Krib behavior

[f8fan]

I moved my fish along with my two kribs into their new 55 gallon bigger home and all is going well. However I have a question about my two kribs. The substrate in this new tank is playsand, and they have taken to doing some floor-remodeling in "their" cave...I see the male going in the cave for five seconds, then coming out and spitting a mouthful of sand outside the cave, going back in and doing the same thing. Whats up with THAT? He has been busy at it too, their are little valleys inside the cave that are almost bare and little hills outside the cave where he has been building sand piles. Do they like sand? I thought it was a good substrate for them?? What does this behavior indicate? I have some leftover gravel that I can put in the cave area if they would prefer it, I'm just waiting on what you folks think? (c-man, ya out there?? )
Thanks!

 

[lordroad]

Sounds to me like they're getting ready to spawn. Kribs spawn in caves, flower pots, dark tubes, whatever that's enclosed and dark. Both the male and female spit out the gravel of the spawning site to get it ready for the female to lay eggs on the sides, bottom, and top of the enclosure.

Do you have a male and female? If so, they are most likely getting ready to spawn... watch out for your other fish as kribs get aggressive when they spawn.

 

[f8fan]

yes, I have a male and a female. Thanks! I was beginning to wonder if it was because they were unhappy with the sand in their cave...and I am hoping that WWIII doesn't happen in my tank if indeed they are getting ready to spawn as I just moved everyone into this new home and they are all getting used to their new place. Should I add more caves for the other fish in there? I'm not sure what to do to avoid aggression. I do have a few empty, new, and clean flowerpots, I wonder if I should place these in there for the other fish to hide. I have just one cave (the krib's cave) and one other flowerpot that the cory hangs out in when the female krib isn't staking claim to it...which she has been lately while the male does his sand spitting...

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Hehe i'm here....got your PM

I'd say they are getting ready to spawn. But sometimes they just like to do a little prep to settle into their new home and then start breeding. Could just be cleaning out their home to where its liveable and fry raising safe.

 

[f8fan]

cool, thanks matt and lordroad. I thought that sand was a GOOD thing for them? Guess they are just doing a little housekeeping in their new "digs"...pardon the pun Good night all! I'll keep you posted if indeed this is spawning behavior and they start making "krib whoopie". I hope they dont make my other fish unhappy with thir new marital relations...

 

[leck85]

id definately watch out for the cory... my cories got ripped to shreads when my kribs had fry..