# Holding Red Hump Geo!.



## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Well after lots of quality food and watching my female red hump geo get ever so fat, it was inevitable that she would spawn with the large male i have. 

He followed her for days strutting his stuff lol, and last night they spawned. This morning i tricked the female into swimming in a glass jar so i could easily transfer her into a brooding tank where she will be in peace for the 12-14ish days that she will hold the little guys for. 

I used vinyl to cover 3 sides of the tank in black to help reduce stress from people walking around the aquarium.

heres a shot of her holding.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

You're a good fishkeeper. I like you . All your stuff always seems very comfortable and well off. Congrats to your fish and you. The geo/ram tank is something I would love to see as its right up my alley but you live too far for me to invite myself over with some free frozen food and a case of beer to nerd out over your cichlids.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Haha Thanks AquariaAM, I try to give all my fish the most natural housing and best foods i can, and with that they always seem to breed and be healthy. 

LOL "Nerd out over your cichlids" no kidding eh, whenever i show anyone my fish i start talking and then think to myself, hmm they have no clue what i am talking about haha. 

It is unfortunate that i live to far away, It would be pretty cool to meet the people on the forum and be able to actually share some of my fish with people that cant drive an hour away or more.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Congrats on the spawn. That sponge filter looks just covered with yummy live fry food, too.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Please post more pictures  I keep checking this thread. I'm very interested in Geos. I'd like to vicariously experience your whole geo breeding experience. A mouth shot would be great if they're still being held. Have they released yet?


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh i will, shes in her 3rd day, so another 10 days and they should be released. i will get some nicer shots too .

Tommorow will be picture day lol. I will try various types of lighting.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Got a few pics, probably the best my camera can get. I wanted to get a head on shot but shes pretty content just relaxing and not moving lol. day 4 so 11more days until i may see some fry released.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Awesome!

Where did u get that sand??


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

The black sand is from big als, its Tahitian moon, or something much like that. In my 180 gal(her normal residence) i use pool filter sand.

Only been 6-7 days next weekend! she may release. i will have to make a video of her caring for her fry. (if it works out)


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Tropicana said:


> The black sand is from big als, its Tahitian moon, or something much like that. In my 180 gal(her normal residence) i use pool filter sand.
> 
> Only been 6-7 days next weekend! she may release. i will have to make a video of her caring for her fry. (if it works out)


Cool. I havent seen tahitian moon for sale in years . I wanted some.
I have silica now.


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## officerben (Dec 21, 2006)

Awesome Geo.... some of my favourite cichlids are from the Geo species. When I build my new fishroom I plan on having all kinds of geos.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks, she is a beauty. I have recently fallen pray to the geophagus family lol now im getting into breeding them. i plan to get into other species of course but i only have these red humps at the moment. 

Well the female is doing amazing and she has a mouthful of small fry with little orange yolk sacs which will probably be depleted in 3-4days. im pretty excited to see her start caring for the brood and eating again after the 14days im guessing it will take in the end.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Hey guys have a quick vid of a few fry slipping out of moms mouth lol. pretty funny, they are getting so close to being released.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

this is really cool to see, i have a bonded pair of red humps right now, the male has been showing off alot, shuffling and dancing around in front of her.

how large was is your female now? mine is almost three inches, is that large enough for them to start spawning?


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks, this female is right about 3Inches maybe a tiny bit larger but i am sure yours is large enough to spawn too. They get a pretty large belly before they spawn. and it takes about 14days when they lay the eggs until the fry start to be released out of the mothers mouth.

I would suggest Removing the female to her own tank 2 days after they spawn. she may only spit a few eggs but they are usually pretty good at holding them during transfer. I placed a jar int he tank and then i suppose scared her into it from her hiding spot and then covered it and pulled it out and put it in the holding tank and poured her in.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Well i separated the fry from the mom and a bunch are eating and a bunch also still have yolk sacks. Its hard to count but i am going to say in the 40's +. ill update pics of there growth.


I tried to get shots of her with the fry out and about when they were together but the only way i could get her to release her fry was to cover the whole tank in a towel lol. Maybe next time ill figure something out.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Why not let her look after the fry herself? IIRC, the female will continue to guard the fry and shelter them in her mouth when alarmed or at night for 2-3 weeks after she first releases them.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh i am well aware she will care for them well. All the fry can swim well now and i didn't want to keep her in the 5gal any longer. she did not need to care for them anymore anyways. Now shes eating again and the fry can swim about making little muscles.

Added Photos of the fry.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

very cool!!!!

good luck with the little guys, i hope they grow up big and strong


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks i am pretty excited to see them start sifting them selves, but that wont be for a bit lol. I am waiting another day until i try feed them since most still have a bit of a yolk sac.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Alright well started feeding them Hakari First bites and they love it. The B brine shrimp haven't hatched yet but they will get a taste of them soon enough!.


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

vrb th hrb said:


> this is really cool to see, i have a bonded pair of red humps right now, the male has been showing off alot, shuffling and dancing around in front of her.
> 
> how large was is your female now? mine is almost three inches, is that large enough for them to start spawning?


They will breed around 2" for female and 3" for male. My pair breed at that size but you only get 20 to 25 frys. Now around she is around 3.75" has 60+ frys. The first batch in the growing tank also spawned at 1.75" female and the male was at 2".


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Heres a video of her second batch of fry. I am leaving them with her until shes either done with them or its time to move them to a grow out.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/user/CanadianTropicana


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## shark (Jan 28, 2009)

Tropicana said:


> Heres a video of her second batch of fry. I am leaving them with her until shes either done with them or its time to move them to a grow out.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/user/CanadianTropicana


oh my so clear and nice, you should send that to national geographic they might use it in one of their documentaries.


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

Tropicana said:


> Heres a video of her second batch of fry. I am leaving them with her until shes either done with them or its time to move them to a grow out.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/user/CanadianTropicana


Wow...that video clip is awesome Thanks for sharing


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Another great video!

Near the beginning of the clip, after she first spits out the fry, it looks like she's digging and spitting the gravel out for her fry to pick through. Is that what's happening?


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

That is pretty much it. Since she is a bit starved after holding the fry for 14 days she spit them out and started sifting the substrate as soon as possible for food. Today i was feeding her and she would grab the food and chew it and bits that left her gills her fry would eat. 

Thanks for the great comments everyone.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

I really wish I could see that fish in person. I love your tank.. Favourite tank on GTAA. Your fish are really happy for some reason.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Lol She is a beauty AM and thanks, she has great colour when she is with her fry too. Well ever since she started to release the little guys she has become very lenient and lets me feed them and watch them very closely. I really enjoy watching them cover the sponge filter eating little copepods and other small invertebrates. She will still charge the window occasionally as a warning though if i get too close. Her first batch of fry are doing great too! i have had very few losses and they are just crazy for food. The little guys/gals are also starting to take shape and get some colour.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Well its been a bit since i have updated. Her first batch of fry are now sifting, her second batch which this post was mostly about is now in a grow out since she was chasing them. And now the Third batch is in her mouth. 

When i noticed her chasing the fry i just moved her back with the male and about an hour later she spawned again haha crazy. Well The first batch is about 3/4 of an inch. RHG fry anyone?.


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