Midas Cichlids have spawned

My two large Midas have spawned. I woke up this morning to see the female guarding her eggs! The male too. But now I have some questions. Since this is the first spawning i do not want to mess anything up. Do I continue with water changes and gravel vac? Should I remove the mom and dad once the fry are free swimming? Also should I take out the plecos?

I would leave both parents and let them raise the fry, but the pleco should probably go being he'll eat the eggs unless the parents keep him away 24/7.. As far as the WC's go you might wait and let Madness or other experienced Cichlid breeders chime in.

Remove the pleco if possible. How big are the midas, and how big is the pleco?

Like hbluehunter said, leave the fry with the parents this time. Most Cichlids do very well at being with the young, and others not so well. You will not know this until you watch these two in action.

As for water changes, yes keep them up. As for gravel vacking, it depends on the size of aquarium and where the eggs are located. Meaning if it is a 6' tank and the eggs are on one end, then yes very carefully vac the opposite end. (assuming the male allows you too) If the laid the eggs in the middle, I would hold off on vacking until they are free swimming, and then be very careful cause the fry dont know any better and they will swim towards the vac. The fry will be wigglers in about 3 days and free swimming in a week, so not vacking wont be that big of a deal, but still do water changes.

Congrats on the spawn.

Congrats!

The Midas Male is 14 inches and the female is about 12 inches. The plecos are two green phantom that are about 8 inches. Tank size is 125

yeah you need to get those plecos out of there man they are scavengers!

throw them into your 60 with your flowerhorn

m_e_loo wrote:The Midas Male is 14 inches and the female is about 12 inches. The plecos are two green phantom that are about 8 inches. Tank size is 125

Though the plecos are scavengers, I doubt a great deal that the Midas will let them anywhere near the eggs. If the tank was busy where the Midas would get distracted, then yes they would be an issue. But not in your case. The thing that would concern me is your Midas killing the plecos. My Fens and Festae spawn regularly with plecos in with them. The plecos know to stay away. The tanks that I have issues with eggs disappearing are the tanks with loaches and Raphy cats.

Well good luck on the spawn.

Great point madness!

another spawn!

So 7 days later your midas spawned again?

they did, but they ate the eggs the first try. so well see what happens

Im not doubting that your female is laying eggs, but a female cant lay eggs that quickly, her cycle is like every 3 to 4 weeks.

Interesting

i do have two females in there, and I found this to be the case. My friend brought over another fish and dropped it in and I guess it was female and the male liked her better. Wasent planning on keeping the second one.