Is it harder to breed african cichlids as mature adults?

[Plum7]

Hi wanted to ask is it generally much harder to breed African cichlids as more mature adults thrown in together from 2 or more groups than raising 1 group of juvies? I got a group of 6 dolphins moorii 2 males 1 larger at 7 inch only just added him about a week ago and a smaller male at 4-5 inch he has been in tank for 10 months 1 smaller female at 3inch for 8 months and 3 larger females at 3.5-5 inches each added together about 4 months back.

yet I got only 2 livingstonii cichlids bought them both at 1-2 inch juvies just over a year old and did not know their sex until they grew bigger they happened to be a male and a female by chance and they spawned successfully already 5 times in the same tank even though the male livinstonii is not the most dominant fish in the tank. I didn’t plan on breeding them they just did it themselves and Only had the one female instead of multiple like the dolphins.

I know you need multiple females for Africans to have them breed successfully but just found it strange the opposite happened for me in this case lol.

 

[tlindsey]

Hi wanted to ask is it generally much harder to breed African cichlids as more mature adults thrown in together from 2 or more groups than raising 1 group of juvies? I got a group of 6 dolphins moorii 2 males 1 larger at 7 inch only just added him about a week ago and a smaller male at 4-5 inch he has been in tank for 10 months 1 smaller female at 3inch for 8 months and 3 larger females at 3.5-5 inches each added together about 4 months back.

yet I got only 2 livingstonii cichlids bought them both at 1-2 inch juvies just over a year old and did not know their sex until they grew bigger they happened to be a male and a female by chance and they spawned successfully already 5 times in the same tank even though the male livinstonii is not the most dominant fish in the tank. I didn’t plan on breeding them they just did it themselves and Only had the one female instead of multiple like the dolphins.

I know you need multiple females for Africans to have them breed successfully but just found it strange the opposite happened for me in this case lol.

RD.
A201
duanes

 

[A201]

Don't believe everything you read. One male, one female usually opens up potential for spawning.
One male, multiple females increases the chances for breeding & lessens aggression.
Adding adult members to the community will change up the heirarchy & might alter established breeding pairing.
Its not that unusual the Livingstoni pair spawned under the noted circumstances.
Post pics when convenient.

 

[DJRansome]

I would wait a year for the tank to settle before worrying too much about the moorii and just be happy about the livingstonii.

 

[Plum7]

Don't believe everything you read. One male, one female usually opens up potential for spawning.
One male, multiple females increases the chances for breeding & lessens aggression.
Adding adult members to the community will change up the heirarchy & might alter established breeding pairing.
Its not that unusual the Livingstoni pair spawned under the noted circumstances.
Post pics when convenient.

Oh good to know thank you for your insight on this, never actually thought about the heirarchy & might part when adding adult members to the community.

I have attached pictures they as follows:

Male dolphin 1 about 7 inch
Male dolphin 2 about 4-5 inch
Female dolphin 1 3-4 inch
Female dolphin 2 4-5 inch
Female dolphin 3 4-5 inch
Female dolphin 4 about 3 inch
Male livingstonii
Female livingstonii

 

[Plum7]

Don't believe everything you read. One male, one female usually opens up potential for spawning.
One male, multiple females increases the chances for breeding & lessens aggression.
Adding adult members to the community will change up the heirarchy & might alter established breeding pairing.
Its not that unusual the Livingstoni pair spawned under the noted circumstances.
Post pics when convenient.

after watching my tank i believe the blue dolphins are not very comfortable due to my large rostratus male who is around 8inch plus in size fully coloured chases mostly and only the 6 dolphin cichlids around but he never bites at them or injures them just quite a bit of chasing around the tank. I have 3 smaller rostratus 2 males and a female and he never pays attention to those 3, its mostly the dolphins. He only sometimes chases the male livingstonii but not to the extent of chasing towards the blue dolphins. I think i may have to sell or trade my large male rostratus in as most of my dolphins including the biggest male often display the blue blotches which i believe is stress signs in their species?

 

[A201]

Nice looking fish. It's all about adjustments, attempting to find that perfect stock balance, when keeping Afican Cichlids.

 

[neutrino]

Agree with Stephen's posts above.

I bred a lot of haps and peacocks (and the occasional mbuna) for over 15 years. The basic formula for breeding most Malawi cichlids: Add water, add fish, get babies, make adjustments when necessary to keep the (relative) peace.

 

[Plum7]

Nice looking fish. It's all about adjustments, attempting to find that perfect stock balance, when keeping Afican Cichlids.

thanks, it is just that the rostratus male he is such a beautiful fish fully colored but he has zero interest in the 3 smaller rostratus 2 males and a female and he seems to be more interested in chasing around the blue dolphins and saw him even shaking at the female dolphins. Good thing the female dolphins have zero interest in him so far though.