Breeding Acaras

[Mr.Jingles]

Ok...I'm almost convinced that my larger acara is a male. I got them when they were 2.5 inches, so I couldnt really tell. Im still not sure, but anyways.

So its dorsal fin and anal fin are both pointy and extended kinda far back on the caudal fin. His body is also really colorful. Well, more colorful than it use to be. Id say its really colorful.

So recently, it has been chasing the other one around alot. Sometimes they'll have a little stand off sort of thing where they will be side to side. Then the smaller female will run away and it will persue her. Is this breeding behavior? cause Ive seen cichlids breed before and they seem to do this, but whats going on?

if they do turn out to breed, what are the requirements for the babies?

[Tightdog1]

i currently have a breding pair of blue acaras in my 55g and they just bred like crazy! they breed like every 1-2 weeks, they laid eggs a few days ago and should hatch today or tomorrow.

conditions of tank:
ph: 7.0
ammonia/nitrate/nitrite: 0/0/0
temp: 78 F
filtration: fluval 304 w/ biowheel pro 60 inline
HOB bravo 200

[Mr.Jingles]

Well, now there is no doubt in my mind that my two acaras are male and female. the male constantly shows off his fins to the female and the female gets really dark bars. They go on and off with this darkening and displaying, but most of their time, right now, is spent doing it. Now, they just paired a day ago and I was wondering how long it takes for a pair to get "situated"? Do they normally go through an extensive cleaning and showing off ritual, or do they just join hands and call it good? Also, do they show off ever time they want to breed? Im really anxious to see them breed!

how long does it take for them to lay eggs?


btw, do you have any pics of your 55?

[1 fish 2 fish]

Does one of them ever start shaking. One of mine did that, befor they bred. They clean off a flat piece of rock and lay the eggs on that, although mine have bred with out a flat rock, don't know where they laid the eggs. Are very good parents.

[Mr.Jingles]

hrm...he has shaken a bit. She doesnt appear ot be gravid tho, so I think she might be holding out. Do they look very big when they are about to lay eggs?

[1 fish 2 fish]

I don't remember them getting big. Look behind the female's anal fin. There shoul be a small tube there, when they are getting ready to breed. They do breed like rabbits. After my pair spawned about 5 times, the male started beating up the female, so I separated them. Mine also dug a small pit near the spawning site.

btw, where in MI do you live?

[Mr.Jingles]

East Lansing

btw, my fish had lowered their tubes before they started this breeding behavior. weird. but Im hoping they will breed soon. cause they seem to clean things occasionally.

the strange thing is that they will show off and then at any given point she'll just swim away from him and he'll chase her. at feeding time they will pause and then he'll chase her away from the food if he isnt eating. then they will go back to following eachother around the tank and showing off. I just cant wait!

[1 fish 2 fish]

Have you ever been to the pet store called Preuss's or somthing like that?

[Tightdog1]

i dont have any pictures of my tank partly because the pictures i take never turn out very good and i dont post them. but my pair's fry are now free swimming in the tanbk and seem to be dsoing well, i will try to take some more pics tho.

[Mr.Jingles]

Yeah...Preuss. I hate it but its the best store you could find in this entire area. Infact, they are so quality, I just dont know how I could manage without them. But they are so friggin expensive that I ponder at their explenations of why certain fish dont sell well, ie: black skirts at $3.98 a piece...

But I am please with my Acaras, I can tell you that much.

btw, I think my female is too young to breed.

[Tightdog1]

how big is ur female?

[Mr.Jingles]

around 2.5 inches

[Mr.Jingles]

well, now they dug a pit next to my flat log. I guess they are going to breed after all!

[Tightdog1]

my pair is approx 4in. they started to breed around 3 in and have been goin at it ever since.

they will probably dig a few holes at least my pair does. sometimes the pair lays eggs on a not so flat rock like a slanted one, so sometimes you wont be able to see the eggs except from the back of the tank.

[Mr.Jingles]

they layed eggs yesterday (tuesday)!

are they good parents? how long till the eggs hatch? how long till the babies are free swimming?

[1 fish 2 fish]

They make very good parents and I thingk they hatch in a couple of days, if they see one stray from the nest, they eat it and spit it back in the nest. Not sure on the details, been a while since I separated my pair, the male started beating on the female.

[josh]

so what's the deal? How are the baby fish looking? Any free swimmers? are the parents doing good? wassup in the hood?

-Josh

[Tightdog1]

just got more eggs a few days ago and they hatched yesterday. cant tell how many tho too hard to see.

normally it takes about 3 days for the eggs to hatch, on the second day i do a water change about 20%.
free swimming in about 4 days after hatch, then i water change again being carefuk not to suck up any fry. normally i take oput all the fry after 2 weeks or so of free swimming. then in a few days they lay more eggs.

They seme to be very good parents, any time they see a fish astray from the group they suck them into their mouths thern spit them out with the rest of the brood. keeping the fry very close together. after a week or so the fry seem to go anywhere they want and do not keep with the group. some get eaten by other fish.

[Mr.Jingles]

yeah...my babies seem to like to stray


oh, before I go off. the babies hatched and are free swimming and the parents herd the babies around the tank. their numbers are dwindling, but there are still around 40-50. I also have some in a 10 gallon cause my mom moved them. i wont go into that schpeal. the babies are burrying themselves in the gravel tho, so im thinking most wont make it.

The babies seem to stray a bit and the fish seem to like the babies as a special entre. but they dont eat them much. the parents protect them well. nevertheless, the babies dont have that large a group.

I have 9 semi large black skirts, 3 cories, and a few platies. I moved the cherries cause they hovered around the plants where the babies were and they preyed on them like vultures on a carcas.

so, im hoping the next batch will be more successful.

[1 fish 2 fish]

I never expect much from first-timers.

[Mr.Jingles]

k, well I think they just ate the last of the babies. luckily, because my mom dropped a bunch of babies in the ten gallon, I could still get some babies out of their first batch. the babies just dig themselves into the gravel tho.