This morning the fourth batch of fry from my WC
Ophthalmotilapia nasuta Kipili Gold colony was released. This particular female has successfully carried two broods to term now, releasing them like clockwork at dawn on day 28 each time. There are 11 well-developed fry, each about 1cm TL. This may seen large for new fry, but you have to remember that they are already 28 days old, and have been feeding while in the female's buccal pouch. I don't know whether this has been studied in
Ophthalmotilapia, but in
Tropheus it is well-established that during the brooding period, the female will take food into her mouth, which the fry then eat. Interestingly, the female does not eat at all during this time, even though she has food in her mouth. Clearly evolution has selected against females with a tendency to swallow whilst brooding. Another amazing adaptation of advanced maternal mouthbrooders.
Here is the first baby pic of the fry, taken this morning under actinic light, before the main lights have turned on. In a few weeks, I will be able to empty this tank, and start on my fish room upgrade project (thread
still coming).
Mom on day 21, just before I moved her into a 55g brooding tank-
