Hey guys,
After setting up my first tank over the past fortnight, I finally got around to buying and introducing fish into my 3 foot (160L/42Gal) tank.
Three days ago (Sunday morning) I purchased 2 Blue Acara's (4 and 5cm long) and a Firemouth Meeki (3cm). Over the couple of days I've had the fish I noticed the larger of the Acara's shaking strangely in front of the other and figured this was probably some sort of pairing behavior, it's colours were also very up and down, with it changing between pale and dark colouration quite reguarly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g930rEDMPjs was a video I took last night of her (I presume the larger is the female) preparing a rock for spawning and doing the shake.
This morning I woke up to find her colours incredibly vibrant and checked the rock. On the third morning of having the Acara's in my tank they had already spawned.
Now my question is, what will eventually happen to the young? I'm actually slightly worried about this as I don't think my filter is 100% cycled (I used 2 solid handfuls of used media from a friends filter, he runs 2 canister's on a 4x2x2 with Cichlids).
I have no second tank to separate them to and do not plan on raising the young as I am only a beginner. I was expecting this to happen but not for a longer period of time, giving the Firemouth some time to grow so he could pick them off without much of a problem, but he's currently 3cm long and a lot smaller in the body compared to the Acara's.
Any information is greatly appreciated.
After setting up my first tank over the past fortnight, I finally got around to buying and introducing fish into my 3 foot (160L/42Gal) tank.
Three days ago (Sunday morning) I purchased 2 Blue Acara's (4 and 5cm long) and a Firemouth Meeki (3cm). Over the couple of days I've had the fish I noticed the larger of the Acara's shaking strangely in front of the other and figured this was probably some sort of pairing behavior, it's colours were also very up and down, with it changing between pale and dark colouration quite reguarly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g930rEDMPjs was a video I took last night of her (I presume the larger is the female) preparing a rock for spawning and doing the shake.
This morning I woke up to find her colours incredibly vibrant and checked the rock. On the third morning of having the Acara's in my tank they had already spawned.
Now my question is, what will eventually happen to the young? I'm actually slightly worried about this as I don't think my filter is 100% cycled (I used 2 solid handfuls of used media from a friends filter, he runs 2 canister's on a 4x2x2 with Cichlids).
I have no second tank to separate them to and do not plan on raising the young as I am only a beginner. I was expecting this to happen but not for a longer period of time, giving the Firemouth some time to grow so he could pick them off without much of a problem, but he's currently 3cm long and a lot smaller in the body compared to the Acara's.
Any information is greatly appreciated.
jjk. If the filter is not properly cycled the first batch is probably going to die. If you seeded like you said, the tank should be cycled though...There may be some aggression. If you plan on having successful breeding with these, you will need more tanks...Good luck and welcome to ]v[FK!!