How can I encourage breeding?

[richardhmc]

Hi, I have a pair of texas cichlids in a 55 gallon.
When I first got them from an MFKer and put them in, the male would keep harrasssing the female to a point where the female was having a hard time living. So i put a divider between them.
Now, there are two HUGE holes on both sides of the divider.
How can I encourage the female to breed?

 

[richardhmc]

These are some pictures a few days after I got the fish.
Now, there are huge holes in the gravel.

 

[Dread]

Increase tempature, reduce/raise pH, raise/lower hardness, do everyday water changes, feed special foods.. there's tons of ways to increase breeding. I used my own little 'secret'. I keep a breeding pair of Convicts in a 10g tank, and when there's breeding going on in the convict tank, I take about 5g out and put it into another tank where there's fish I want to breed. There's plenty of studies that show that there's actually hormones in the "breeding water" that carry over to the other tank and stimulate the fish to breed.

 

[johnptc]

many pros use hormones

 

[richardhmc]

What do you mean by "feed special foods"?

I feed them krill, nightcrawlers, and market shrimp

 

[richardhmc]

reduce/raise pH, raise/lower hardness?

 

[Onion01]

bump up the temp, lower water level, feed blood worms and live worms like there is no tomorrow, turn on the barry white

 

[richardhmc]

haha what do you mean by lower water level?

 

[Onion01]

Although I have never tried it, some breeders say that lowering the water level encourages breeding in certain cichlid species. That just means drain the tank to a lower level of water. I am not too sure on this point, so it is better to confirm with more experienced breeders. The only thing I did to breed my firemouths was bump up the temperature 5 degrees and give them bloodworm buffets

 

[richardhmc]

I feed them market shrimp.. are they better than blood worms?