Breeding Cichlid Question... Again sorry

[DylanisHawttt]

I'm about to start my Convict breeding tank and I have a quick question. Whenever the male and female are near each other in my 55g, the male seems to chase the female a bit. Not to the point where she's getting beat up and all, but just enough to get her to turn away. Could they still breed? And my other question, on the female Convict, I see a pink part that's sticking out/big so I'm guessing she's going to drop some eggs soon? Whenever I walk into the room she still swims up to the front of the glass so I'm guessing she hasn't laid any eggs yet.

If I get the ok for both questions, I'm going to take my canister filter and biosponge filter and throw them on my 29g and transfer my Convicts and let nature take it's course.

[octoxpuss]

When My convicts breed for the first time the male kept the female away from the area where he was cleaning. Once he was done with his redecorating he would let her swim in and around it without a problem, then once they laid the eggs and rose fry for the 1st time he never made her leave the cave again. That is what I am guessing is going on with yours. So yes they can still breed and probably will. Well the second question is not a true statement my female and male took equal opportunity at guarding the eggs and when I walked in to feed them I was always greated by one and then they would switch. I would check before going and ripping the tank apart.

[DylanisHawttt]

I've checked their 3 spots in my 55g and with it being a community tank, I don't want them to go crazy and kill my other fish, but their 3 favorite spots are empty. I might go ahead and move them over before they fully clean a spot out. Would that be ok?

[octoxpuss]

Yeah, I would move them. However depending on how big the tank is that you are moving them too I would fill it up with the water from the 55 gallon and then re fill the 55 gallon with new water or atleast half filled with water from the 55 gallon because new water params may cause them to not want to breed.

[DylanisHawttt]

Good idea! I didn't think about that. I'm moving 2 cycled filters over and the temperature is the exact same as the 55g. Time to go do the water swap and then introduce the lovers. Thanks!

[octoxpuss]

Yep, One thing that I do recommend is about 3 weeks after the fry hatch remove the male because every time he would attack the female and fry in homes to cause her to bread again, either that or move the fry to another tank. I usually moved the fry, but on the occasions of slow growing fry I removed the male.

[DylanisHawttt]

So he would beat her and that would cause her to breed? Cichlids are weird :boxing:

[octoxpuss]

No No No...

Male: Wants to breed he is going crazy and knows that she is a mate so he is doing everything in his power to get her too which when she turns him away may cause him to attack her and harass her to death. SO TO SPEAK :D

[Lab_Rat]

Give her a place to escape from the male. Cichlids often get rough pre-spawning, it's important that she can get away from him before he beats on her.

[DylanisHawttt]

Oh ok, that makes sense then. I'll post a picture later tonight when I get home so yall can see if I have enough places for her to hide.

[DylanisHawttt]

This is exactly what I have in my 29g now. I am going to add a sponge to the intake of my Fluval 205 and I need to add my Sponge Filter from my 55g to this tank.

Front:
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Side:
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So far the Male (whiter of the two) is doing more of the hiding and whenever the Female swims by him or to him he swims away like he's not interested. Is something wrong? :scry:

[octoxpuss]

Just give them some time. They are just a little weary of the new surrounding. They will be breeding in rabbits like no time.

Can I see pics of the pair?

[DylanisHawttt]

I'll take a picture with my dad's camera tomorrow so I can show you guys what they look like :fish2:

[DylanisHawttt]

Here's the Female:
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Here's the male (his fins are a little roughed up from pre-spawning behavior):
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There is progress! He dug the female out a "cave" for her to lay eggs in, I actually see them both in there quite a lot:
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[Lab_Rat]

They'll likely spawn soon.

[DylanisHawttt]

Alright cool. Any specific reason as to why he lost all of his coloring? It's starting to come back a little bit but at the lfs he was as dark as the female.