So i got a nice pair of these and they were fine for a month in their 10 gallons by themselves. Then the male started chasing the female and I guess he was ready to breed but she wasn't so I moved the male to my community. I put him back in after 2 weeks and in a hot minute they started fighting with each other straight away, a lot of fin grabbing and nipping. Does anyone have any advice on how to let them calm down and breed?
Help breeding pelvicachromis taeniatus 'nigerian'?
- Thread starter Justepic
- Start date
I think a bigger, heavily decorated tank would be best.
The female has to start the courting. Normaly she does this by presenting her egg swollen belly to the potential future father.
To do so she needs to be well fed to be able to produce eggs.
The courting behaviour includes visiting and cleaning potential breeding places. The need the right sized caves. Since cleaning and especially digging is an important part of the pair bonding, they need sand to be able to dig. Without sand bredding is rare to impossible. It might even help to fill existing caves with a little bit of sand to give them something to clean together.
To do so she needs to be well fed to be able to produce eggs.
The courting behaviour includes visiting and cleaning potential breeding places. The need the right sized caves. Since cleaning and especially digging is an important part of the pair bonding, they need sand to be able to dig. Without sand bredding is rare to impossible. It might even help to fill existing caves with a little bit of sand to give them something to clean together.
Hendre and Milingu have super advice.
Here is another angle: keep the male in the 10 by himself while the female is put into the community tank. After a week or two and she is starting to feel comfortable, add the male back to the community. Let them breed in the community tank, following Milingu's instructions. Once you have bred them successfully in the community tank, you can either remove the other fish to allow them to raise the babies, or move the babies and the mother to the small tank once they are swimming.
Here is another angle: keep the male in the 10 by himself while the female is put into the community tank. After a week or two and she is starting to feel comfortable, add the male back to the community. Let them breed in the community tank, following Milingu's instructions. Once you have bred them successfully in the community tank, you can either remove the other fish to allow them to raise the babies, or move the babies and the mother to the small tank once they are swimming.
Yeah when they were together and doing fine, the female kept shaking that belly
Milingu
but further breeding action did not commence. I have a small cichlid rock cave as well as a coconut cave I made. I also have sand in the community tank.
I think I will try what R Red Cichlids said because I already have the female in the community. I am gonna wait a few weeks till the male looks much better and than hope for the best!
Milingu
but further breeding action did not commence. I have a small cichlid rock cave as well as a coconut cave I made. I also have sand in the community tank.I think I will try what R Red Cichlids said because I already have the female in the community. I am gonna wait a few weeks till the male looks much better and than hope for the best!
Alright put the male into the 55 gallon with the female. The female is not interested at all in the male however the male when he sees the female 'kisses her belly' but she just runs away. You are totally right guys, they needed a bigger tank to not fight and have dither fish. Now I need to build some cocunt caves and wait.