Breeding Questions

[MOsborne05]

I've got some Cynotilapia Afra Hai Reefs and Pseudotropheus sp Flamebacks on the way, and was wondering at what size will they start to breed? Also, will these two species cross-breed? I hope not, because I don't want to have to worry about hybrid fry and the two species look nothing alike.

The only spare tank that I have is a 5.5 gallon which currently has 5 white clouds and 1 male bn plec. Once I get my rock structure done, the fish are going to go into the 38 gallon tank. The plec will be there permanently but I'm debating what to do with the white clouds. I can leave them in there with the mbuna and they will probably get eaten, or I can put them back in the 5.5 gallon and keep it running in case I get some fry. I don't normally have the 5.5 gallon running, but I don't want to kill my fry by putting them into an uncycled tank. What do you think? The tank has a sponge filter, air pump, heater, hood & light, and a small driftwood cave.

Is a 5.5 gallon tank even big enough to use as a fry/grow-out tank? I would like to try and raise some of the babies to sell to fellow mft-ers or something because I think they are pretty cool fish. I don't know if I'll sell any to the lfs or not but I can for store credit. Do you think I should purchase a 10 gallon or 20 gallon long right now to use as a fry/growout tank, or should I wait and see how many babies I get?

Also, is it recommended to strip the female or move her into a seperate tank and let her spit the babies out herself? Will she eat the babies after she spits them? I know it will be awhile before they start breeding, but I want to be prepared.

 

[Katie217]

Well, I'll just tell you what I did when I was breeding mbuna...
I would let the female hold in the tank for about 18-20days. She would get a little beaten, but nothing too bad. After about 18-20days I would strip her in a little bowl (I posted a video of this, its called "STRIPPING VIDEO" and its somewhere in the cichlid section) Then I would put the fry in my 5gal (before it was a SW nano) and let them grow for a while. Since then, they have all been in a 10gal tank. Most are over an inch now and ready to be sold.

If you leave the female in the tank, and she is getting bruetally beaten, then I'd take her out and put her into a smaller tank. But when I had my mbuna, this wasnt nessisary. Also, dont expect the first time mothers to hold all the way through their first few times. It'll take a few tries I bet.
Mbuna are THE easiest fish I've ever bred, I'm sure you will get buttloads of fry every few months and not know what to do with them!
Good luck!

 

[MOsborne05]

Thanks. I did watch your 'stripping' video, so I have a pretty good idea how to do it. I just wasn't sure if that's the recommended way or not. I read on another site that sometimes when you strip females they won't hold as long the next time.

 

[Katie217]

Well both females that I stripped were experienced breeders. And it wasnt their first time being stripped. Allthough, I suppose it could cause the females to not hold as long the next time, but even if you strip a bit earlier (fry still have eggsacks) the fry will still be ok. Whenever I lost count of days, or I stripped too soon and the fry still had eggsacks, I would just put them into a little breeder box until the sack was disolved and they were swimming on their own. Around that time is when they start getting agressive towards one another! They are such little brats the babies!

 

[FreddyJ]

That stripping video helped me out a lot, btw. I've since done it twice to two different girls who were just looking a little too shoddy for my taste. I don't personally mind if they swallow the babies, cuz I don't have tank space for all those offspring, but they seem to hold them forever. Cute when they are born, little tiny fish! Ha!

 

[Katie217]

Awesome to hear my video helped someone out!