Why do the parents do this?

[engiskhan]

I have a pair in a 29 gallon that spawned maybe a month ago and so far are doing a good job with their babies. The babies are now the size of sunflower seeds. Every now and then, I'll see the father sort of flip out and he'll be sideways and appears to be nipping at the young. The mother will seem to get mad at him and she'll start waving her body around him. I've also seen her twitching once after he was doing this, like she was trying to tell him something. Is it time for me to separate the parents from the young? So far, I haven't noticed any of the babies being eaten, but why in the heck do they do that?

[April]

i believe young parents get very possessive over who carries them. as they get a few more spawns under their belt..they settle down a bit. mine did anyhow..but if he gets going too rough..you may want to move him out. he could be getting too stressed from them eating too much. mine started nipping at the babies when they started going down to the bottom. when they twitch..their calling them to them. they get upset at first when they start wandering off and want them to stay with the group.
watch them carefully..if thier too stressed remove the fry before they disappear . if their eating well they can be moved.