FAQ Cichla Breeding Guide?

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pupumole

pupumole

In Loving Memory
MFK Member
Feb 4, 2007
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Hello : )

i have:
a male and female cichla pair at 13-14".
360gallon tank 8lx3wx2h all by themselves with no other fish in the tank
river pebble (1.5-2" diam)
2 stacks of malay driftwood with java fern and anubias planted on em ( each ~ 24" x 10" )
three slates (each probably 15" x 6" ) one in each third of the tank
running a 1800gph pump ( probably less at 4' head)
50gal wet/dry
one 48" 2x 54w Hagen GLO HO t5

i have a few question ( please answer with question number labeled, so i can refer to which question you are answering easier ^^;; )

1. Is my setup adequate for breeding?
2. Do i need more flow?
3. I have almond leaves, when should i put them in?
4. Almond leaves soften water,add trace elements,and will make water like tea?
5. How often do i need to change/replace these almond leaves?
6. I ordered some "Aquarium System: Fancy Plant "Giant Bamboo" " (fake plants), adding that will provide more cover... useful?
7. What should i feed them? They are on a daily diet of massivore right now...
8. Is there certain "trigger fish" that'll encourage breeding?
9. Do i have the right amount of light?
10. Is the nuchual( spelling? ) hump a necessity before it starts breeding?
11. Once the female spawned and male fertilized them ( hopefully on the slate) , do i remove the slate with egg into a separate tank?
12. OR, do i leave the slate w/ egg in the main tank till wigglers shows?
13 if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, heater(86 degrees) + air stone , is that sufficient?
14. if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, is the use of methylene blue appropriate in order to protect egg from fungus as well as see which ones are unfertilized?
15. Once i get wigglers, do i need to feed em?
16. when should the first meal be?
17. Does frozen baby brine shrimp works? or does it have to be live?
18. When should i stop using methylene blue?
19. whats the next food after baby brine shrimp ( and at what size? ) and after that?
20. How does it feel to be a grand daddy? :D

please help me out ^_^ i would love all of these questions to be answered :D and i would guess this would be a great reference for any future breeders too ^__^

Thank you :D
 
1. Is my setup adequate for breeding? yes. good for 2 fish i think a 360 is great.
2. Do i need more flow? no, i really have no exp with cichla breeding but i think minimal is better scattering possible eggs isnt the best thing.
3. I have almond leaves, when should i put them in? i dont know how great a impact this will have to spawning behavior but take refrence into spawning season of the cichla you are breeding in the wild. if the water parameters of that specie is the water parameter you would get with the leaves during the spawning season in the wild thats what you should do. mimicing the wild is your best bet.
4. Almond leaves soften water,add trace elements,and will make water like tea? yeap.
5. How often do i need to change/replace these almond leaves? not to often.
6. I ordered some "Aquarium System: Fancy Plant "Giant Bamboo" " (fake plants), adding that will provide more cover... useful? cover is good make sure you have large flat stones as cichla do like to breed on flat objects.
7. What should i feed them? They are on a daily diet of massivore right now... anything you regularly did.
8. Is there certain "trigger fish" that'll encourage breeding? heh not that i know of.
9. Do i have the right amount of light? to much is not good, less to mederation is good. try to keep the suns rythm of sunlight.
10. Is the nuchual( spelling? ) hump a necessity before it starts breeding? that hump is noticed in males that have been active or becoming. so that may be a sign i also have heard lack of appetite and nest digging, color enhancment is also signs.
11. Once the female spawned and male fertilized them ( hopefully on the slate) , do i remove the slate with egg into a separate tank? up to your first time parents usually not to many spawn but after that more will thrive on there own other wise you can take the eggs and place them in a artificial incubator tank to breed them.
12. OR, do i leave the slate w/ egg in the main tank till wigglers shows? ^^
13 if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, heater(86 degrees) + air stone , is that sufficient? no, take water directly from the breeding tank. and maintain the temp of 85-88
14. if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, is the use of methylene blue appropriate in order to protect egg from fungus as well as see which ones are unfertilized? i would not at all use meds during hatching.
15. Once i get wigglers, do i need to feed em? they will eat there eggsacks for a while then try baby live brine shrimp or baby guppies or even flakes.
16. when should the first meal be? ^^
17. Does frozen baby brine shrimp works? or does it have to be live? live imo.
18. When should i stop using methylene blue? dont imo.
19. whats the next food after baby brine shrimp ( and at what size? ) and after that? guppies and flakes, tiny pellets +
20. How does it feel to be a grand daddy? :D no idea.
 
1. Yea imo ur setup is adequete 4 breeding
10. i dont believe the nuchal hump is a necessity b4 breeding but maybe it is not too sure.

Any pics of ur setup?
 
