CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Help! I am on my second round with an Electic Yellow Cichlid having babies. First time she had 3 left in her mouth by the time we got her into a smaller tank (out of a 140 gallon tank-into a 20 gal). This time we got her out early and she released 10 at our final count. The thing is, she is still in the small tank with her babies after about a month (the babies are about 1/2" to 5/8" long now). Three days ago she started digging and made quite the hideout under a resin cave. Now she has the distended mouth and seems to have more babies in her mouth. Is this even possible? I keep counting her offspring and it looks like all 10 are accounted for. I thought it was possible she took one back into her mouth. She was chasing her babies as of recently and now she has stopped that and is not eating voraciously when fed. She only eats small amounts at the bottom of the tank. By all accounts, she is acting like she does when she is carrying babies. It LOOKS like she has some babies in her mouth. It doesn't seem logical that any more offspring are possible- as the daddy is still in our larger tank...... Could it just be rocks in her mouth? Could she have taken a baby back into her mouth after all this time? Soooo confused, ANY input is helpful!
-H.L. Smith

She may have layed more eggs, but they wil not be fertile with out a male. She wil hold them for a week or so and either spit them out or eat them. I don' think she can get a month old fry in her mouth. I would get her out and place her back into the main tank. she wil decide to keep holding or eat them and spawn again. The others wil help her along in this.. IF you dont' want any more of the fry just leave her in the main tank. My E yellows have not spawned yet, but the kenyi are like convicts..