Pregnant Maingano Cichlid

[Mandafxox]

Our Maingano Cichlid might be pregnant
Couldn't find much info on Google about pregnancy for that species..

But I read somewhere about the males holding eggs in their anal fins. And that some females keep the eggs in their mouths.. So not sure if this is a male trying to breed or female that is pregnant..

Please help!!!
New to Cichlid tank.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Looks normal to me they are mouthbroders

 

[Mandafxox]

So its normal? Not pregnant or tying to breed? It's been extremely aggressive to our other Cichlids, chasing them all into the corners and into hiding and it never use to do that.

When I googled Pregnant Maingano Cichlids for info, a picture showed up of one with the yellow eggs in the anal fin. & That's how ours is.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

So its normal? Not pregnant or tying to breed? It's been extremely aggressive to our other Cichlids, chasing them all into the corners and into hiding and it never use to do that.

When I googled Pregnant Maingano Cichlids for info, a picture showed up of one with the yellow eggs in the anal fin. & That's how ours is.

The brighter colored one would be the male. More than likely he is trying to show interest in the others. What's the stock list and size aquarium?

Also here is a profile for the fish
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=756

 

[Mandafxox]

We have one each of:
Bubble bee
Demasoni
Maingano
Orange Johanni

And recently got a Jack Dempsey.

They are in a 30 gallon tank for now. They are all small about 2 inches. Jack Dempsey about 2.5 inches.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

We have one each of:
Bubble bee
Demasoni
Maingano
Orange Johanni

And recently got a Jack Dempsey.

They are in a 30 gallon tank for now. They are all small about 2 inches. Jack Dempsey about 2.5 inches.

Who is it chasing? That's.kind of odd because it should be least aggressive in the tank IMO.

However you need to rethink your stock because none of those will work in that size tank. The jack Dempsey shouldn't be with the Africans at all. All of them except the Dempsey and bee are about to get really aggressive at the size you say they are. If you can't get a 55 gallon tank then you need to rehome all of what you have and soon. If you can get the bigger tank then I'd get rid of the Dempsey

 

[Lady_Alia]

Mainganos are mouth brooders. What happens is the female drops some eggs on the ground. She then takes them into her mouth. The male will lay on his side and she will pick at the yellow egg spots on his anal fin, thinking they're eggs (which they're not) when she picks at the egg spots, he deposits milt into her mouth thus fertilizing the eggs.
A lot of mbuna do this.
As for your stock list, it's not gonna work. Every fish you've got is SUPER aggressive.
Good luck!

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I would agree with the above. 1 the fish in question does not look pregnant to me. 2 you should really look into a bigger tank. The bigger the better 3 I would advise against mixing new and old world cichlids.

 

[Mandafxox]

Thanks everyone.

They've never been aggressive with each other until now.. Our Maingano and Bubble bee would always be together but now the Maingano chases them all away. We had them for a few weeks and they've all been fine with each other. Besides the Jack Dempsey.... Which is a New World Cichlid??
If I did research right, the rest are Lake Malawi ??
And we plan to get a bigger tank soon for the Oscar and jack..

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Thanks everyone.

They've never been aggressive with each other until now.. Our Maingano and Bubble bee would always be together but now the Maingano chases them all away. We had them for a few weeks and they've all been fine with each other. Besides the Jack Dempsey.... Which is a New World Cichlid??
If I did research right, the rest are Lake Malawi ??
And we plan to get a bigger tank soon for the Oscar and jack..

Your right on where they are from. The Malawi cichlids are going to need a bigger tank. Bees can get pretty big so watch out. Then you need to get some more to spread out some of the aggression between them all. They may all kill another in that size tank and low stocking numbers

 

[kay-bee19]

Yes, all of the others are Lake Malawi mbuna's.

...They are all small about 2 inches...They've never been aggressive with each other until now...

At 2" they're still juveniles; they also apparently are still new in the tank (seems like you've had them for "a few weeks"). It's taken this much time for the maingano to size up its tank mates, sense that it is can dominate them, and then make its move to become the alpha fish in the tank. This behavior is in their nature. They start out sort of peaceful when small then everything ramps up (they're aggression seems to peak at 4 or 5 years old).

Small tank volume and small group size has a way of amplifying mbuna aggression. As previously recommended, a larger tank (55gal+) is in order and their numbers need to be tripled, preferably in breeding groups comprised of 1 male per several females per species (except for the demasoni; keep either one of these or a good dozen, they're extremely aggressive toward their own kind). Larger numbers, larger tank volume and tank length, and lots of rocks can work as an aggression counter-balance.

 

[Mandafxox]

How long would those 4 Cichlids stay in our tank? Not sure on how fast they grow...

We're looking at a 75 or 100 gal tank but our Oscar and jack would need to go in there.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

How long would those 4 Cichlids stay in our tank? Not sure on how fast they grow...

We're looking at a 75 or 100 gal tank but our Oscar and jack would need to go in there.

They grow pretty fast you MAY get 6 months it's hard telling. It actually will probably be less than that sense they are showing aggression now.

I would rehomed the bee at less your going to get a bigger tank than a 55 gallon.

Yes, all of the others are Lake Malawi mbuna's.

At 2" they're still juveniles; they also apparently are still new in the tank (seems like you've had them for "a few weeks"). It's taken this much time for the maingano to size up its tank mates, sense that it is can dominate them, and then make its move to become the alpha fish in the tank. This behavior is in their nature. They start out sort of peaceful when small then everything ramps up (they're aggression seems to peak at 4 or 5 years old).

Small tank volume and small group size has a way of amplifying mbuna aggression. As previously recommended, a larger tank (55gal+) is in order and their numbers need to be tripled, preferably in breeding groups comprised of 1 male per several females per species (except for the demasoni; keep either one of these or a good dozen, they're extremely aggressive toward their own kind). Larger numbers, larger tank volume and tank length, and lots of rocks can work as an aggression counter-balance.

I agree

 

[Mandafxox]

They grow pretty fast you MAY get 6 months it's hard telling. It actually will probably be less than that sense they are showing aggression now.

I would rehomed the bee at less your going to get a bigger tank than a 55 gallon.

I agree

How big of a tank would I need for the 4 African Cichlids? And a few more to group them and lower the aggression, like Kay-bee19 mentioned in a previous comment...?

 

[Mandafxox]

And will all 4 of them stay together fine once I add more? I definitely want to keep the bubble bee. And the Orange Johanni.... that is my daughters favorite. lol.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

And will all 4 of them stay together fine once I add more? I definitely want to keep the bubble bee. And the Orange Johanni.... that is my daughters favorite. lol.

This link will help you out on that.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/lake-malawi-mbuna-stocking-dcor-hardware/


Because of the bee I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 75 gallon bigger will be better. I can't say that they will be fine cause I don't know exactly how fast your planning on adding to the tank or how the act now

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

As long as you have at least a 55 adding more of similar size will help keep aggression down.

 

[Mandafxox]

This link will help you out on that.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/lake-malawi-mbuna-stocking-dcor-hardware/

Because of the bee I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 75 gallon bigger will be better. I can't say that they will be fine cause I don't know exactly how fast your planning on adding to the tank or how the act now

Thanks for the article Andrew! Very helpful... Made me do a lot more research...

Thinking of re-homing the 4 African Cichlids and just keep the Oscar, Jack, pictus Catfish, & also forgot to list our Pleco...
I'm going to keep them in this tank for a little, until we get a bigger tank. Looking at a 100gal tank.

Then probably add more fish to the group.
What would be some good tank mates for them??