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Question?

I have a pair of jaguar and recently they spawn and now have less than 500 free swimming babies. Is it ok if i do a 30% water change coz i'm afraid that if i did a water change the fry will die due to change of water temp. is there any procedure as to how to do a water change and how to raise the fry. is it ok to separate them from there parents. thanks in advance.

Hi, Vince:

Don't have any direct experience with Jaguars, but I'll tell you what I've heard, and what I surmise from some experience with other cichlids:

Yes, you can separate them from their parents. though as a rule I don't like to do so immediately, in that they learn parenting skills for themselves (later) from their own parents. As you've noticed, they tend to have a lot of fry. You will at some point need to start separating them, as Jaguar fry will begin to eat each other after a certain point. Have plenty of food for them. IME the water changes are OK once they're past the wriggler stage if you match the incoming water temp to that of the tank. Water changes are in fact crucial to proper growth, as younger fish are more susceptible to poor water quality than older, stronger fish. Good luck, and keep us posted on how they develop!