A. Christyi & T. Nigriventer breeding

[Wimmels]

Wanted to share this:


Aristochromis Christyi

Male:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/1445872f.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/f5cc6a86.jpg

Female (she let go of the fry about 2 weeks ago but is still taking good care of them. the fry is about 1"):
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/b8da7313.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/b6a5559f.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/f0e49633.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/a8941992.jpg

Fry (one week ago):
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/7d741c62.jpg


Have a 2nd female holding, no pics of her.

Also 3rd female holding:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/cfbd1d8a.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/42467bd0.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/ebb174c3.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/97f6daf4.jpg




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Tyrannochromis Nigriventer

Male:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/76415184.jpg

Female holding:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/7b0d36c0.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/2d238adc.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/14169802.jpg

Breeding:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/7caa825c.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/fbaf9a98.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/2e353f06.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/1852a0ba.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l181/Cathje_2006/mfk/598ff8fe.jpg

[JamesRiggs]

Very nice shots!

[fsc46]

Great photos! Can you tell us more about them?

[Wimmels]

Great photos! Can you tell us more about them?

These are all predators. The Christyi grows to about 25-30cm 10-12" and the Nigriventer gets quite large at an estimate of 35cm ~14"(mine is currently 10").

I have had the Nigriventer for about 7 months now and this is the first time they spawned I only have 1 male and 1 female, as they are really difficult to come by (wildcaught) and they have a stif pricetag as well.

The Christyi I bought in a large group 3 male 4 female, I was very fortunate to get this group as they are wildcaught as well, although they are easier to come by than the nigriventer you still have a hard time finding them. Especially fully grown adult groups.


About the breeding:
The larger predators of the Malawi lake, take very good care of their young and they can take care of the young up to 2 months after they were released for the first time. Some will take the young back at sizes of up to 5cm (2 inch).

I leave the females with the young to give the females a break, after releasing the fry the females will eat so this is a nice time for them to fatten up before they go back to the large aquarium. Usually with the smaller Malawi's I leave the female untill she doesn't take the fry back anymore usually 1-2 weeks, but with these I will remove the female after about a month.

[loach43]

Way cool 'thug' cichlids. Awsome that you're spawning them and thanks for sharing those pics. I like!

[johnny_1993]

nice wimmels! props to you, great work at congrats!!!!

[my4age]

:mwave:very nice pic indeed!

[mike dunagan]

how large is the setup?

[TheFanatic]

I thought you were all proud of two fish cross breeding. I'm glad to see that's not the case. I gotta say nicely done....

Got any whole tank shots?

[Wimmels]

My main tank where the adults are currently kept is 1200 liters, and the smaller aquarium where I let the females release the fry is 160 liter

This is an old photo of about a year and a half ago. The Chilotilapia Rhoadesi swimming in the middle of the tank is/was 10"

[johnny_1993]

your not worried about them cross breeding? i always seperate breeding colonys, sorry its just i hate africans cross breeding lol.

[Wimmels]

I don't let my fish crossbreed. And the larger predators don't crosbreed as fast as Mbuna and Aulonocara.

Untill now I didn't have any problems, and I only remove females from the tank where I have seen that she was busy with her own male while spawning.

In my smaller tanks of ~400 litres, I keep the species seperated.

[mike dunagan]

looking good

[Wimmels]

Yesterday I seperated the Nigriventer female and the third christii female. The christii is about to let her fry loose and the nigriventer still has eggs where very little fish are growin on

[mike dunagan]

great! Keep us updated!

[Wimmels]

The Chrstii released the fry for the first time today, I estimate over 50

[mike dunagan]

wow you are going to have your hands full. Are you a breeder?

[Wimmels]

Yep(As a hobby untill now) have a look on my website, I breed with most of the fish listed there.(Only the juvenile ones aren't breeding :))

[scottgeeze]

Those are some real beauties! :popcorn:

[johnny_1993]

nice!

[mike dunagan]

lookin good!!