I've been closely watching a female Nanochromis splendens, a Congo region (very - 5cm) dwarf Cichlid I got a few months back. I have bred previous pairs, and while these ones were acting very differently, all signs pointed to broodcare. Today, I was rewarded with a view of a group of tiny fry being tended to by their mother.
They are slender fish, adapted to stay low and not be swept away by quick moving water. In past breedings, pairing was preceded by hair raising violence, as the pair tested each other's strength and fitness. THis time, they paired off peacefully and have been very much like Pelvicachromis (kribs) in their courtship. All the pairs I've worked with have been wild caught, and all arrived young and slender. I don't know what's different this time, but I'd rather see this pretty fish displaying than fighting.
Here's one of my old pairs.
If you search for them, you hit an old article from the last time I bred them, in TFH magazine.
They are slender fish, adapted to stay low and not be swept away by quick moving water. In past breedings, pairing was preceded by hair raising violence, as the pair tested each other's strength and fitness. THis time, they paired off peacefully and have been very much like Pelvicachromis (kribs) in their courtship. All the pairs I've worked with have been wild caught, and all arrived young and slender. I don't know what's different this time, but I'd rather see this pretty fish displaying than fighting.
Here's one of my old pairs.
If you search for them, you hit an old article from the last time I bred them, in TFH magazine.