CichlaRyan;3602927; said:
1. Is my setup adequate for breeding? yes. good for 2 fish i think a 360 is great.
2. Do i need more flow? no, i really have no exp with cichla breeding but i think minimal is better scattering possible eggs isnt the best thing.
3. I have almond leaves, when should i put them in? i dont know how great a impact this will have to spawning behavior but take refrence into spawning season of the cichla you are breeding in the wild. if the water parameters of that specie is the water parameter you would get with the leaves during the spawning season in the wild thats what you should do. mimicing the wild is your best bet.
4. Almond leaves soften water,add trace elements,and will make water like tea? yeap.
5. How often do i need to change/replace these almond leaves? not to often.
6. I ordered some "Aquarium System: Fancy Plant "Giant Bamboo" " (fake plants), adding that will provide more cover... useful? cover is good make sure you have large flat stones as cichla do like to breed on flat objects.
7. What should i feed them? They are on a daily diet of massivore right now... anything you regularly did.
8. Is there certain "trigger fish" that'll encourage breeding? heh not that i know of.
9. Do i have the right amount of light? to much is not good, less to mederation is good. try to keep the suns rythm of sunlight.
10. Is the nuchual( spelling? ) hump a necessity before it starts breeding? that hump is noticed in males that have been active or becoming. so that may be a sign i also have heard lack of appetite and nest digging, color enhancment is also signs.
11. Once the female spawned and male fertilized them ( hopefully on the slate) , do i remove the slate with egg into a separate tank? up to your first time parents usually not to many spawn but after that more will thrive on there own other wise you can take the eggs and place them in a artificial incubator tank to breed them.
12. OR, do i leave the slate w/ egg in the main tank till wigglers shows? ^^
13 if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, heater(86 degrees) + air stone , is that sufficient? no, take water directly from the breeding tank. and maintain the temp of 85-88
14. if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, is the use of methylene blue appropriate in order to protect egg from fungus as well as see which ones are unfertilized? i would not at all use meds during hatching.
15. Once i get wigglers, do i need to feed em? they will eat there eggsacks for a while then try baby live brine shrimp or baby guppies or even flakes.
16. when should the first meal be? ^^
17. Does frozen baby brine shrimp works? or does it have to be live? live imo.
18. When should i stop using methylene blue? dont imo.
19. whats the next food after baby brine shrimp ( and at what size? ) and after that? guppies and flakes, tiny pellets +
20. How does it feel to be a grand daddy? :D no idea.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! :D very useful info

troutking;3602978; said:
1. Yea imo ur setup is adequete 4 breeding
10. i dont believe the nuchal hump is a necessity b4 breeding but maybe it is not too sure.

Any pics of ur setup?
Click to expand...

pic hopefully soon, its hard to capture anythin on pic when the garage is either too bright or too dark

fishead;3603221; said:
Good luck......
Click to expand...

thanks, i'll need the luck : )

stevenrox;3603238; said:
lol i when i saw the title i thought it happened xD
Click to expand...

hopefully soon o.o
 
1. Is my setup adequate for breeding? A 360 gallon tank sounds great for a pair
2. Do i need more flow? No need to change your flow from what you currently have. You do not want strong flow in the tank..

3. I have almond leaves, when should i put them in? You don’t necessarily need to. They may help to trigger them to spawn, they may not.
4. Almond leaves soften water, add trace elements, and will make water like tea? Yes, temporarily
.
5. How often do i need to change/replace these almond leaves? After they have broken down you can siphon out the leaves. Also, after a couple decent sized water changes, the tank may need a booster of Almond leaves.

6. I ordered some "Aquarium System: Fancy Plant "Giant Bamboo" " (fake plants), adding that will provide more cover... useful? Can’t hurt. Cover makes them feel more secure/confident.

7. What should I feed them? They are on a daily diet of massivore right now... If wanting to trigger breeding, I would suggest gut loaded feeders for a couple weeks to really get them in breeding shape.
8. Is there certain "trigger fish" that'll encourage breeding? If we only knew…lol. Refer to previous question.

9. Do i have the right amount of light? I would keep it somewhat subdued, OR if normal but with good cover in the water. Off the top of my head, making the day cycle longer helps.
10. Is the nuchual( spelling? ) hump a necessity before it starts breeding? Not necessarily. Some cichla do not show it as pronounced as others. I would focus on behavior and coloration as signals.
11. Once the female spawned and male fertilized them ( hopefully on the slate - This is up to you. I would remove. Once its been a few hours, and they still look a nice ember color which means they are fertile, I would place in a separate tank. A 15 gallon works great. You can keep them with parents, but you are at the mercy of the parents will and experience to do their part.
12. OR, do i leave the slate w/ egg in the main tank till wigglers shows? Up to you. See previous question.

13 if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, heater(86 degrees) + air stone , is that sufficient? I would have the same water and temp you have in your breeding tank. Adding meth blue or a small amount of hydrogen peroxide will reduce the spread of fungus from unfertilized eggs.
14. if i do remove the slate w/ egg into a separate tank, is the use of methylene blue appropriate in order to protect egg from fungus as well as see which ones are unfertilized? Meth Blue, hydrogen peroxide are valid options.
15. Once i get wigglers, do i need to feed em? Once they start swimming after day 2-3 you need to start feeding baby brine shrimp multiple times a day.

16. when should the first meal be? Once the egg sacs have been exhausted…usually at day day 2-3 after hatching.
17. Does frozen baby brine shrimp works? or does it have to be live? Live is the way to go.

18. When should i stop using methylene blue? One time use only, when they are eggs. After that, no need, nor benefit.

19. whats the next food after baby brine shrimp ( and at what size? ) and after that? Reg Brine shrimp, Small pellets food ( I recommend Kens fish-Golden pearls), then baby guppies, etc.

20. How does it feel to be a grand daddy? Let you know when I am one ;)

What Cichla species are they? Are you sure it’s a male/Female Combo?

Tems, Azuls, and Orinos seem to mature at older/larger sizes. Monoc, Occel, and Kelberi may breed at the sizes you noted.
 
zuls is what im trying to get at ;) heard they r 3yrs old already .... and if they turn out to be not f/m , then someone is gonna be in big trouble xD as far as i can see though, the anal fin seems a lil different, but not enough for me to say for sure...
 
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