Temp question. Someone told me if I lower my tank temp it will discourage spawning.

[bwd]

Someone told me if I lower my tank temp it will discourage spawning. I keep at at 81f and was told to lower it to 78. I have a 50 gal with 23 Lake Malawi chiclids. They are breeding to much. I have 4 sets of fry of diffrent sizes. I can't set another tank up at this time. Will the temp thing help slow them down?
Thanks

 

[ddyerfamily]

BUMP

 

[toddnbecka]

Actually, I'd lower it to 76 to slow them down. Cichlids are less aggressive as well as less active regarding spawning at the lower end of their preferred temp range. Just don't lower it too quickly. Try turning the dial back a coulple degrees, then wait another day or two before lowering it further.

 

[bwd]

Thanks toddnbecka.
Now I know it's not a myth and the way you suggest to lower the temp makes sense.
The first two LFS I went to told me to come back in 2 weeks and they may take some off my hands for free. There both overstocked right now.

 

[toddnbecka]

Excess cichlid fry are a good reason to maintain a predatory fish, preferably in a separate tank in most cases. Even if you can't set one up now, it's something to consider for future reference. If you had at least a 75 I'd suggest an ellipsifer spiney eel. They're quite fond of cichlid fry and generally ignored by the adults, but grow too large for a 50 gallon tank.
At least African cichlids don't produce several hundred fry each spawn like SA or CA species...