Does water movement affect spawning in cichlids? I'm trying to get my Dovii to spawn and I'm wondering if I should restrict the pump a little more then it already is. It's a 2400gph pump on a 120g tank, I keep it restricted down to about 3/4 or so, should I decrease it to about half open? Or does it not matter?
Strong water movement affect spawning?
- Thread starter Mudfrog
- Start date
Can't you just divert the flow to another direction? It would be better that way so the detritus can still be moved out of the substrate (assuming this is not a barebottom tank) and sucked by the filter as it was designed to do so. Have you conditioned the fish with live foods already? Do a large water change after a week with temperature slightly cooler than the tank water. This may trigger them to spawn.
I can divert the flow a different direction but my 120g is a 4ft tank so it's pretty strong water movement. I have 2 modular pipes for the outlet from the sump and you can imagine that kind of a pump with 2 mod pipes and a 48x24x24 tank. One mod pipe can easily blow all of the sand out of the opposite corner of the tank, and this is with the flow already restricted. I closed the ball valve a little more last night and I liked the fact the sump was a lot quieter 
But I have heard conflicting arguments about restricting the flow of the pump being bad for the pump or not.
I have not conditioned them with live foods, I did not know that I was supposed to, I've tried to keep them off of live food but I can pick some up if this will help trigger their spawning. As for the water change I tried that method last week but I had just added the hole in the divider for her to get through and I don't think they were sure about each other. I'll give it another go.
But I have heard conflicting arguments about restricting the flow of the pump being bad for the pump or not.I have not conditioned them with live foods, I did not know that I was supposed to, I've tried to keep them off of live food but I can pick some up if this will help trigger their spawning. As for the water change I tried that method last week but I had just added the hole in the divider for her to get through and I don't think they were sure about each other. I'll give it another go.
Live foods are often the ones that trigger them to spawn aside from slight temperature changes. Drastic changes can prove fatal to most fish as they are unable to take to it well. Hmmm...If diverting to another direction isn't the option, perhaps point the output slightly upward? The doviis won't have trouble going through the hassle of fixing their spawning site with the currents interfering with their routine.
Don't know how this effects dovii (especially the lake type), but I used to trigger managuense to spawn by collecting a barrel of rain water, and after letting my tank go a week or 2 without a water change. Then I'd do a 50%-70% water change with the rain water. The rain water has a totally different chemical condition than my tap water and seemed to really fire them up.
The spouts are already pretty much angled upward. The current is not so strong they have trouble swimming but I was curious since they are open water fish would a calmer tank perhaps appeal to them a little more.
Good idea on the barrel of rain however it would take months to get enough.. that's if I was lucky
Good idea on the barrel of rain however it would take months to get enough.. that's if I was lucky
I was going to do another water change tonight to try and trigger something but the female will not really leave underneath the log she has been hanging out in (on his side). He occasionally accompanies her under there but for the most part he is just swimming around.
He's always been a glassbanger so I can't use that to judge if they spawned or not. How does one go about finding out or should I just do the water change anyway?
He's always been a glassbanger so I can't use that to judge if they spawned or not. How does one go about finding out or should I just do the water change anyway?