Baby Kitty's Survival!

[ozwell]

Hi all,
I have a tank full of mouthbrooding cichlids and a dozen cuckoo cats.
Anyway when I was feeding them yesterday, with my ten month old daughter in my arms (she loves the frenzy at feeding times) I saw a baby cat swim out from a ledge. Just as I took a better look, a large male cichlid (empress) swam in and 'swallowed' it!!
'Grab the net' I yelled almost throwing Kayla on the floor.
I caught the fish and he 'spat out' the baby. Still alive but with not tail. He looks to be copping well this morning.

The fish have been breeding well, but swallowing the eggs before they hatch, I don't know how I missed a mouthful.

So thats the story of my 'kitty's survival'

Mum or Dad... Maybe!
Austin

[Matt]

Thats pretty cool! How is the half eaten one going?

[ozwell]

The baby cat is doing fine, looks like only his tail fins are gone Hope they grow back.

Saw another 'mouthful' today and decided to 'milk' out the eggs.
37 eggs ,22 of the cichlid's own (peacock) and 15 catfish eggs (5 already had fungus on them).

So now I have all these eggs in a home made tumberler. Got my fingers crossed they hatch. I don't have any anti- fungus chemicals and can't buy them here at the local pet shop, the next pet shop is 1000 km away and to late to post it.

[Matt]

Bugger about the fungus, is there another way to limit fungal growth without affecting the egg development? Good luck with the eggs anyway

[ozwell]

Baby catfish is growing good. Now you can see he ? has a tail just no fin (hope that grows back)

Other eggs have hatched, used a multi cure at a third of the strength to control fungus.
Have new problem now they are cannibals !! 10 hatched now down to seven!
They are eating food now so hope this stops it.

Hope they get big fast as I want to bring them back to WA when we move back in eight weeks.