Rainbows bad parents, should I steal eggs?

[Jaws]

This is the second time now that my rainbows laid fertile eggs but ended up eating them. Are they typically bad parents or what? Should I keep another fish with them so they can defend the nest site? How do I hatch out the eggs myself?

[paddysdaddy]

Congratulations, Jaws, for having cichlids, being interested in propagating them and, most importantly, in asking for help.
First, everyone will give you different variations of advice, this is because we each have different experience, ideas and methods. Said another way, there is no PERFECT way of maintaining fish, many ways will work. Rainbows are famous for being great parents. Like most other species, they may have to try more than once to get it right. As long as environmental parameters are reasonable, time should cure their ills. I would add a dither group, something fast, cheap and harmless is my usual choice. I use giant danios with larger fish, zebra danios with dwarves and small convicts with large cichlids. Simply give them something to focus on and strengthen their pair bond, a common enemy works wonders. Also make sure you have ample cover for the rainbows and consider their privacy, I often use a flower pot on it's side with slate covering part or most of the opening, inverted flower pots with holes (carefully) broken in them, slate "caves", plastic plants for visual barriers, and PVC pipe sections roughly twice the length of the largest fish. Rainbow cichlids usually prefer a flat, exposed rock but give them choices in housing. Household traffic-people, noises and 4 legged pets-near the fish tank sometimes can be a factor in poor parental care of eggs and fry, but it seems cichlids are amazingly adaptable.
Artificially hatching the eggs would be a last resort, IMO. The parents display very interesting behavior in caring for their fry, including an odd "hang the children in a plant" thing.
Once your pair starts producing, you'll have hundreds of fry per spawn to find homes for, so be ready for that!

[tiedyeman]

Hey Jaws, congrats on the spawns. I've had rainbows spawn lots of times and they are usually very good parents, but as Paddysdaddy stated if they are a young pair it may take them a while to get it down--and when they do you will have more fry than you can handle. I currently have a breeding pair of keyholes -- also young-- that have spawned at least 6 times and have yet to raise a brood. They always eat their eggs -- maybe one of these days they will get it right, but if they never do that's OK too. They are beautiful fish. Good luck, your fish sound as if they are doing great.

[Jaws]

Thanks for the tips. I really like the rainbows, very out going, not skittish and good color.

After the second eating of the eggs the male was beating on the female and tattered her fins so they are now separated until her fins regrow and gets ripe again. I put some swordtails in with them but it was too late as the eggs were gone.

I've been overly patient with my failing firemouth project so the frustration is carring over to the rainbows. I'll just keep letting nature take its course.

The male is more aggressive than I would have imagined this species to be.

Thanks again for the tips.

[tiedyeman]

Out of curiosity: did you pair them up or did they choose each other? I have never had a male rainbow beat up a female. If he continues he will one day kill her and if they are not compatible perhaps a new choice in mates is in order?

I can totally relate about the firemouth. They are also beautiful, but the meanest damn fish I ever had. All of mine with the exception of 2 were killed by the largest fish...and I re-homed them. No more firemouth for me.

Best of luck,

Bruce