AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Organizations belong to American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 6/5/2008 Subject: cichlid fry
Question Hey Ron. My cichlid recently laid eggs with some other random species of fish. The eggs have hatched and they are all doing well. When would it be okay to move the babies into a tank of there own? Also, the male that the cichlid mated with has also mated with another female of his same species. Will this present a problem with the female cichlid or any of her fry? Thanks! Madison
Answer Hi Madison,
That is a tough one. The problem is that now you have some hybrid babies and the question is what to do with them. If you decide to keep them, it is absolutely essential that you never give them away to anyone else or to a store or anything like that. Hybrids create enormous problems in the hobby because they destroy the integrity of the gene pool of species.
Most people destroy hybrids if they are created. I know that's a hard thing to do, but it is better for everything in the long run.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
