I am one of those people who have always had a few assorted egg layers and even some small cichlids in my big community tank but reserved the smaller breeding tanks for my rare livebearers. I just found out why I have been maintaining my microworm, banana worm and Walter worm cultures. One of my rainbow cichlids had a very dark color to him that I had never seen before. His whole lower half, below his lateral line, looked almost black instead of the usual yellowish color. When I looked closer, he was escorting a group of tiny fry around in my 120 gallon community tank. I have no idea how he successfully bred in that tank but the Walter worms were just the thing to start them off with. He and his mate seem to be defending the last 1 1/2 feet at the left end of the tank from any and all intruders including some other larger rainbow cichlids and my 6 inch angel. On closer examination, there is a pit dug behind a piece of driftwood and some silk plants in that corner of the tank that is probably where they laid the eggs. The pit is 2 inches deep and about 5 inches in diameter, it goes all the way to the bottom glass. Now it becomes my task to try to help them survive. That tank has never been a breeder tank and just doesn't have the kind of cover that I keep in my breeder tanks. Maybe one of the livebearer tanks can donate some java moss but I don't know if that is a good idea while the parents are caring for the fry. It's essential for livebearers because they all dine on sushi.
I'm all excited
- Thread starter OldMan47
- Start date
Thanks for all the congrats. I am hoping for some hints. I have always bred livebearers including some of the harder ones and some that are extinct in the wild. I have had an unsuccessful kribensis breeding but have no idea what I am doing with cichlids. The kribs lost their fry at about a week old and were in a tank by themselves.
Right now it looks like the parents are not only caring for them but defending them against all comers. Can I expect that to continue or do I need to make a home for them in one of my empty tanks? I am feeding them gut loaded microworms so I think they will be OK for a bit as far as nutrition. 50 years of fish keeping and I feel like a total newbie here.
Right now it looks like the parents are not only caring for them but defending them against all comers. Can I expect that to continue or do I need to make a home for them in one of my empty tanks? I am feeding them gut loaded microworms so I think they will be OK for a bit as far as nutrition. 50 years of fish keeping and I feel like a total newbie here.