CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

My Dempsey's have had eggs 4 times in the last 3 months! but by the third day she eats them ( i assume she eats them) he has had another lady and they were able to hatch them! IT this one just doesn't seem to know what to do. there is a pleco in the tank but daddy keeps him away when there are eggs.
does anyone have any suggestions?? its about time for her to go into "mode" again and we expect eggs any day! shes like clockwork with the laying they get fertalized and everything.
help!
Sabina

With many Cichlid species it's common practice to separate the eggs from the parents, either by immediately installing a divider or by moving the parents to a different aquarium. That would be my suggestion. Some breeders use a mesh "layer" close to the bottom of the aquarium that allows the eggs to fall through out of the reach of the parents, but I don't know if that would be appropriate for JDs -- Mark

Hi Mark,
thanks but she has to be a part of the first part of the life cycle.
I know a female JD has to "fan" the eggs to keep water circulating around them.
A female will spend her time keeping the water moving around her eggs, a female JD is an excellent mother thats why I don't know why this one is having a hard time getting it.
I was hoping someone out there had a suggestion,
could it be the fear of the pleco???
he has always been there hes not new to the tank he was
a resident before they were.
anyone else??
I guess I'll just let "nature" take its course maybe one day she'll get it.

Hiya Sabina, long time no post....

I suspect the pleco. They are night time raiders. Next time, maybe remove the pleco from the tank, and see what transpires.