Cichlid holding?

[Jstewart0925]

I have a 100 gallon cichlid set up. First time ever keeping Africans before so not really experienced that much on them and breeding them but I am wondering if one of my fish is possibly holding. It’s really hiding a lot and is gravitating to one area under the rock a bit more aggressive then usual when I feed it wants to try to eat but doesn’t really go after the food like usual. Mouth is bulged a bit and keeps opening it and closing it a lot. Any info would be great. Thanks in advance.

[BradfordAquatics]

It looks and sounds like it is; Congratulations!

[Atitagain]

Looks as tho she is holding. She should not eat while holding at all, she might dart towards food but not eat. The opening and closing of her mouth is her rearranging the eggs/ fry in her mouth for comfort and to keep fungus away.

If you want best chance for fry to survive is stripping the eggs. Seeing this is your first time with AC that’s probably not an option. If you have a small 10G or anything larger that is cycled and no other fish you can place her in there till fry are free swimming and for most part not being held in her mouth for long periods.

you can always just leave her alone in the tank, she will hold them then when she spits them for good if you have enough cover the fry may survive. I would suggest either way you go, after she is done isolate her and feed her well for a couple of weeks and let her recover from not eating for that long.

I researched a lot through YouTube and some very good info I found through these channels: tazawa tanks, KG tropicals, cichlidscape, Ben Ochart , many others as well but these channels have plenty of videos focusing on African cichlid.

[Jstewart0925]

She ended up have 6 babies. In her mouth. 😃

[BradfordAquatics]

Congrats!

[Jstewart0925]

Babies are growing

Their in the little breeder box for now while I did a little tank maintenance. 
The mother had these babies now she is holding again lol.