crenicichla notophthalmus breeding?

[mynheers_a_pint]

Hi All,

I recently set up a small (40g) fast water system with no idea what to stock it with. Well after scouring my LFS's i came across some stunning wild-caught (so i was told) crenicichla notophthalmus. They're absolutely fantastic and full of character but after 5 weeks or so (the length of time in my new system) they began courting and subsequently dug a nest beneath a large peice of rock. Naturally i can't see inside so i have no idea if they have spawned but the male is very attentive and rarely leaves the entrance. So, here’s a couple of pics on them (If they're not crenicichla notophthalmus please enlighten me);

(Male?)

(Female? much more reclusive)

They're tiny; probably 3"-4" at most. Has anyone had any expereince breeding them before and any specific care tips for the fry, should they arrive.

Cheers.

 

[darth pike]

The male isn't showing the characteristic extended dorsal fin (at least that I can see in that first pic). Think like a male ram or cac apisto. What color is the ring around the dorsal fin of the female?

 

[mynheers_a_pint]

I think i may have it the wrong way round; having looked at the pair, the top pics of the male is more likley the female, accordinging to the sexing references i can find; the one i originally thought to be female has the fins spines where the other doesn't. That said, I thought the he was gonig to be more colourful..?

Wasn't expecting the female to be the one to do any of the 'dancing' though as it was 'her' that was putting on more of a show.

 

[softturtle]

Oh yes, the femals are the show offs with these fish. i'm sure you witnessed the "look at my big red belly" dance.

 

[mynheers_a_pint]

Oh yes, the femals are the show offs with these fish. i'm sure you witnessed the "look at my big red belly" dance.

That's the one!

Well i wasn't expecting that- With my Geophagus it's very much the male doing the displaying for a somewhat uniterested female. And They've spawned. twice!

So in that case then, I'm guessing breeding in the aquaria is not uncommon then?

 

[darth pike]

Very much like what kribs do. I was wondering why your male had a female belly.

But, if that's a female, you don't have noto's. The female would have 1 or more red rimmed ocelli in the dorsal fin. The lack of a dorsal spot in the female the black edging on the males anal and dorsal fin would lead me to say a Guyana or Rio Branco wallacii.

 

[mynheers_a_pint]

I'm pretty confident i had the wrong way round. Red belly= Female.

 

[darth pike]

Red belly= Female.

Deffinately. But a female noto would have a red rimmed dorsal ocelli. Which leads me to think these aren't noto's.

 

[its_an_obsession]

i have a couple what i call noto's but i dont think they actually are. i have two males and two females. got them all from the same batch and one female has a white ring and the other has a red ring. are these likely to b e a variant of wallacii?

 

[mynheers_a_pint]

i'll try and get some good, clear pictures of their tails and fins this evening; it'd be godo to get a positive ID if nothing else.

Cheers.