Encouraging spawning

[cbourg746]

Have a mature pair of jack Dempsey who have been tank mates for close to 4 months now. They took to each other very early on and gave me every reason to believe they would mate. The never leave each others side and do the typical fanning and bumping and courting, but I have yet to see any eggs. Am I expecting too much too soon from this pair or is there anything I can do to help the process along.? I have tried using a mirror to help trigger a response from the female when she sees the male fighting with his reflection. My water parameters are good ( ammo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0 and ph is 7.8) they seem to be happy and healthy. Any ideas?

 

[boadams87]

Try changing 50% and using col water. It does the trick every time with my labs and terrors.

 

[christine2012]

+1 do a pwc just a few (like 2-3) degrees cooler than the tank water.

 

[jetajockey]

Have a mature pair of jack Dempsey who have been tank mates for close to 4 months now. They took to each other very early on and gave me every reason to believe they would mate. The never leave each others side and do the typical fanning and bumping and courting, but I have yet to see any eggs. Am I expecting too much too soon from this pair or is there anything I can do to help the process along.? I have tried using a mirror to help trigger a response from the female when she sees the male fighting with his reflection. My water parameters are good ( ammo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0 and ph is 7.8) they seem to be happy and healthy. Any ideas?

How old are they? Do you have pics of the fish? A few heavy feedings of some kind of live or meaty food like bloodworms seems to help with mine.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Spawning of fish requires a few things. It requires the fish be healthy enough to spawn, thus providing a good high quality food is important. It requires the correct habitat, very few fish in the hobby are open water spawners and thus providing natural caves, logs, driftwood pieces etc. is also important. It requires proper water chemistry, some require a certain pH range or temperature range in order to spawn or spawn only during a certain time of the year, thus researching the particular species you are trying to spawn and learning as much as possible about their habitat need is very important, and lastly, it requires that the fish be fully mature. Some fish do not reach maturity for two or three years, others mature in a matter of months, thus once again why the research and knowledge of a particular species is important. Once all the conditions/requirements have been meet, it takes patience on the part of the fish keeper, when everything is right, they will spawn. Best of luck in your endeavors to breed.

 

[cbourg746]

How old are they? Do you have pics of the fish? A few heavy feedings of some kind of live or meaty food like bloodworms seems to help with mine.

They are both over a year old. Not sure exactly how old as they were about 3" when I got them and are now over 6" in a years time. twice a week I have fed either bloodworms or brine shrimp. The female will often grab the whole frozen cube and run off with it. First pic male, 2nd female

 

[cbourg746]

Here is a pic from about two months ago when I thought they were going to do the deed. Since then I have rearranged the tank some and rehomed the pleco

 

[boadams87]

Are you sure they're a pair and not both male?

 

[cbourg746]

Are you sure they're a pair and not both male?

Pretty sure the one in the second pic is a female. The spangles in the face and gill plates are more blotches than circles like the other. They never leave each others side so I don't think two males would act that way unless they were..........?

 

[cbourg746]

They spend a lot of time in the clay pots like this.

 

[boadams87]

My oscars are 2 males and they grew up together so they always stay together

 

[cbourg746]

My oscars are 2 males and they grew up together so they always stay together

Ime.....I am 99% sure they are male/female. I noticed today that her tummy is swollen as if she is full of eggs. Hope this is a good sign.

 

[boadams87]

Awesome I hope so