How do I know when my FH are gonna mate?

[Ohboitony]

Well I have 11 fh and i put a basket in my tank with the best 2 looking one. Right now I have a big head male and a really pretty blue and red female. When other fh goes up to the basket the male tends to go after them in the basket. The female is digging a hole with the rocks and I put a flat rock to lay eggs(CROSS FINGERS). Is this a sign??? What are the signs of the fish mating? I want more information to help my fish mate with BABIES FH!!!! I will try to post pictures up soon of how they look like.

 

[JPlikewoah]

first of all, how big are they?

 

[Ohboitony]

Male: 4 to 4.5 inches and female 4 to 4.5 inches.

 

[mbunafishkeeper]

hmm its possible. id look for breeding tubes down and them actaully acting as a pair, are they biting/rubbing on the rock??

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

When they see you watching and say, "A little privacy please!!"

Seriously though, nesting signs are pretty universal in cichlids. Clearing a nest, increased aggression, sparring, becoming highly territorial, etc.

 

[Ohboitony]

hmm its possible. id look for breeding tubes down and them actaully acting as a pair, are they biting/rubbing on the rock??

yeah... The female is always on the flat rock. And when they dump rocks out from the net I put it back in. When the gravel fall on the flat rock the female seems to get mad at me. Right now the male is always looking out for the female when other males try to get near her.

 

[Ohboitony]

When they see you watching and say, "A little privacy please!!"

Seriously though, nesting signs are pretty universal in cichlids. Clearing a nest, increased aggression, sparring, becoming highly territorial, etc.

LOL!

Thanks for your input. My 1st batch wasn't so great with the other flower horn. But will try again..

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

yeah... The female is always on the flat rock. And when they dump rocks out from the net I put it back in. When the gravel fall on the flat rock the female seems to get mad at me. Right now the male is always looking out for the female when other males try to get near her.

Best thing for you to do is just observe. Don't mess with anything if they move it around. They put things where they want them, and if you put them back, then they start all over.

 

[Ohboitony]

Best thing for you to do is just observe. Don't mess with anything if they move it around. They put things where they want them, and if you put them back, then they start all over.

Okay I got it... LOL didn't mean to mess with the FH home...

 

[lazie fo0]

You should prolly separate the other fish from the pair. My FH's just bred and they had similar behavior like your pair before they spawned. Like Mbuna said, keep a look out for the female's tube.