How long before Multies reach Maturity and other age and sex related Questions

spudjnr123 · Oct 15, 2008

If Crim is reading this, she could probably give a better estimate, but I'm pretty sure I have three multies ranging from 3.5 to 5 months old. What is the maturing age for multies? i.e. when should I start worrying about fry? Should I even worry about them at all?

Also, if anyone has found a good way to sex that doesn't deal with size (even if it's only semi accurate) I'd love to know. So far, my multies all live in a very close cooperative group, and I'm wondering if this will change as they mature, i.e. will males start having problems with each other, or will they continue to live peacefully as a group? (Ecological theory says only one male, but fish tanks aren't ecosystems...)

nchoe123 · Oct 15, 2008

it's my impression that males are "whiter" while females are "browner", but this might just be a fancy way of saying "size", in some ways.

i just took 1m 1f (a pair) out from my tank and the remaining 2m seem to have fought to gain alpha male status.

they also seem to have wiped out the fry that were just born

or at least scared them enough to make them hide... haven't seen them yet. today.

Pittbull · Oct 15, 2008

i have a female multi that is right at an inch and she is already breeding with a large male and had like 3 fry and that was it but she has spawned a few times since then.

i wouldnt worry about the fry the wild thing about multi's are that they are very prolific breeders and will continue to do so.

well as you go is what you said i have had mine over a year now and for some reason the colony ousted him from the harem and when he tries to go back he is met with a few multi's with aggression so it could happen but usaully doesnt..

spudjnr123 · Oct 16, 2008

hmm...okay, well I guess I'll give them a little longer to play around in their tank, and see what develops. As I said, there is still no aggression or anything close to alpha male behavior, although one is huge and the other two are somewhat smaller.

jpappy789 · Oct 17, 2008

Multies, like most african cichlids, are monomorphic aka there are no ways to tell the two sexes apart by appearances. Venting is the only 100% way, and is a pain in the butt from what I have heard (pardon my pun).

Fry will come eventually. It's hard to tell when, but I bought mine at 1.5" or so and they spawned within a week. My males do have problems with each other (I assume they are males) but it's nothing dangerous. Adding more shells spread out the territories.


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How long before Multies reach Maturity and other age and sex related Questions

spudjnr123

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nchoe123

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Pittbull

ALL BOW DOWN TO THE FIN GODS

spudjnr123

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jpappy789

Plants need meat too