Ocellatus fry!!!

[ItsDubC]

My occies that I picked up from Mike about a month ago have spawned!  I was watching my female eat yesterday and noticed a black speck move inside the shell she was guarding.  Then I noticed another!  So far I've only seen two fry at the mouth of the shell so I don't know for certain how big the spawn is, but these shellie fry are TINY.  They seem to only come to the mouth of the shell during feeding time, and this morning I've noticed they've been a little bit braver and have actually left the mouth of the shell.  Of course, mom rushes over and scoops em up with her mouth and puts em back inside.  I even saw her do this while chewing on an NLS pellet!  I hear maternal instincts of cichlids get better the more they spawn, but mom looks like she's doin a great job.

My only concern is, being that a juvie comp "lives" within 5 inches of the shell, I'm not sure if I should take the shell out and raise the fry by themselves or let mom take care of em and fend off the comp.  Either way, I'm sure this is just the first of many spawns, so I might just wait it out and see how well the female does at raising the babies herself.

OMG fry   :bigrazz:

[szidlon]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

:clap: Congrats on the new arrivals!  I know little to nothing about shellies, but it sounds like they are very interesting little fishies.  Maybe I'll try some one day.

[ItsDubC]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

So far I've counted 5 fry and have started shooting Hikari First Bites at the mouth of the shell w/ a turkey baster so that the water current moves it in naturally.  Don't wanna send the fry flyin!  

[HFBfounder]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

That's awesome. I want some shells when I get my tank up.

[heyitsdroid]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

Hahahaha sweet!!! And how long did u have that pair for?

[ItsDubC]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

They paired up about 2 weeks ago.  Didn't think they'd get along so well so fast haha...

[alexrex20]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

I already told you, Chris, what you should already know: That leleupi will pull the mom out of the shell just to get at the fry!

That's why you need to hurry and pick up that 40long.

If I were you, I'd be much more worried about the leleupi than the comp.

[ItsDubC]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

The occies fend off both the leleupi and the comp.  Problem is, the comp "sleeps" on a rock formation about 2 inches away from the shell containing fry.  Actually yesterday, the mom moved the fry to a different shell (which I didn't know they do) away from the comp but towards the leleupi's territory.  Total fry count so far is now 7.

I've yet to see the leleupi stick its head in a shell, or even chase any occies.  I think it's funny watching the occies peck at its face.

[alexrex20]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

Well, I guess that's about right for that particular leleupi. Before I gave that one to Karen it was the "Jonas" of my tank. My Neo. sexfasciatus loved ganging up on him.

[ItsDubC]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

Before I gave that one to Karen it was the "Jonas" of my tank.

Hahahahahahaha.  Well when it's in its cave, it's a completely different animal.  If any other tankmates trespass, the leleupi wins, hands-down.  LoL when I first introduced my syno, I watched it go into the leleupi's cave and just sit there while taking damage from the leleupi.  It didn't seem phased at all.  Now it stays in a different rock formation, I think more to avoid being annoyed rather than being hurt.

[alexrex20]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

There must be a lot of fighting then, because there's not much place in a 20gal to not trespass.

A 40long should do the trick. Bring $20 this afternoon and it's yours.

[ItsDubC]

Re: Ocellatus fry!!!

Down to 4 fry from the 8 I counted a week ago.  These were the smallest of the litter, as the larger fry ventured too far from the shell and probably got eaten.  I've separated them to try to grow them out.  They're still really tiny but are no longer see-thru.  I can find them among the grains of sand by pinpointing their reflection when I shine a flashlight.  Then I shoot a mixture of First Bites and finely-crushed flake in their general vicinity.  Anyone know how long it takes for occie fry to reach half an inch?