My Cichla Monoculus Breeding Pair! YES THEY SPAWNED! SUPER LOAD WARNING! I KID U NOT!
- Thread starter The TRUST
- Start date
thats so cool. hope they are fertile. if u keep them w/ the parents, are u gunna change the divider so they cant get out or remove the other fish?
That's an interesting technique by putting them in a smaller area. At first, it would seem like more room would be better for the male to get away.
Good luck with them! Awesome shots! Next time be a little more descreet about watching fishy porn
Good luck with them! Awesome shots! Next time be a little more descreet about watching fishy porn
Thanks guys for all the kinds words. I am happy that I was able to catch them in the act and capture this spawn on video. I converted it to DVD last night for future references.
Well, it looks like my guess was correct. The eggs do not seem to be fertile. They were whitish in color last night but nonetheless the pair was still guarding them like crazy. I am not too disappointed that they are not fertilized, after all it was the male's first time. With my past experience in breeding Africans, you sometimes have the first couple spawns being a dud. I am just happy that I know that they are now a true breeding pair and that I was able to accomplish a Cichla spawning in my tank. I am sure that this will be the first of many spawns and I can prepare better for the future spawns.
I remeasured the spawning area and it wasn't 42"x24". It was actually only 33"x24", plus I the space the overflow takes up in the corner. I rarely test my pH but it ranges sometimes from 6.0-7.6 so I dont think pH has too much to do with the spawning as the FL Cichla are spawning is hard water with high pH. I recently also raised my tank temperature from 78-79 to 80-81.
Things I would change if I had more preparation time:
Well I guess for now, I'll clean out the rocks when I get home and prepare the space for a future spawning.
Like they always say If first you don't succeed, try try again.
I know that this is not the first time Cichla have spawned in home aquaria nor is this species a rarer species, but I hope that this documentation and experience was informative and inspire some of us to try breeding our Monsters. It's not impossible and there are no limits. You just need to be crazy enough to want to try something.
Well, it looks like my guess was correct. The eggs do not seem to be fertile. They were whitish in color last night but nonetheless the pair was still guarding them like crazy. I am not too disappointed that they are not fertilized, after all it was the male's first time. With my past experience in breeding Africans, you sometimes have the first couple spawns being a dud. I am just happy that I know that they are now a true breeding pair and that I was able to accomplish a Cichla spawning in my tank. I am sure that this will be the first of many spawns and I can prepare better for the future spawns.
I remeasured the spawning area and it wasn't 42"x24". It was actually only 33"x24", plus I the space the overflow takes up in the corner. I rarely test my pH but it ranges sometimes from 6.0-7.6 so I dont think pH has too much to do with the spawning as the FL Cichla are spawning is hard water with high pH. I recently also raised my tank temperature from 78-79 to 80-81.
Things I would change if I had more preparation time:
- Would have turned off the air stone that was originally on when the spawning started. Too much current I think. I can't however turn of the return pump as my sumps would over flow. But it didn't seem to affect it too much.
- Would remove more of the river rock at the bottom for them and have only those 2 big rocks or maybe a clay dish for them to spawn on.
Well I guess for now, I'll clean out the rocks when I get home and prepare the space for a future spawning.
Like they always say If first you don't succeed, try try again.
I know that this is not the first time Cichla have spawned in home aquaria nor is this species a rarer species, but I hope that this documentation and experience was informative and inspire some of us to try breeding our Monsters. It's not impossible and there are no limits. You just need to be crazy enough to want to try something.
Awesome stuff jed....IME a cool period of a week or two then a temp raise with a 50% water change would get them in the mood every time. Hope they get right back at it....after you clean up ect.. try a large water change and see what happens
hope they come through for ya...awesome pics also!!!
hope they come through for ya...awesome pics also!!!Awesome stuff jed....IME a cool period of a week or two then a temp raise with a 50% water change would get them in the mood every time. Hope they get right back at it....after you clean up ect.. try a large water change and see what happens
Hmmm I usually do a huge water change weekly. About 70-80% in fact.
I am wondering now how bad they will attack my hand when I try to remove those unfertilized eggs.
As for the pics, I think I need to add a signature. "If I post a new thread in the gallery, expect it to be a load warning"
Umm.
Cichla are NOT discus.
They do not feed off the slime coating.....
JED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU SON OF A *****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LoL.
lets pray for better results next time!
with in hours you can tell if they are fertile or not.
it also depends on the water temp. the warmer the water, the faster everything happens.
