Vieja synspila breeding help?

[mack1]

We have a male, and a female, in a 55 with probably 20 small goldfish, one large goldfish, and we have seen no prgress, any help?

 

[Modest_Man]

Are you sure they're male and female? Stupid question, but they're not too easily sexed.

 

[mack1]

What is the easiest way to sex. we bought them around when they were each an inch, one has grown to about 7 inches, the other only about 4.5, so we expected the smaller one to be a female?

 

[mack1]

is there a better way to sex them?

 

[Modest_Man]

It could very well be a sub-dominant male.

I own three ranging from 6-9" and can't sex them.

 

[Finmore]

Synspilum don't pair off as easily as some other cichlids. Its generally better to start with a group of 6 or so until you get a pair, rather than trying your luck with just 2.

Also, I note that you have goldfish in your tank with the synspilum. Goldfish are coldwater fish, cichlids are tropical. It might be that the temp is too cool for the synspilum to breed, or even thrive. What is the temp inside your tank? I'm pretty sure that the ideal breeding temp for your synspilum will be too high for the goldfish.

 

[mack1]

i think its around 80, are there any special conditions?

 

[mack1]

??

 

[Modest_Man]

Give it time. They're still small.

 

[fishguts]

maybe you could slip her a roophy.