liz2727

I just bought a 36 gallon tank and wanted to try breeding a pair of cichlids. I'm hoping to find ones that have at least a little bit of color, but with this being my first time trying, I want something that is easy. Is it easier to breed a mouthbreeder or an egglayer? Also, is it better to buy a pair from the lfs, or buy them separate and hope they pair off and if I buy them separate, do I buy more than one female (I have a larger tank I can move one to if I need to). Do cichlids pair for life or do they just mate with anything? Thanks for any advice.

Shawnie

convicts breed like rabbits! and they raise their own kids without eating them LOL

COBettaCouple

I've found the angel pair spawn pretty easily. The problem is just getting them to learn how to get from there to fry.

Allie

Kribs, jade eyes any of those pairing fish breed easily.

Shawnie

wish mine would!!!!

Allie

Mine use to spawn regularly which was cool to see. We even got to the point where we took the eggs from the parents in put them in another tank...they got to the stage when they first drop off the leaf, wigglers. But no one made it thru the day.
I have a male and a female who will probably pair off eventually. I would like to see them breed to the free swimming fry stage someday.

Shawnie

I dont even know how to sex them LOL so I guess when I stop trying to rescue fish, I can spend more time reading up on angels..I just adore them

Allie

They are hard to sex until they get mature. They kind of act like convicts, flirting, flaring gills and nasty fights sometimes.
Males seem to have a more rounded forehead area and females more slopey, females are rounder in the belly area.
*Bragging here* I have guessed all my angelfish sexes and haven't been wrong yet. I get a look in their eyes and how they act. Males seem to be more easy going than the females. At least with the 13 we've kept. Then again we had 3 males and the rest females...no wonder the females were so aggressive. Not enough to go around, lol.

MissMTS

You could get a group of young yellow labs and they will probably breed for you. I know lots of people who have had good luck breeding them, and with their bright yellow color, it would make a beautiful tank. Thats just my two cents

FishFolk

I'm new to cichlids but I recall reading that most cichlids breed easily. I have mouthbrooders. Since I have sand substrate, that will probably be easiest for me. There are lots of websites that talk about breeding - who breeds how, water conditions, if they are polygamous or monogomous. I can't remember it all but I try

Shawnie

this website gives all that info too

steveangela1

I am having success w/ african cichlids (malawi) right now... my kenyi and yellow labs have already put out batches... and my greyshakis are starting "spawning mode" I have a trio of the greyshaki's and the labs.. I have a pair of the kenyi...
they do better w/ a trio, however I had luck w/ the pair of kenyi, I am planing to branch out to other malawi cichlids soon, I am getting some red top hongi, cynatilapia afra jalo reef, and psuedotrophus elongus chewere to breed, I am going to get a trio of each.

my water conditions are: ph 8.0, temp 78.6, nitrite -0-, ammonia -0-, nirate 5, med hard water, I have crushed coral mixed w/ sand substrate and I have rocks from front to back and side to side in the tank w/ a ton of flat rocks on the very top they seem to like spawning there. I also do vaccuming once a week (on wed) and waterchanges on sat. This is how I will set up my new tank w/ the newer fish (I don't know how I am going to split up the species yet, I have some "oddballs" that I want to get rid of as well)

COBettaCouple

Our male keeps protecting the eggs from the female, otherwise I think they've gotten to where they have learned. I have about a dozen fry from the last spawning in a fry tank. We were lucky that the female we bought was accepted by our male, but if you want to breed Angels look for a LFS selling breeding pairs.

FishFolk

True and great info it is. Once I get started on a topic, I tend to over research. I just keep searching - validating what I have read and gleaning new bits here and there.

Coryd55

Fom what I have read and heard from people on here if you put a male and female convict cichlid in a tank they will breed.

You cant real,ly put anything else in the tank though as they are so aggressive while breeding they will try to fight any fish that comes near, even oscars and other large fish. and they normally win the fight to hah =)

platy ben

how many yellow labs can i try and breed in my 60G tank, and would i need more females than males?