Question

[TowBoater]

Ok I have one of them stripped ones ya'll know that is acting a little weird. It is healthy and eats fine but it don't come out except to eat. It sits straight up in a corner like it's protecting something so I thought eggs! But I looked and only found like 2 things there that could be. Do they lay them on glass or something? I know of some fish that could have ate it if she did lay but IDK.

[jbeining75]

She could be protected what she thinks is a spawn. Some fish if they don't have plants or rocks will lay the eggs right on the glass...

[TowBoater]

There is fake plants and rocks. I think she is because she chases other fish away. If it is then there is only like 2-3 eggs left.

[jbeining75]

Alot of the times the other Africans will eat the eggs. She is probably trying to protect them I agree. She will not be able to though. In a mixed tank 1 will be lucky to survive... Good luck though.... Wait aren't malawi mouth brodders?????

[cocoa_pleco]

i think that malawis are mouth brooders

[TowBoater]

Then what the heck? It's only during the day so IDK.

[TowBoater]

Here is a horrible pic of some of the white spots...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tessamax/DSCF1249.jpg

[Wyomingite]

Well, there are a variety of species that could be one of those striped ones, LOL. I can't think of any of the common, striped Malawi cichlids that are not mouthbrooders. They incubate the eggs in their mouth and then shelter the young in there for a period of time as well. So I doubt that what you're seeing are eggs, and if they are, they are probably long past being viable.

A 30 gallon tank with 10 Africans is a bit overcrowded, but do-able with plenty of water changes. Although often suggested, the overcrowding strategy with mbunas doesn't always work. Without a little more info on species, genders and sizes, hard to tell what the issue is. I suspect that it may be getting picked on, and that corner is the safe place it has demarcated as its territory. I've seen mbuna do that before plenty of times. I used 20 gallon long set ups for breeding mbuna, 1 male to 2 or 3 females, and there was a time or two when one of the "females" developed into a nice looking young male. Being subordinate and young, in a tank too small for more than one male to establish a territory, these young males ended up back in the corner every time, in just about the same pose as you're describing, until I transferred them.

Edit: OK, just saw you're pic. Not great, but does look like they could be eggs. Your tank description in your profile just says Africans. Are they all Malawi cichlids? Do you have any Tanganyikan cichlids in there?

WYite

[TowBoater]

It just started. It used to be in the front like the other.

[jbeining75]

Do you have driftwood in that tank Kuli?????

[TowBoater]

Nope......

[jbeining75]

Hmm..... could be eggs I guess. The striped ones you are referring to are auruts or melanchromis johanni. I know you have both....

[Dixie]

Problems don't start until the fish mature so that may be why it was fine before. Malawi cichlids are mouth brooders so it probably isn't eggs. It would be easier to help if we knew your stock list and how many of each you had.