Wooo, hoooo, my first spawning!

[FawnN]

I have had my pair of Kribensis for over a month and they have been in the new 26 gallon tank for 2 weeks now and they finally spawned.

I noticed that in the last 2 days momma was working hard removing the sand and she was noticably getting bigger and today she is very skinny.

How exciting!! I have the momma coming out only for a second or two and dad swimming around the cave chasing all the danios away.

I decided on cichlids instead of continuing breeding my livebearers, because I wanted to see the parenting skills I have heard so much of with cichlids.

Can anyone tell me what I should be expecting in the next week? TIA

 

[BrianNY]

Congrats FawnN. I know how exciting this is as kribs were my first spawn. I'm really using the gray matter to remember back that far but this is what I recall.

Mine spawned in a 20 gal long in a rock cave I created. Although kribs make great parents they often don't make great mates. In other words one may kill the other in their zeal to protect the fry. Keep a close eye for any excessively aggressive behavoir between the pair and be ready to move the one that is being picked on (not the aggressor).

Feed the fish as you normally would. I kept some frozen bbs which I would deposit near the cave entrance for the fry. With luck, in about a month, you will see a shoal of baby kribs emerging from their lair.

 

[FawnN]

This is what they have been building for the past 2 weeks. I can barely even see the opening from the front because of the sand piles.

Just to give you an idea of how much sand they moved, when I set this tank up I only put in about 1.5 inches of sand.

In this pic, mom is guarding the front and dad is hiding in the plants on the right, guarding that opening.

These two are so interesting to watch. I love it.

 

[oscarbreeder]

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!

Great pics to.

 

[BrianNY]

That second one should be in the photo contest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FawnN]

You really think so Brian? I'm kinda embarrassed about the vase being kinda dirty with brown algae. Normally it wouldn't be so bad since I have my pitbull pleco in there, but those 2 won't let him near it to clean.

 

[Mofo2713]

It gives it that cool "rustic" look. Put it in the contest....I'll vote for it!

 

[FawnN]

Well, I'm sad to say that the eggs were eaten. I'm guessing the momma ate them because on Saturday I saw her roaming around the tank and not guarding her cave.

I hope the second spawning (that is if I get another one) will be better. :?

 

[BrianNY]

Sorry about the spawn Fawn. It's quite common for some fish which are usually good parents to eat their eggs. Some of the reasons are:

1. Male is not sexually mature and the eggs were never fertilized
2. Parents get stressed with other fish in the tank and decide to eat them before someone else does.
3. Too much activity outside the tank.

 

[mattrox]

Just keep it up.

A friend has a 6ft tank with a pair of kribs. He went away and let his lil brother look after it and berfore long there were kribs every where. He traded tham all in for a pair of keyholes.......

You will see ;o)

 

[FawnN]

Thanks Brian and Mattrox.

I thought about that Brian, but besides the kribs in my tank all I have are a school of Danios.

I guess I will wait for the next spawning.

 

[oscarbreeder]

Sorry to hear about the eggs FawnN.
Better luck next time.

 

[FawnN]

Thanks everyone. It looks like she is starting to get her belly again. How often can/do they spawn? Maybe in all the excitement from her first spawning she got overwhelmed and decided she wasn't ready to be a mom. hmmmm, that sounds good. :?

 

[XxTitleisTxX]

Very nice pictures. But bad luck with the spawn. Maybe next time.