Posted: 2007.03.09(Fri)6:36 Post subject: Easy to Breed Cichlids
When I started with Cichlids, I kept researching and asking around for Cichlids which I could breed with ease. After a lot of research and practical experience I came up with a few. I hope this can help a few people with breeding cichlids.
Convict Cichlid - Archocentrus nigrofasciatus
By far the easiest cichlid to breed. These fish are not mouth brooders. They will easily form a pair and will usually begin breeding straight away. When breeding, convicts usually inhabit some sort of cave, usually represented by a terrecotta flower pot in the home aquarium. The female will lay the first batch of eggs while the male fertalises. This process is repeated until there are a total of 200 eggs give or take. During this process however, they do get very aggressive and caution is advised if the convicts are in a community tank. Convicts will guard their eggs vigourously. After 3-4 days the eggs will hatch and the new fry will feed on the yolk in their eggs for a few days before they being to swim freely. At this stage, feed the fry with baby brine shrimp or finely crushed flakes.
Jewel Cichlid - Hemichromis bimaculatus
The hardest part of breeding jewels is finding a pair. Once you've done that, the rest is simple. Jewels tend to colour up just before breeding exibiting a more red colour. The female spawns on a flat rock, or ornament. If this isn't found, jewels will usually clear away gravel to find a flat surface. After the eggs are laid, the jewels will alternate in fanning the eggs. After 3 days or so, the eggs should hatch. Baby brine and finely crushed flakes should be fed. Jewels tend to breed in batches of 3. First a large batch, then a medium batch and finally a small batch, so if possible remove the jewels 2 weeks after the fry hatch, so they can begin their next batch.
Electric Yellow Labido - Labidochromis caeruleus
As Thomas said earlier, there needs to be a ratio of around 1 male to 3 females for these fish to breed. Males can be told apart by there more distinct yellow and their black stripe. Relatively, there is little interaction between males and females throughout the breeding process. Females generally spawn on flat surfaces. Being mouthbrooders, they will take the eggs into their mouth, still unfertalised. At this point, the female will follow the male with her mouth close to the males anal fin. The male will then realease his sperm, and fertilise the eggs while they are in the females mouth. The eggs are rich with yolk, and the fry will absorb the yolk over a period of about 2.5-3 weeks before they need feeding. The fry are also kept in the females mouth for this period before they are realeased. The fry are relatively larger then other cichlid fry. Personally, I've only bred these fish once and got a little over 20 fry.
Anyway, apart from a couple others, this is basically what I know to be easily bred cichlids.
I'm interested in what others think are easily bred cichlids, and the process involved.
So... Anyone else want to contribute? _________________ Free is Good.
Last edited by Serkan on 2007.03.10(Sat)2:48; edited 2 times in total
Ahh the electric yellow. There different to the other cichlids I've bred.
Electric Yellow Labido - Labidochromis caeruleus
As Thomas said earlier, there needs to be a ratio of around 1 male to 3 females for these fish to breed. Males can be told apart by there more distinct yellow and their black stripe. Relatively, there is little interaction between males and females throughout the breeding process. Females generally spawn on flat surfaces. Being mouthbrooders, they will take the eggs into their mouth, still unfertalised. At this point, the female will follow the male with her mouth close to the males anal fin. The male will then realease his sperm, and fertilise the eggs while they are in the females mouth. The eggs are rich with yolk, and the fry will absorb the yolk over a period of about 2.5-3 weeks before they need feeding. The fry are also kept in the females mouth for this period before they are realeased. The fry are relatively larger then other cichlid fry. Personally, I've only bred these fish once and got a little over 20 fry.
As I said earlier, I'm not to experienced with electric yellows, so if I've gone wrong anywhere, please do tell. _________________ Free is Good.
Absolutely any cichlid is easy to breed as long as you provide them with ideal conditions - proper tank habitat and size, water conditions, tankmates, food, etc.
Well, now, that depends entirely on your definition of "really big". Those of us who keep monsters don't consider anything less than about 15" really big
Yes, there are some that are more difficult than others, but as I said, with the proper conditions, any cichlid should be quite easy to breed.
These look like articles and requests to review.
Moved to Aqualounge as this is not a cichlid discussion. _________________ "Just don't look in my fish room honey... it's just better for all of us. "
KK no worries, all the more for discussion. But I don't bother with articles because whenever I do write up, and say its ready, It just sits there for a few weeks, with no one so much as reading it. _________________ Free is Good.
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