Why won't my Africans breed?

[chevypride]

I have a pair of M. Greshakei (ice blue), and they won't breed! My male does his courting but the female seems to hate him. I'm just not sure what else I can do? I've tried doing water changes and letting the water from the filter splash around a bit and then adding colder water (supposedly it can make them think it's raining and get them to spawn), I've rehomed almost all of my convict fry so it has a lot fewer fish. I'm just not sure why my female wont pair up with my male?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Give it time they should or they may be both males or females

 

[chevypride]

No it's a definite pair and there close to 2 years old now, 4 or so inches long.

 

[CichlidLady0312]

whats your temperature at? I raised mine to 82 and noticed my males wanting to breed, My yellow lab is holding for the 2nd time. Temperature also has a lot to do with breeding.

 

[chevypride]

Okay. Mine is on the low side (77-78). I'll try turning it up a little.

 

[chevypride]

So it appears I need a different heater. This one I guess is cranked. And it's only giving me 78max (okay with it being -50 outside I don't blame it for being cold) I have a light from my 30 gallon (that kept the water very warm if I wasn't careful) but I'm going to put it on the tank and hope it gives me the few degrees I need. (It looks a little funny because half the tank now has a yellow color to it!)

 

[Phillyb32]

I'm not sure but my convicts live at a waaayyyy lower ph than my Africans... It's a thought good luck.

 

[CichlidLady0312]

Not to sure about convicts but this worked w my Africans.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[chevypride]

Well I went and bought a 50 watt heater and turned the temp in the house up (it was cold to start, but now the boyfriend can't argue about me turning it up, the fishes need it!) and ditched the old heater, and my temp is perfect now

Now I have a complete new problem. Increasing the temps has encouraged y convicts to all start breeding. Dang it. Anyone want some feeders? Hahaha.

 

[Wy Renegade]

So hopefully you have done some water changes since the cracked thermometer turned your tank water yellow.

What is your basis for calling your M. greshakei cichlids a pair? M. greshakei are mbuna cichlids of Lake Malawi and as such do not form pair bonds. To successfully breed this cichlid, you should be maintaining a male to female ration of 1:3+. As pointed out water hardness, temperature and pH can all be factors in getting them to breed.

 

[chevypride]

The water didn't change yellow. The light from my 30 gallon caused it to look yellow.