So I have an all male malawi peacock / hap tank with clown loaches, I was never into breeding but recently I set up an extra 55 I had because I picked up 12 super red empress juvies about 1-1.5". I was just wondering how long before there old enough to breed?? Thanks in advanced guys...
Breeding super red empress
- Thread starter isaiah
- Start date
Males become sexually mature at 8 to 9 months.
"The male will choose a flat stone or clear a spot at the bottom of the tank and then chase the females to get them to follow him to his "pad." The male then turns upward into an almost vertical position and shakes, which encourages the female into the same position with her head close to his anal fin. After laying her 40 to 50 eggs, she picks them up in their mouth, goes "vertical" again and mouths the male's anal fin. This stimulates him to release sperm and fertilize the eggs within the female's mouth.
The female holds her eggs in her mouth for 21 to 28 days. Once the female has her eggs and the spawning event is over, the male will stop guarding the area and just swim in open water. The female will guard the fry. If attempting an artificial incubation, feed the fry small zooplankton or Artemia nauplii at around the middle of the 3rd week. Cyclops, adult brine and glassworms can be fed as they age.
This above spawning description is different than what Fishbase has stated as external fertilization, but was noted by a breeder of the Red Empress. It is possible that it may depend on the individual female. Also according to Fishbase, once the young are hatched, the parents are very effective guardians of their young. They will actually set up "stations" that are designed to be protective by sticking close to the other parent, allowing the young to move back and forth between them for the best protection. With most Haps, the male will eat the fry and not help with raising them."
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RedEmpress.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_taeniolatus.php
"The male will choose a flat stone or clear a spot at the bottom of the tank and then chase the females to get them to follow him to his "pad." The male then turns upward into an almost vertical position and shakes, which encourages the female into the same position with her head close to his anal fin. After laying her 40 to 50 eggs, she picks them up in their mouth, goes "vertical" again and mouths the male's anal fin. This stimulates him to release sperm and fertilize the eggs within the female's mouth.
The female holds her eggs in her mouth for 21 to 28 days. Once the female has her eggs and the spawning event is over, the male will stop guarding the area and just swim in open water. The female will guard the fry. If attempting an artificial incubation, feed the fry small zooplankton or Artemia nauplii at around the middle of the 3rd week. Cyclops, adult brine and glassworms can be fed as they age.
This above spawning description is different than what Fishbase has stated as external fertilization, but was noted by a breeder of the Red Empress. It is possible that it may depend on the individual female. Also according to Fishbase, once the young are hatched, the parents are very effective guardians of their young. They will actually set up "stations" that are designed to be protective by sticking close to the other parent, allowing the young to move back and forth between them for the best protection. With most Haps, the male will eat the fry and not help with raising them."
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RedEmpress.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_taeniolatus.php
