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Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

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  • Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

    I have a situation.  I bought a used tank a few weeks ago.  When I got it home and set it up, I noticed two fish were carrying eggs.  By the time I finally got my grow-out tanks setup, one had already spit and three others were carrying.  So, I moved each of the females into their own grow-out tank so they could spit.  One week later, I finally have about 5 babies in one tank, but the female now has the tail of what appears to be a pictus catfish sticking out of her mouth.  There were about 5 pictus cats in the tank when I bought it, but I put them in a different tank when I set it up at my place.

    Please, I need advice!  When I tried to catch the female, she pulled back into her mouth so I couldn't remove it.
    neuendri

    160 Gal. Odyssea - African Cichlid
    45 Gal. Odyssea - Planted
    35 Gal Corner African Cichlid grow-out
    4-10 Gal African Cichlid Nursery

  • #2
    Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

    That's awesome to witness such a thing!


    Just leave it be....the catfish probably ate her eggs already so eventually she will spit the catfish out when it's too big to bring back in.

    Ever see "Jewels of the Rift"?
    700g Mini-Monster tank

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    • #3
      Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

      Well, I also sent my story to the head of the Brazos Valley Aquarium Society, a wildlife professor at TAMU.  He gave me the following explanation, which has proven to be right on...

      The most logical explanation:  the tank had Synodontis multipuncatatus, the so-called "cuckoo" catfish, in it recently. This catfish spawns while African mouthbrooders are spawning, stealing [eating] the cichlid eggs and fooling the female cichlid into taking the catfish eggs into her mouth, where they usually hatch before the cichlid eggs, then feed on the cichlid eggs or fry.
      ... And she did finally spit out the catfish and I was lucky enough to separate the catfish out before it could eat the few fry that survived.
      neuendri

      160 Gal. Odyssea - African Cichlid
      45 Gal. Odyssea - Planted
      35 Gal Corner African Cichlid grow-out
      4-10 Gal African Cichlid Nursery

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      • #4
        Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

        in the wild that is normal.  the catfish will slip there eggs in the mix with the mouthbrooders to raise there eggs.  by the time the cichlid nows its too late the catfish is on his way.  the catfish babys will hatch first and eat the cichlid eggs.

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        • #5
          Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

          I didn't think that Pictus Cats would do this....I thought it was only the Multis.  The pic looks like the tail of either a Multi or a Petricola.  Just my two pennies worth.  That is cool that you caught this with your camera.  I have only heard about it, never seen it.

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          • #6
            Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

            Hanson,

            I had incorrectly identified the original catfish as Pictus cats.  After receiving the explanation I posted earlier, I looked up the multipunctatus and confirmed that was what I had.  So, my first batch of fry consists of 4 or 5 johanni(?) and 1 multipunctatus.  Quite a batch.

            That brings up another question... I have been calling this a johanni, but I'm not sure.  They look like johanni, but I thought female johanni were yellow.  My male and both females (the other spit in my 160 before I could get my grow-out tanks setup) are all blue and black.  Can someone tell me what exactly it is that I have?
            neuendri

            160 Gal. Odyssea - African Cichlid
            45 Gal. Odyssea - Planted
            35 Gal Corner African Cichlid grow-out
            4-10 Gal African Cichlid Nursery

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            • #7
              Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

              Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos AKA Maingano
              So many things can be a mystery, when all we're seeking is freedom...

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              • #8
                Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

                Thanks, fire_chair.  I looked it up on the web and sounds like you're dead on.  I was pretty sure it wasn't a johanni, but wasn't sure what it was.

                That brings up yet another question... I have owned the book 'The Most Complete Colored Lexicon of Cichlids' by Dr. Axelrod for over 10 years, but this species isn't even mentioned in it.  I've heard others complain about Dr. Axelrod's books being outdated, etc.  Is there a reference book or website that has all the cichlids, old and new, in one place?
                neuendri

                160 Gal. Odyssea - African Cichlid
                45 Gal. Odyssea - Planted
                35 Gal Corner African Cichlid grow-out
                4-10 Gal African Cichlid Nursery

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                • #9
                  Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

                  I prefer Cichlid-Forum.com for my questions on identification.  They have pics of most all that's out there and currently in the hobby.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Help!!! Cichlid carrying a catfish?

                    That's where I double checked my info, great cichlid site. Great fish too, they can be a little aggressive but they're not too bad if you have enough room and places to hide.
                    So many things can be a mystery, when all we're seeking is freedom...

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