Breeding question

[thomas]

We have a pair of Jewel Cichlids that I think are breeding, but I don't know their breeding cycle very well.

Over a month ago the female got bigger and darker and atfirst we thought she may be sick, however there was also nest building, so we thought it might be breeding. About a week later, we saw eggs, and that the female had lost the dark coloring and size and had returned to normal. It seems tho that the eggs may of been eaten or something, because they disappeared a few days later (there are other fish in the tank)

It's about a month later, saturday last week she got dark and big again, despite what happend last time, I can't help but be concerned about her being eggbound or something. Something like that caused one of our previous fish to die years ago, Might of been something else tho.

It is normal for jewel chichlids to become darker and bigger prior to laying eggs, and how long does it normally take from the time they appear like this, and when they lay. I can't find this infomation anywhere yet.

So far, it's been about 6 days.

I don't think I fully understand what I am talking about, so please correct me if anything I said doesn't make sense.

 

[Dwarfs]

A few questions
What size tank?
Are you SURE they are jewel cichlids? ( they turn bright red when breeding and will kill all other fish)
My jewels never got darker when breeding, they just got bright red colored

Is this what you have

This is a jewel cichlid Not mine, I gave mine away. I stole the pic from google

 

[thomas]

Thats them, except not even close to that level of red.

But they had eggs only a month ago, I know that for sure.

If thats not them, they're a fish that has an extreamly similer body shape.

 

[shrimpster97]

at school in my aqua science class, theres one of those and a handful of fry, they are really good looking fish. i want some.

 

[thomas]

Actually, when I turn the light on, it was off when I looked just then, one of them looks very redish, the one I was worryed about, looks a bit redish but darker. Neither are close to the picture in color tho.

 

[Dwarfs]

I'm stumped then Are they aggressive to other fish?

 

[shrimpster97]

I'm stumped then Are they aggressive to other fish?

from what ive heard, they are. even agressive to there own kind.

 

[Dwarfs]

I'm stumped then Are they aggressive to other fish?

from what ive heard, they are. even agressive to there own kind.

I know, I was asking him if his were , when I had them my male harassed my female to death because she wasn't ready to spawn

 

[thomas]

Well, after last time, the female was very protective, chasing after anyone who got near the eggs, after which, they all resumed normal behavior, where they will attack eachother, but not very offen, and not very bad.

I am not sure if it's relievent, but the pH in this tank is very low, 5-6ish.

Apart from the dark colors and ready to lay eggs look, they are acting perfectly normal. They are nest making, all the fish are eating, very enthusiasticly infact. So apart from the colors and eggs they are perfectly normal, but I am concerned about the strange colors and that they havn't layed eggs yet.

 

[digital_run]

Hey...

Are they a new pair that you have...im asking only because cichlids will usually fail in there first spawns together..they will usually eat the eggs soon after...you may have missed seeing the eggs before they were consumed by the parents...If they are displaying breeding colors they will probably try...also a quick internet search led me to an article which says that optimal breeding conditions are water with a ph of 6.5-7, so maybe your low ph has put them in the mood .

HIH

 

[semper fi]

the degree of red that yours display is more than likely due to quality. i am not saying that yours are poor quality. the line that these fish come from is more than likely far removed from the F0 pair that it originated from. Successive breeding like that will cause the colors to not be as brilliant as the wild caughts.

Jewels are also riverine species. they can breed at various ph levels. mine have bred at 7.8. fish are more likely to spawn during rainy seasons. with the riverines, the rainy seasons mean that the rivers are higher from the amount of rainwater. this tends to lower the ph. the water of the rivers becoming more dilute with rain water, thus temporarily lowering the ph.

 

[thomas]

Thanks for the infomation, but I still don't see any direct responces to my question.

"It is normal for jewel chichlids to become bigger prior to laying eggs, and how long does it normally take from the time they appear like this, and when they lay. I can't find this infomation anywhere yet"

It is breeding time of the year here I think (I am in australia).