View Full Version : Anyone ever seen this before???
MikenDanielle
07-13-2007, 7:50 PM
IN my messed up mixed tank I of course have various cichlids... but anyways, I just caught one of the MBunas mating with the Firemouth??? Imagine the fry this would produce?
Ruben Tolon
07-13-2007, 10:14 PM
those are two fish that would not be able to reproduce, the differences are too great.
severum mama
07-14-2007, 5:43 AM
Agreed.
Nolapete
07-14-2007, 5:49 AM
mbunas are mouthbrooders and firemouths are benthic spawners (attach eggs to hard surface) won't happen
and what do you mean by "mating?" What behaviour are you thinking is mating?
Rbishop
07-14-2007, 8:37 AM
I wouldn't have them in the same tank.
jm1212
07-14-2007, 11:01 AM
i woudl separate them.
even though african cichlids interbreed with other species of african cichlids and central/south american cichlids sometimes interbreed with another species, it wouldnt work with an african/CA cross. they both use totally different breeding methods and need totally different water chemistries for enough eggs to be fertilized.
mee-mee
07-14-2007, 7:40 PM
Ditto what every one else said....totally different water parameters and definitely different breeding methods....:)
jm1212
07-14-2007, 8:16 PM
are you sure its breeding behavior?
MikenDanielle
07-14-2007, 8:39 PM
It is what I was always told is mating behaviour anyways... the chasing each other in super tight circles, then stopping and locking mouths...?? I admit I may be totally wrong here, this is just what the lfs store told me when I called them 4 or 5 years back all worried because some of my first cichlids were doing this.
jm1212
07-14-2007, 8:45 PM
it sounds more like aggresison to me
wouldn't it surprise everyone if the 2 fish did mate and have young?
Slappy*McFish
07-15-2007, 5:30 PM
Yup, that's just aggressive behavior. I've bred my share of cichlids and these two will never be able to breed or produce spawn. It's akin to a pig mating with a horse. It can happen but don't expect any babies. ;)
jm1212
07-15-2007, 5:37 PM
wouldn't it surprise everyone if the 2 fish did mate and have young?
probably
but niether would know what to do
Nolapete
07-15-2007, 6:05 PM
That's not mating behaviour. It's aggression and them establishing dominance. They don't belong in the same tank.
MikenDanielle
07-17-2007, 9:38 PM
Arlight so this behavior is aggression, that does make more sense.. but then my question is, what do cichlids actually do when they are mating?