I have a pair of SA Chichlids that look like Jack Dempeys or Blur Acara. They are in a 29 gallon tank, great filtration and ph 6.5-7.0. They spawned producing about 100 fry. After a month's time I do not think there are any fry left. I had put a fish net over the intake tube of my filter and was puting in ground freeze dried shrimp brine. I was also keeping the parents well fed. The only other fish in the tank is a 9-10 inch Plecostomus. Would the Plec eat the eggs or fry ? What can I do to keep the fry alive as my Chichlids are excavating the nursery again and spening allot of time in a hidden corner where I assume the spawning site is.

Dave Nager
earledrive@chartermi.net

I've never had cichlids myself. Even the best cichlid parents may turn on and eat their young, especially in a smaller tank, for new parents, or when they are ready to spawn again. The pleco could have eaten any eggs or fry that were laying around but he wouldn't chase down free-swimming fry. Next time, you may want to move the eggs or fry to another tank to grow up. Some cichlids will improve in their parenting skills with time. Some will eat their babies the first few times and then stop doing it. There are many factors so the outcome can't really be predicted.