Subj : Mama Mbuna's Final Release Of Fry
To   : All
From : Jeff Snyder
Date : Wed Oct 28 2009 05:49 pm

This afternoon mama mbuna released her fry for the final time. Even though
they were all free-swimming yesterday, she decided to take them back into
her mouth for the night, and she was still holding them in her throat pouch
this morning; but not any more. A few hours ago she started eating, and she
has been grabbing every pellet that she can. After not eating for twenty
days, I am sure that she is quite hungry. But she will undoubtedly bounce
back to good health, and spawn again in about another forty days.

Concerning the fry, I looked around the tank just before beginning this
message. There are a lot of places to hide in the rocks, including a lot of
dark spots, but I was able to locate five of them.

The ongoing big question in my mind is exactly how eager are the adult
mbunas to eat the fry? When I was breeding Copadichromis borleyi a few years
ago, there was no doubt that they would not hesitate to eat their fry; but
these mbuna seem to be a little more tolerant, and at times, not even
interested in the fry. To date, mama mbuna has had four spawns, and I have
yet to actually see one of the adults eat a fry. Well, if there are still
10-12 fry a month from now, then I guess that will prove my theory that
mbuna -- at least the mbuna that I have -- are not as aggressive towards
their fry.

I am still amazed that mama mbuna had such a large, healthy spawn. This is
definitely her best spawn to date.


Jeff Snyder, SysOp - Armageddon BBS  Visit us at endtimeprophecy.org port 23
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