Kribensis - digging caves, but why aren't I seeing the little wigglers?

[Ricochet]

It seems the two Kribs have sort-of paired up, but I haven't seen signs that they've mated. They've dug up a bunch of sand pits near the clay pots that I've given them for caves, but that's about it, as far as I can see.

I also have some common guppies, a red/blue bolivian tetra, millions of Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) a wood? or bamboo? shrimp in there. Is it possible the MTS are eating the eggs?

What else can I do to get them to spawn?

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

It is possible that they are eating the egg's but I doubt it. Kribs tend to become quite protective when paired up. The snails move 2 slow to eat them. If they are paired up you'll will see a riase in both of there aggressions especially the males. If you can do anything to make them pair the only thing I can think of is riase the tempreture to say 27'C is about 80-81'F. but other than that just let them do their thing.

I hadn't even noticed that mine had fry. Just watch the female and see whether or not she is hiding alot and/or doing a little jig in front of the male.

you could try a water change because you properly won't get a chance to clean gravel after the fry have spawned.

good luck.

 

[Moreta]

FWIW
I would say its a possibility the snails are eating the eggs. I had no luck w/my apistos rearing until I moved them out of the planted tank w/snails into a smaller breeding setup (no snails).

On another board I frequent snails are cited as a major cause of eggs being eaten.

 

[Tim Bo]

IME Kribs are good at picking out snails and spitting them out away from the nest, though it does depend on their previous experience and maturity.
Once the female stays put in the cave, you have a good indication that she has or is about to lay eggs.

 

[Dtman]

Good point on the experience angle Tim. I kept Kribs a few years ago, and it did take several batches of eggs before they got it right. MTS has never been a concern in any of my breeding tanks...Cichlids anyway. I'd be more inclined to worry about them if I were trying to spawn egg skatterers. On a side note, if you have an unreasonable amount of mts in the tank, its a pretty good indication that you are overfeeding.

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

yes very good point Tim.

I'm guessing they have never spawned together before, and as a quote from Timbo's site "Young Kribs will not always get it right the first time but will eventually learn."

If you were really concerned about the snails you could take them out. My 18gal has a snail in it for the detritus which is godo for fry to eat. The snail is no bother for the kribs as it is always on its back unside down...I never see it sucking onto the glass, just in random places upturned, but the fry often venture around it picking of the algea etc off its shell...if anything the snail is a benifit in my situation.