Kribensis breeding tank

[Big-j]

Ok I have my 29g set up with a 2in deep sand bed of PFS, a replica stump, a large slab of red slate propped upon a smaller rock buried in sand and 1 male and female kribensis, I also have 7 tigerbarbs, 2 albino tiger barbs, and 2 moss barbs in there as well, no plants as of yet, I really want the kribs to breed is this a good setup for a breeding tank and what should
I do to ensure as many fry live as possible, I do have a separate grow out tank for the young so I will remove them if necessary thanks so much for any advice you can give I appreciate it

[LyndaB]

When I had my kribs, once the fry were free swimming, the parents liked the advantage of having multiple places to tuck the fry in for the night. I used cichlid stones. I think with barbs as tank mates, you'll end up seeing a very high level of aggression towards them from the kribs.

I didn't use a grow out tank but kept the fry in with the community.

Also, kribs spawn prolifically. Be sure you have a plan for all those fry if you do separate them from the main tank. My lfs wouldn't take them until 5 months of age, as that was when best to sex them.

[Big-j]

Ok I what do y'all feed them?

[LyndaB]

The fry or the adults?

My fry lived off of micro-organisms in the java moss, and I would also feed decapsulated brine shrimp and golden pearls fry food. I fed them 3 times a day.

All of my adult fish eat an assortment of foods including cichlid mix, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, veggie flakes, freezedried bloodworms and frozen mysis shrimp and plankton. I feed them every 2-3 days.

[Big-j]

Ok I have some pellets that float and sinking shrimp pellets that's all I got though

[LyndaB]

That's way too big for fry to consume. You can get some type of grinder and grind your pellets in there. Someone else on the site mentioned that.

If I were you, I'd get the appropriate food. I ordered mine from Kensfish.com.

[Big-j]

Ok well my lil female is curling herself into a c shape and shaking but the male just kinda chases her right now what behavior should I look for from him to know they are breeding?

[Big-j]

Ok well I got no idea if they are breeding or not, I've seen no eggs but now the kribs swim together and rest together, before the male just chased her away, and she still curls up and dances from time to time so idk

[LyndaB]

My female was definitely the aggressor. She'd do the curl thing, then shimmy at him, eventually he caught on and would shimmy back at her. Next thing you know, I had 300 free swimmers flying around the tank!

Just a friendly note here, if you bother them too much, they'll eat the babies. As hard as it is, you really need to back off a bit and let them do their thing. Be an observer, but not a too close observer.

[Big-j]

He's starting to shimmy back!!! This is awesome I'm excited but I do have tiger barbs and 1 kuhli loach in there with my kribs, they won't eat the eggs will they?

[LyndaB]

My krib fry used to school with my kuhlis. No, the kuhlis won't do anything. The barbs will, if given the opportunity.

Side note: Are you planning on getting more kuhlis? They really like to be kept in groups.

[Big-j]

Now that I know they won't bother my babies yeah I'll get 4 or 5 more

[Big-j]

How can I tell they've laid eggs? The stump has an open space underneath but I can't see underneath it so is there behaviors I can look for?

[LyndaB]

If the eggs survive, you will see free swimming fry in about 3 days. Don't worry. They'll have so many spawns that eventually you'll be cursing those eggs.