Study of Holding Females Feeding

[Heather]

I came across an interesting abstract that I thought I would share, supports some of our observations that holding females will continue to feed. What I found most noteworthy was that fry with eggsacks also fed when the female took in food.

Originally Posted by Abstract, Yasunobu Yanagisawa and Haruki Ochi

Feeding behaviour of mouthbrooding females of Cyphotilapia frontosa was observed in their natural habitat, and specimens of mouthbrooding females and the young in their mouths were examined in the laboratory. Mouthbrooding females exhibited feeding actions and their guts contained about one quarter as much food as those of nonbrooding adults. A substantial amount of food was found in young 12.5 mm TL who retained a large quantity of yolk, and gut fullness of young increased as they grew. Weight changes of the young suggested that the buccal feeding augmented their growth.

LINK

[darthvader4bwu]

Originally Posted by Heather

I came across an interesting abstract that I thought I would share, supports some of our observations that holding females will continue to feed. What I found most noteworthy was that fry with eggsacks also fed when the female took in food.



LINK

Very informative link Heather thanks for sharing it with us.

[mythilisrinivas]

This is indeed very interesting and can provide us with insights whether fronts can be allowed to hold "full term" and whether there is an alternative to stripping.

Personally i have seen mouthbreeding africans giving full fishy fries holding full term.I have posted"borleyi Vs fronts" today which is a coincidence.

This apart i have read that sharks give birth to youngones and inside the females woomb the stongest fry eats up the rest and emerges fullyfit as thelone Survivor.So fries eating their way out is well within the realm of our natural realities.However the tact of the female eating food alone while holding and those of the fries eating the food without becoming it is a true beleive it or not wonder.Thank u heather for this post.

[neutrinoman]

Interesting info. I've read that it has long been suspected as so but not real tests to prove it, though I've experimented with my Malawis, leaving females to tend to fry some time after fry were free swimming and they fry are fine and have grown-- though, as many know, the females will also let them out to poke around, then take them back into their mouths at hint of danger (fun to see this).

[Heather]

You're very welcome

I found this interesting, as I said, mostly because of this portion.....

Originally Posted by Abstract, Yasunobu Yanagisawa and Haruki Ochi

A substantial amount of food was found in young 12.5 mm TL who retained a large quantity of yolk, and gut fullness of young increased as they grew. Weight changes of the young suggested that the buccal feeding augmented their growth.

This goes against what some of us, at least myself.. thought the proper time to start feeding fry would be. I usually wait until the eggsacks "yolk" are almost fully absorbed before I offer the fry food... now I think I will start feeding once they are free swimming

[Fernando]

Yep my Nangus do that .

kewl extract.

[Gibber]

Originally Posted by Heather

You're very welcome

I found this interesting, as I said, mostly because of this portion.....



This goes against what some of us, at least myself.. thought the proper time to start feeding fry would be. I usually wait until the eggsacks "yolk" are almost fully absorbed before I offer the fry food... now I think I will start feeding once they are free swimming

Nice info Heather. If I could get my camera working, I could show you my kantalamba female, and my 2 bismarcks feeding on flake food while they were brooding fry in their mouths.

My main bismarck just spit out another 35-40 fry, and I had been feeding her flakes for the last 2 weeks. She's in the 30 gal now with the fry and she's now starting to lose the protective instinct...I'll probably transfer her back to the main tank soon.

My kantalamba female loves spirulina flakes while she's holding. I've seen her eat a large chunk of krill before when she had fry in her mouth. Anyway, she just spit out a small clutch of fry and she's still protecting them in her mouth when I come too close to the tank.

My last bismarck female is ready to spit now (just have to find another nursery tank to put her in), but she just finished nibbling on some flakes earlier this morning.

I'd like to think that the fry were getting some of this food, while in mummy's mouth, even when they still had large egg sacs.

[sealord1au]

Originally Posted by Heather

This goes against what some of us, at least myself.. thought the proper time to start feeding fry would be. I usually wait until the eggsacks "yolk" are almost fully absorbed before I offer the fry food... now I think I will start feeding once they are free swimming

umm yeh i must admit i feed them baby brine shrimp from about day 25 as soon as there moveing in the strainer i start to feed them

i know alot wait till there is no egg sack but i tried it and they love baby brine shimp at day 25 onwards, i have seen no harm in doing it yet and i do get good growth i wonder if that has anything to do with it

[Heather]

Originally Posted by sealord1au

i know alot wait till there is no egg sack but i tried it and they love baby brine shimp at day 25 onwards, i have seen no harm in doing it yet and i do get good growth i wonder if that has anything to do with it

LOL mate, 3 days ago you posted this so I am confused

Originally Posted by sealord1au

i dont start feeding till there egg sack is all but gone
(link)

Gibber, get that camera working please ! ! ! I would love to see your females in action!
This is one of the reasons I am glad my Kigs are back to 'tankspitting' as I am looking forward to watching my girls do what they do naturally... part of the reason why I keep cichlids is because of their fascinating behaviors, and a Cypho mom's maternal instincts certainly is one of them. I have observed my holding females take in food in the past, and I always wondered if it was for her or if it was for the fry.. now I know it's for both of them!

[mbovinet]

Allright Darren which is it?


LOL.....


I have waited until sac is almost gone. I may change things a bit now

Thanks

Heather