature yet? Not enough info?

I'll see if I have some worthy pics in my phone and u/l them.
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
First pic is from first day, iirc. Two days later all were white. This was their second attempt. It was roughly twice as large as their first.

I think that's Mom on the right and Dad above to left. Hard to tell. Dad's just beginning to get a hint of nuchalhump.

Dad's coloring is bright but his "bands" aren't as pronounced as I've seen in other pictures of these fish; makes me think he's not quite sexually mature.

TmaculipinnisEggs.jpg

TmaculipinnisEggs2ndDay.jpg

MomAndDadmaculipinnis.jpg
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
They may be too young. Females can and will lay eggs without a male fertilizing them. They will figure it out. Are you sure those are macs? They look a lot like ellioti. Either way a nice pick up.
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
Andrewtfw said:
They may be too young. Females can and will lay eggs without a male fertilizing them. They will figure it out. Are you sure those are macs? They look a lot like ellioti. Either way a nice pick up.
Click to expand...

Maculipinnis and ellioti are the same (as far as BAP is concerned at least). They seem to have about as much diversity from population to population as any other CA cichlid. The LFS sold them as "Elliot's Cichlid." Dogofwar informed us they are synonymous.

Whatever had gotten into them seems to have a abated for the moment. No eggs in a whole week! lol.


minifoot77 said:
it could be two females....
Click to expand...

That's hawt. j/k Seriously, hadn't considered that. The definite female would make a pass then the alleged male would make a pass but honestly, didn't get a close enough look to confirm eggs coming out of one and not the other.
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
Thanks for the education. I guess different locales produce far different looking variations. Either way, great pick up and good luck on the breeding... or not breeding, whichever it is you want or don't want to happen. :)
 
mscichlid

mscichlid

Founder
That's what happened with my angels. The first spawn the eggs turned white and I wasn't sure if I had a pair. If they spawn again, the boy should get it right the second time.
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
She's right...

...at least in the way that women can be even when they're not. You live with two - or one and a half anyway - surely you've realized that being right is often just plain wrong. But for the record, and putting aside the problematic burdens/machinations of young males, and the tribulations of both genders, females can 'shoot blanks' just as males do sometimes. Reckon it'll sort out - usually does.
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
UNCLERUCKUS said:
haha but not good enough to make him wanna do his :D
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Maybe. Just around the time when Fran made her original post the female was laying more eggs. A weak effort. Only about a dozen total. She'd lay a few, fan them and go swim over to the male, come back fan some more, repeat.... He showed no interest in "gettin' down" or even fanning them.

After a couple hours I went back and the eggs were gone. Just gone.

We can all blame the fishkeeper (male fyi) if we need to blame someone.
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
Got home about 3am from a late session at work to find Mom belly-up in midwater but still breathing. She'd been hiding yesterday and today. I didn't think anything was wrong.

I've moved her to a 5 gallon bucket with half tank water, half fresh, and half a cap of prime. I set an airstone with a slight flow for air and some water flow. This about all I can think to do for the moment. I don't have a "hospital tank." She fought a bit in the net and right now she rightsideup.

Everyone else in the tank seems ok. Did two 30% partial WC.

Really don't want THIS fish to die but am prepared to find her dead in the morning.

Any advice on emergency fish care is soooo welcome.

Laying all those eggs in such a short time made me worry she'd exhaust herself. Could this be a problem with eggs getting stuck inside her or something?

:(:(:(:(:confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
Do you think the male turned on her?

Best bet in this situation is to put her in a warm, comfy tank alone...add some salt and melafix and hope she pulls through...

She either will or she won't. I've had some fish that I could swear were GONE...come back. Others that I thought were through the woods just die.

Good luck!
Matt
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
Thanks Matt. She's alive, upright today. Going to change a little more water for her and keep her in the bucket till I get home tonight 'bout midnight.

Salt does not mean table salt, right? Never looked into this....

She didn't look injured. Her tail looked a little milky; her gills looked a bit inflamed maybe. Maybe after a few more crises I'll learn to calm down and make better observations.

The male chases everyone in the tank (few cories, some otos, 1 other young T. mac.) but it never looked serious/dangerous. They don't seem as vicious as, say, Convicts.
 
dSerk

dSerk

Members
Considering the source I'm sure this is sound advice, but table salt? Like Morton's "When it rains, it pours?" A HANDFUL?! For five gallons? Seriously? I think I'm too chicken to try!

That's enough to kill many amazonian fishes right? But CA cichlids will be ok?

No offense intended, i'm just in a state of misbelief.... :wacko:
 
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