Dwarf Cichlid Project

[giggitygiggity]

So I bought a 10 gallon aquarium off craigslist about 2 months ago. Its been running since. I started with 10 neon tetras to help boost the cycle. As soon as the cycling was over, I sold them.

I went to the LFS and purchased 2 dwarf cichlids, 1 male, and 1 female, in hopes that they will breed. So that is my new project!


The aquarium is not "show" ready so I will not post pictures of it yet, but the male is always show ready! His colors are beautiful and the way he flashes himself whenever he is around the female is very cool to watch.

Anyways, before I talk to much, here are a couple photos!

Enjoy!

[ZebraDanio12]

Pretty male(; Mine is still young so his colors arent in all the way. But little kevin is looking like him(;

[ZebraDanio12]

Mine just laid another batch. Ill post pics if your interested. Well later sense they are actually still in the process. Don't want to disturb. I could tell it was coming. Female was getting quite a belly

[giggitygiggity]

Still no eggs here


How am I going to tell besides looking at the female for a big belly?



Because I have ALOT of java moss, so much in fact that their caves that I have made them are very dark so I wouldnt be able to see inside even if there was eggs.

[grogan]

I need to get a female for mine. My male is by far the best specimen I have seen. He loves to eat scarlet badis..$25 feeder fish make for amazing colors lol

[giggitygiggity]

Originally Posted by grogan I need to get a female for mine. My male is by far the best specimen I have seen. He loves to eat scarlet badis..$25 feeder fish make for amazing colors lol

He eats feeder fish? How big is he?

[ZebraDanio12]

Right before spawning (Like literally around maybe an hour or so) The female will flip on her side and press against the male. I seen them do it twice out of four spawns. Really how I can except it is the big belly and more attention to the male. When she has eggs her belly wont be big like a guppy's but rather just plump... Right after they lay eggs She will look really skinny. It really is a big difference. You'll know if she has eggs. She'll stay around one spot. She wont let the male come near.

Whenever I see them close to spawning, I add a new object (cave) usually a pot and they automatically spawn there. Funny how it works. Maybe just my fish?? I don't know.

Post a pic of your female. I may be able to tell....What are her behaviors?

Btw, In one spawn they can have 50-60 eggs, so be prepared! The fry are much slower growing than guppys. My babies are at about 7 10ths of an inch and around 1 and a half to 2 months old. No colors yet. But they have developed their black lines, and I can tell the sex. Im expecting another spawn in a week or two.


Grogon, You should. Post a pic of him! Thats some expensive food! Mine fancy guppy fry.

[grogan]

I was being sarcastic about it eating feeder fish. I used to have 5 scarlet badis in the tank and then the apisto developed a taste for them and now I only have one. It became the joke around the shop. Well anyways here is a crappy pic with algae...fail.

[emc7]

They are small but they are carnivores. Worst pic I ever saw was a male trying to eat a female. She was halfway down his throat and they were both dead. Try blackworms and bloodworms. But be careful about the size of female you add.

[ZebraDanio12]

Beautiful male. My male is very calm. Never hurt a fish, unless it was guppy fry.

[giggitygiggity]

Originally Posted by grogan I was being sarcastic about it eating feeder fish. I used to have 5 scarlet badis in the tank and then the apisto developed a taste for them and now I only have one. It became the joke around the shop. Well anyways here is a crappy pic with algae...fail.

hahaha oh.


Thats a nice looking male. You have to see the one at my LFS, ill take a picture next time im there.

His colors are AMAZING!