Hi guys, I need some help. My acei cichlids just made babies (I can see the eggs in one of their mouths) so i need some help. Should i wait a little to move them to the 10 gal (if i should move them at all), or would they be safe with their other tankmates? 2 yellow labs, 3 mutts, 2 kenyi (1m 1f) 1 jag, 1 oscar, 2 severums and a bluegill. Please help me, this is my first time they've bred and i'm very excited. Also, could they mistake food for eggs? It's about the same size, and they didn't eat it all, so they might have some food in with them.
Aeci Cichlids bred?
- Thread starter awsomepk
- Start date
Quite the mix you have there.... hopefully it is a large tank or you plan to move out fish in the future.
As far as the holding females, you can move them whenever - or even strip the females of their eggs into an egg tumbler. If you leave the female in the main tank and she spits, the offspring will likely be eaten.
As far as the holding females, you can move them whenever - or even strip the females of their eggs into an egg tumbler. If you leave the female in the main tank and she spits, the offspring will likely be eaten.
First of all, I would seperate SA/CA cichlids from African cichlids. They need different water conditions as well as foods. SA/CA cichlids need high protein contents from food where african cichlids need more vegetable based food. It is very easy for african cichlids to develope a "malawi bloat" when introduced too much protein. SA/CA likes soft/acidic water conditions where as african cichlids likes hard/alkaline water conditions. Besides, SA/CA will soon out grow africans and might become food for them.
As far as your Acei is concerned, move your acei to 10 gallon tank and leave here there about week and strip her that's what I did w/ mine. Make sure you have all the set-up in 10 g tank (fully cycled/heater/sponge filter, etc). Or you can wait for mom to spit out the babies. >.< didn't read last part before posting... if she spit out the eggs and didn't pick up then either the egg wasn't fertilized or she refused to pick up. The eggs won't hatch so put her back in the main tank.
As far as your Acei is concerned, move your acei to 10 gallon tank and leave here there about week and strip her that's what I did w/ mine. Make sure you have all the set-up in 10 g tank (fully cycled/heater/sponge filter, etc). Or you can wait for mom to spit out the babies. >.< didn't read last part before posting... if she spit out the eggs and didn't pick up then either the egg wasn't fertilized or she refused to pick up. The eggs won't hatch so put her back in the main tank.
I will agree with everything except the protein statement, but that isn't relevant here.
As far as the female spitting eggs, it is likely that she is a new mother who is in need of experience. It is common for first/second time holding females to not know how to properly hold eggs/fry. I would toss the eggs into the main tank as food and leave the new mother in isolation if she is still holding eggs.
Awesome, thank-you both for your input. I've red about having them together, but they all seem to be doing fine. The female and male are in the 10, I'll turn on the heater when I get home. I have a running sponge filter, but the tank is cloudy. Any ideas? And yes, she is still holding 20 ish eggs, probably more. So, how long until they spawn again?
With Acei I have had better luck keeping her in the community tank and then 3 weeks after I first notice her holding I strip the fry from her and place them into a 10gal. I have one female that we stripped her eggs and she has never bred again. We actually have a male green terror in our community African tank because he is too much of a wimp to be with any of our SA/CA tanks. I also would not feed her it would be a waste of food she will not eat it.
I agree with why_spider
& the female will likely reject any food you offer her...they rarely eat during the whole breeding process
& the female will likely reject any food you offer her...they rarely eat during the whole breeding process