Blue zebra cichlids

[synergy]

I have a pair of Blue zebra cichlids with red fins in one of my tanks, I took the pregnant female out and put her in another tank until she let her babies out of her mouth, well she did that two days ago but i keep her in the tank and fed her so she could get back to normal before putting her back with the male. I put her back in the tank 10 minutes ago and they are mating again. I was wondering how much blue zebra cichlids with red fins usually cost. Is this constant breeding healthy for the fish i mean she just had babies and know she will be having more!

[robertmarda]

It is best to give the mother fish a few days to a week or more without the male to give her time to recuperate. You'll probably be ok this time. For next time, You could get a divider and split the tank for a week and then remove the divider.

[Voodoo Chilli]

I would recommend removing a female to a separate tank when you notice she's "holding" eggs in her mouth. That way, she can carry the eggs to full term without being harassed by the males and other fish.

After the babies are released, it's a good idea to leave the female in the nursery tank for at least two weeks before reintroducing her to the main tank. You have to remember, she's eaten very little- and possibly NOTHING- for two or three weeks. She'll be hungry and weak- which is no condition to be in with anxious males around. Leaving her with the fry will allow her to build her strength back up and withstand the rigors of mating/breeding.

Do you know if your mbuna are Metriaclima zebra (the common zebra), or perhaps Metriaclima mbenjii (Red Top Cobalt Zebra)? The mbenjii are usually more expensive than common zebras. Price will really be determined by your local market. I've seen them sell from anywhere between two and ten dollars in my area.