Looking for a breeder to talk to about P. Socolofi

LunarValkyrie

Black Skirt Tetra
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Jan 5, 2015
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I would like to have a private conversation with a person that has, and breeds Pseudotropheus Socolofi currently. Plz. I have 4 fish that I am interested in breeding but I need some good hands-on information. Plz PM me asap. I think I have a holding female, etc.

Thanks
 

Aquanero

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Maybe you'll get a response in here. If not let me known and I'll move it back.
 

oldfish

Piranha
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Apr 2, 2005
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I have bred hundreds of P socolofi staring back in the 1970's. But you seem to ask for advice and then argue about it when it's not what you want to hear.
 

joe jaskot

Dovii
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Sep 16, 2011
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Typical mouthbrooding cichlid from Lake Malawi. Easily bred. Good beginner fish. Female holds eggs in mouth as they develop into fry. Usually releases fry 23-26 days after spawning.
 

DJRansome

Aimara
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I have spawned them as well, quite prolific.
 

LunarValkyrie

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Well, I tried your advice to add fish and move them into a larger tank(55) alone, and it was all out war and I have one fish left. I even added a smaller fish than they were and still that fish fought with everyone and now I am out of the socolofi business. I gave them more rocks, more pots and plants to hide in and yet they still hated it. At least in the 30, the original 4 tolerated each other. The female that is left is holding, but is pretty banged up. She is alone in a 10 until she spits and then I am back to Central and South american.

I added the 2 new fish first and then the old crew to give them the chance to not be ganged up on. I had 6 fish total and none were over 2 1/2" or so. I added fish in the dark and left it dark for over 24 hours. But when I went to feed it was over. In less than another 24, I only have the tail-less, pitiful female with a mouthful.

I kept asking questions because I want to learn, not argue. I was just explaining why I got what I got, and why I had them where I did. Books give info that is different from what you guys are saying...that's all I wanted to get. You say prolific, info says difficult to breed. You say aggressive, info in places agrees and some say mildly aggressive. Some say females dig, others say they don't. See my issues? I am not a rookie at fish, but I just wanted to learn africans and get some advice on how to go about learning without burning my pocket and killing my fish.

So, thank you for all your info and advice. Sorry I posted what you didn't want to hear maybe. I asked for help and explained my situation. We all have to start somewhere. I have raised cichlids for 20+ years, but never tried africans. Now I know why.
 

oldfish

Piranha
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Sorry to hear things got worse for you.Putting only 6 fish in a 55 was not an improvement.It would have been better to put 12 more fish in the 30 gallon Rather then only 2 more in almost twice the space.Plus you can never have too many hiding places in a mbuna tank.
 

LunarValkyrie

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Both threads I have posted to said 5-7 in a 55 with loads of hiding spots gives them room to grow and run. I couldn't get any more because no one had them. That's why I thought of breeding them since they were scarce here.

I just need to step away for a bit and find something maybe not so aggressive and able to live together. KGTropicals uses 29 gallons with a harem of 6. I suppose that is why I thought the 30 might work. 6 more inches gave me room to build a nice rock wall for hiding.

Luckily, my LFS is willing to take any FRY that survive if this female lives. She looks very bad. I hate they went to war. I hate losing fish. It makes me feel like crap. But apparently, my endeavor was doomed from the start. Everyone has a different way to keep these, and I just need to find mine.

But for now, I will go away and stick to what I know. I have no club or breeders close, so I came here. I know they are cichlids, but these are just nasty aggressive.

Thx anyway.
 

oldfish

Piranha
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Apr 2, 2005
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Beavercreek Ohio
Both threads I have posted to said 5-7 in a 55 with loads of hiding spots gives them room to grow and run. I couldn't get any more because no one had them. That's why I thought of breeding them since they were scarce here.
The only time I saw that anyone suggested a number for a 55 gallon was someone suggested this.................."They will do better with more fish in the tank...what are the dimensions of the tank? I like to see about a dozen fish in a 55G rectangle for example.".....How you took that to mean 5-7 in a 55g I do not know.
 
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