Is these a male and female RTM?
- Thread starter Damo101
- Start date
Agree, female left, male right. (she is quite large, and may view the small male as not macho enough)
If they are the only fish in the tank, you may want to add another cichlid (sacrificial) to help cement a pair bond.
Just because you have a male and female doesn't mean they see each other as appropriate breeding partners, maybe only a 50/50 chance.
That's why is always best to grow cichlids out in a group of 6 or more together (and not sell extras off too quickly), to allow the normal ritual selection process to bond partners.
Without that, another cichlid in the tank to threaten the the pairs sovereignty sometimes works.
The extra cichlid will most likely be torn to shreds in the process, and this violent behavior often helps in pair bonding.
My pair killed off 6 other motaguense as part of their nuptials.
I would not grow out their fry considering the male is rather deformed and the female may be a little bit aswell.
I had to keep my pair separated by a divider for well over a year. They eventually spawned through the divider. Once they had fry I was able to take down the divider and they would get along. They have spawned a couple times since taking down the divider now.
I do have tanks on either end of the RTM tank with cichlid in them. The male will charge and ram the glass trying to get to the other cichlids. Perhaps the other cichlids also help deflect some of the aggression from the male.
I do have tanks on either end of the RTM tank with cichlid in them. The male will charge and ram the glass trying to get to the other cichlids. Perhaps the other cichlids also help deflect some of the aggression from the male.