Cichlid breeding

Wetnoses

Feeder Fish
Feb 8, 2012
4
0
0
Brisbane
We have just set up a tank with a red devil, texas super green, gold saum rivulatus, red jewel and an oscar. We didn't try to get males or females just got them based on color and size. They are all quite small still but just a question based on what may happen in the future...will these fish, if we have males and females, cross breed with the right tank conditions or would they need to be separated into their own breeding tank?

Also, how old do american cichlids have to be before they are mature enough to breed?

Thanks for any help!!
 

doomiedee

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Nov 13, 2011
5,429
2
62
Waterbury
texas cichlids will breed with anything or so i heard. the red devil and texas can be crossed to make red texas . it can be done either way but best to put them in their own tank to breed to avoid the parents beating on the other fish in the tank.

most cichlids breed around 4"+ some smaller then that like convicts for example
 

Wetnoses

Feeder Fish
Feb 8, 2012
4
0
0
Brisbane
Thanks for the info....very helpful. I didn't really know what size they needed to be so that really helps. We'll just have to wait and see when they are a bit older who's male and who's female. Would nice to get some red Texas, although my Texas is a super green so not sure if that would make it harder to get a nice red color. May take some breeding trial and error to see what we can come up with.
 

BROCKandKIMBO

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 26, 2012
55
0
0
southern california
I would personally try not to cross breed them, but thats just me... idk about the others but oscars i know have to be about a year and with other oscars about the same size. congrats on the new fish
 

doomiedee

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Nov 13, 2011
5,429
2
62
Waterbury
Thanks for the info....very helpful. I didn't really know what size they needed to be so that really helps. We'll just have to wait and see when they are a bit older who's male and who's female. Would nice to get some red Texas, although my Texas is a super green so not sure if that would make it harder to get a nice red color. May take some breeding trial and error to see what we can come up with.
in order to get nice red texas cross it with the red devil then once u get a few at breeding size get a another red devil or king kong parrot cichlid and cross the fry from the first batch to one of those. it should take a few batches of fry to get real bright rts like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBGj2UtF1QM
 

doomiedee

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Nov 13, 2011
5,429
2
62
Waterbury
I would personally try not to cross breed them, but thats just me... idk about the others but oscars i know have to be about a year and with other oscars about the same size. congrats on the new fish
many people would say dont cross breed but if you really think about it how do you think most cichlids are made by cross breeding and evolution
 

BROCKandKIMBO

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 26, 2012
55
0
0
southern california
many people would say dont cross breed but if you really think about it how do you think most cichlids are made by cross breeding and evolution
that is completely true, however is that really for humans to tamper with, nature has done a pretty good job so far. I personally would like to go to fish stores decades in the future and not have a hard time finding the pure fish that i once loved and not fish that are a cross between two or three different fish... either way it is entirely his decision.
 

Wetnoses

Feeder Fish
Feb 8, 2012
4
0
0
Brisbane
that is completely true, however is that really for humans to tamper with, nature has done a pretty good job so far. I personally would like to go to fish stores decades in the future and not have a hard time finding the pure fish that i once loved and not fish that are a cross between two or three different fish... either way it is entirely his decision.
HER decision...but that's beside the point ;)

I'm not trying to do any actual breeding of the texas and red devil but if it happens, it happens. I doubt the other fishies in the tank would allow many eggs to survive and the texas isn't the nicest fish I've seen and a bit larger than the red devil (Hellboy) so I doubt they will get together with the size difference. But who knows what love may sprout.

Thanks for all the input guys!
 
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