Best setup for cichlid breeding?

[Leader of Men]

What would you guys recommend for a 55 gallon tank setup for cichlid breeding? What filters, lights, heaters, etc.

Right now we're thinking a sand bottom tank with a bunch of rocks stacked with plenty of caves made out. Then a few live plants to go with that, but things that are pretty hearty so the cichlids don't tear them up.

What would you guys recommend?

Also, is there a really good guide anyone knows of for cichlid breeding?

Thanks!

[mattrox]

I would probably breed dwarf cichlids, kribs or apisto's come to mind.... Some rocks caves or terracotta pots.

If you are going for ARLCs then you need different conditions.... 1 male to 2 or 3 females.

Which cichlids are you interested in breeding?

[Leader of Men]

I'm not entirely sure what type because I'm not sure what the differences are. I know there are mouth-brooders, cavity-brooders, and open-brooders and I understand the differences in each of these. But I don't really know what type of cichlid breeds has which breeding method. Or which method is easiest.

I'm sorry I don't know what ARLCs are.

[Texas,Guy]

If I remenber right ARLC stands for african reef lake ciclids, for a frist time breder one of the best is IMO kribs or the apistogramma speices. The Apistogramma cockato triple reds or the pandro are very easy to keep and bred. I've bred both for yrs and made a few bucks from my LFS from the fry.

[Leader of Men]

Ah, ok, thanks!

Is it a good idea to buy a paired set of cichlids to start out? Will any of the fry pair or is that unlikely?

[mattrox]

Do an internet search for all the information you can find on Dwarf cichlids.

Kribs for example will pair up and IME form quite a strong bond.

Apistogramma species have different requirements.

Rams have the reputation of being quite sensitive/finicky about their enviornmental (tank) conditions.

When you have found the fish you like, it is easier to set the tank up correctly and get specific advice.

[Leader of Men]

So they form pairs fairly easily it would seem?


It would be a lot cheaper to buy a group of cichlids than buying already paired cichlids.

[mattrox]

If you go for Rams or apistos, buy a male and several females.....

Kribs may be paired up at the lfs. If not, I'd buy 1 male krib and and 3 females, let them pair up and then return the others if you want. You might be able to get 2 pairs in a 55, but when they spawn and have fry they can get very territorial. YMMV

[Leader of Men]

We would likely have a secondary tank, if we had two tanks would it be ok to move one set to the other tank if they breed at the same time?

Or would that be bad even if only one had fry at a time?

If that's the case, could we move the breeding fish or the non-breeding fish to the other tank until they're friendly again?

[mattrox]

I saw your other post about breeding peacocks. If you go for them, you can move the 'holding' female to another tank to let her spit out the fry and recover for a few days.

The advice above was for dwarf cichlids.

Cichlid-Forum.com

[Texas,Guy]

When you bred Apistogrammas in order to get them paired off it's best to get 1M,2F then once the pr is formed remove the unwanted female. Do this cause the male will kill her when the pr is spawning. Cockatos males sometimes spawn with more then 1 female at a time ( sometimes ) and even have both females with frys at the same time. I've had a male Apsto cockato triple red spawn with 2 females and both be with eggs in caves, But then another pr kill the outed female. So if the male starts fighting with the odd female out remove it at once. You can bred the fry to each other also or perants to offspring.
Now Kribs will spawn with more then 1 female at a time and the 2 females will lay eggs in the same cave and 1 female will take over both fry and even switch back and forth on mothering the fry. I love spawning kribs ( just for that reason ) Ain't nothing like whatching a mother krib take the little ones out for a swim around the tank. Keeping them to the plants and schooled up, even fighting of all comers to the fry so they will stay schooled in the plants.
GBR's ( german blue rams ) I myself never got my pr to spawn but once. They wasn't the best perants even eatting the fry. But like before mentioned they are pickey about the water settings. i tryed everthing from rain water in the tank to 2male, 1 female / 1 male 2 females. I gave up and started the Apistogramma breding and found a ton more fun and a ton more fry.
Hope this helps!

[Leader of Men]

Ah, so the fry can breed! That's pretty good news.

If I buy a pair of cichlids would their first breeding attempt with me be more likely to be more successful? Since it's said that first attempts are often not as successful, it would seem that this may create the advantage for the first breeding attempt in the tank.

Since I am going to try pretty hard to breed would it be wise to just have the two cichlids in the tank to start with and after they breed keep some of the fry in that particular tank and maybe try and create another pair as well as adding just a couple more tank mates?

I will be moving some of the fry to some other tanks (mine and friends as well) and trying to sell some as well (assuming good living rates) so two pairs would be nice since it would create a bit more variety in the tank. But that could be an eventual thing if you guys think it would be better or easier to breed them alone the first time.

Thanks!

[Texas,Guy]

The best thing to do would be to diside what speices your going with frist. IMO the best one would be the Apistogramma cockato and a trio pr of Apistogramma pando or Apistogramma agzzies. in a 55g you could keep 3 pr. and lay out 5 or 6 little flower pots with a whole in the side and silaconed base to the top. this makes great breeding huts. the prs will pick one away from the other prs and before you know it you'll have fry swimming around. The best placement of the breeding huts is one on both ends and the middle giving each pr alittlie over a 12g area to spawn and keep fry. Add loads of plants to brake up the line of them seeing each other and throw in so mid. level swimmers and even a few top water swimmers. Then your set.

[Leader of Men]

How would this sound for a plan...

Flower pots in the two back corners of the tank and then a few more towards the front of the tank. We'd then separate those with a really good amount of rocks between them and surrounding them.

That would create good boundaries for them while they're breeding, right?

[Texas,Guy]

That would be a good set-up, adding plants and rocks will help brake up the line of site. If your adding Apistogrammas ( differnt speices ) your set up will be great. Most Apisto's are great parents and do will with eggs, I always hatch the eggs with my Pandro pr. Should say one of the pr. I use a hatcher I maded using a 1g jar and a air stone.