Introducing a female

[duanes]

As a former microbiologist, I may come at hybridizing from a slightly different angle, and because that's where I come from, that's what I see.
I also see that because many hybrids have slightly altered immune systems, to get them to survive in large breeding operations, antibiotics are used often as a prophylactic which compounds the problem even more.
Back in the early days of aquarium hybridizing, columnaris was often called live bearer disease. I wonder why???

 

[dan518]

thanks duanes, i am not in to hybrids, but i always thought that some would have better immune systems due to a whole new set of dna

 

[Will posey]

Problem I went and picked up the female and she is slightly smaller then expected and by slightly I mean she is half my doviis size I have her in his tank with the divider and they are both constantly in each others face flaring gills and more colorful than I ever seen them

So should I pull the divider and let them meet and see how it goes or Should i move her to a grow out tank

 

[festaedan]

Problem I went and picked up the female and she is slightly smaller then expected and by slightly I mean she is half my doviis size I have her in his tank with the divider and they are both constantly in each others face flaring gills and more colorful than I ever seen them

So should I pull the divider and let them meet and see how it goes or Should i move her to a grow out tank

I would cut a hole in the divider just big enough for the female to go through, but the male cant. Leave the male's side pretty bare so he doesnt corner her.
Good luck

 

[justarn]

Get a pipe that only she can get in and leave the divider up Imo, after a few days when she knows where the pipe is an she can get in it try removing the divider and watch...

 

[MP_cichlid]

either of the above suggestions are smart. But the most important thing to do, make sure you watch them for a while after u introduce them, pairing up big fish like this can go bad in the blink of an eye.

 

[duanes]

In theory a combination of 2 species could produce a better one, but that would only be after all the environmental factors that produce a stronger (survival of the fittest) individual took effect.
In nature, maybe 1 or 2 out of an entire spawn survive, but in aquariums the possibility of many substandard individuals is there.
You might say, yes it is the nature of the hobby to allow many to survive for profitability.
But allowing 2 of the same to species survive, is different than randomly combining 2 different species that may have different immunity (or lack thereof).
Unless you can see inside the fish, its a crappshoot, all the hump, or extra blue, is peripheral.
You may also wonder why, I'm on a soapbox about this

thanks duanes, i am not in to hybrids, but i always thought that some would have better immune systems due to a whole new set of dna

.
I figure if only one person thinks about the consequences before adding another bunch of mutts to the array of unidentifiable cichlids out there, its a good thing.

 

[Jhncf]

I'm in the same boat, I'll be attempting to breed my 14" male dovii with a 7-8" female jaguar. None of the fry will be sold or given away but I may keep the best looking of the batch for myself. I wouldn't be doing this if I could locate a female dovii but I've never seen one for sale here so he'll (hopefully) be paired with a jaguar until the day that I find one.

 

[tanyaelec11]

in that size of tank I don't think its a good idea. if shes gravid it may be good to see what they will do if shes not they are trying to kill eachother.

 

[Will posey]

FINALLY!!! He now lets her on his side of the divider after about a week of the dovii just wiging every time the la ceiba even thought of coming to his side she is now over on his side day and night This is my first time breeding big fish can't wait for eggs